Chapter 25:
I wish I could say finding Starrk was difficult, but in his haste to follow his betrothed he did little to cover his tracks. As a fellow Espada and future king I seethe at his foolishness. His tracks unfortunately aren't the only ones we find. It looks to be a group of three or four are also following his sloppiness. Ichigo and I stumble across the remains a man, who is possibly a part of a scouting party for Yhwach and I clench my teeth so hard my jaw aches. Starrk is jeopardizing everything we have planned; I wish I could slap him upside the head for his foolishness, but I can't fault the man. Should Ichigo be in the same predicament I doubt I'd be any more level headed.
Ichigo waves me forward from where I crouch scourging through the pockets of the slain man. I get up and rush toward him, crouching low and lightening my steps as he shoots me a glare and a hiss to be quiet. We crawl forward on our hands and knees careful to not dislodge any rubble from the remains of a crumbling city. Starrk is engaged in a heated battle on the crumbling remains of a 2-story house. He is being pushed further to the edge where should he fall would be the end of his walking days if not his life. I am surprised by Ichigo's reluctance to move to his aid until I see the beasts.
Huge hulking wolves circle the first floor their forms ghostly and sinister growling up at the battle above them. I know these beasts to be summoned by Starrk but I cannot guarantee that they won't attack should we approach. I glance back up to see how my friend is fairing, his heels are touching the crumbling edge. I disregard my earlier reservations and rush over the remaining rubble to get to him. The remains of the city are in a very sorry state and in my haste, I trip and knock over a short brick wall. They crumble and scatter crashing over other bricks causes a loud ruckus and shakes the ground. The adversary that Starrk is facing, snaps his head to my direction. This gives Starrk and opportunity to grab the soldier and throw him over the edge where his wolves wait to devour his broken body. Starrk watches his beasts tear the poor soul apart the sickening crunch of bone heard above their snarls. His slate grey eyes raise to meet mine and he turns his back to me. He is waiting for Ichigo and I on the ground floor when we finally make our way over to the sad building.
"I guess you want me to thank you for being as unsteady as a new born colt?" he grumbles at me.
"You had it under control, no need for me to cause a distraction to save your life." I sneer back pulling the grouching man into a bone crushing hug. Despite my words I can't help but let my relief at seeing the man alive seep into my voice. Starrk being the big softy brings his arms up to hug me back. We don't pull apart till Ichigo clears his throat to interrupt us.
"Not exactly what I had in mind for your wedding venue." He jests trying to lighten the mood, thankfully not bring any attention to our damp eyes and suddenly runny noses.
"and your choice of guests... leave much to be desired." Ichigo continues flinching when a wolf sniffs his hand leaving a bloody nose print. A few more wolves join us from where ever they had ventured off, their muzzles dripping with blood from a fresh kill.
"you've been… productive" I say for lack of a better word. The wolves wander over to their master one by one sniffing and giving their snorts of approval before dissipating into wisps of smoke that get carried off by the breeze.
"I haven't been able to find Uryu yet." Starrk gives a heavy sigh, eyes searching the ruins as we stand among them.
"You read the same letter I did, if he truly is Yhwach's heir, he will probably be with him in the Sibern keep." Ichigo reminds my friend gently. Starrk slams his fist against a crumbling wall, which shakes ominously in retaliation. The outburst is so unlike the calm and collected duke I've grown to know.
"How could he do this to us, how could he just leave me, what is he thinking?" Starrk demands to no one in particular his voice cutting off in a repressed sob.
"Let's not get carried away here. Uryu loves you Starrk. He wouldn't do this without reason. There has to be a reason." Ichigo says as he grips the duke's shoulder in reassurance. His voice doesn't waver the entire time. He believes what he is saying. I only wish I could as well.
"Common…" I urge them "We have to find shelter and hole up for a few days until my father can draw Yhwach's armies away."
"We can't wait that long." Stark argues holding his ground his face full of unwavering determination. "If Uryu really is doing this for a good reason what if he is discovered and he's in danger I can't let that happen."
"Give your fiancé some credit, he's intelligent he can hold his own for a few days. We can't go in there alone Starrk, it would be suicide. Yhwach isn't human, we need the Visords help. We stick to the plan." I don't have to add that's an order for the intention to get across. Starrk knows he's treading on thin ice as it is. I could very easily have him exiled for all that he's done. Starrk doesn't say anything but gives a tense nod and leads us through the ruins to where he's made camp the past night. We gather his meagre supplies and go search for shelter elsewhere. Better not to remain in the same place for too long.
Starrk summons his wolves to help scout for a new hideaway. The wolves discover an old bathhouse. The slopping floors and high ceilings provide adequate cover for the three of us and our mounts that I had left tied in the wood's half a league outside the city. Ichigo goes to retrieve the horses while Starrk and I build a fire and set some traps should our resting place be disturbed. By the time that Ichigo has returned and the horses' eyes are covered as they're led into the ruins the sky has opened up from a drizzle to a heavy downpour. Ichigo's ginger hair is plastered to his forehead and shivers start to wreck his body. I usher him into the bath house where Stark is cooking some caught rodents on spits by the fire.
"You'll catch your death if you keep those on, love" I urge Ichigo to stirp out of his soaked clothes. He makes some joke about me just wanting to get him naked and I can't help but capture his lips in response. He's not entirely wrong. I strip out of my long overcoat and wrap it around his form and settle him by the fire side. I catch Starrk's eyes from across the fire, he has an eyebrow raised and a smirk on his face.
"You two have gotten closer." I grin widely at him wrapping an arm around my husband who in turn blushes and buries deeper into the coat. He retunes my smile with a soft one of his own before it falls and his eyes un-focus as he fades into a memory, turning the rodents watching their meat blister. The rest of the evening is spent in silence. Once Ichigo is warmed and the meal consumed the fire is put out. Starrk calls his wolves to scout the perimeter as we settle in for the night.
The next morning, we scout the area and notice an increase in activity at the base of the Silbern. The forces of Yhwach are assembling. The bathhouse is on the outer reaches of the ruined city, on the opposite boarder of where the army will pass to make their way to Hueco Mundo. As more and more gather at Yhwach's behest we remain hidden in the ruins, unwilling to draw attention to ourselves. Nearly a week passes and by then an army nearly 10,000 strong gathers. From what dark recesses Yhwach has called them from I can't fathom. I try not to let the numbers overwhelm my heart, but should the plan fail then we are surely doomed. We shelter in the ruins for days, scarcely lighting a fire and relying on Starrk's ghostly beasts to patrol and hunt on our behalf. Our discovery would surly mean our deaths. Those nights we barely sleep. Deep bags etch themselves on both Starrk's and Ichigo's faces and I'm sure mine as well.
Two more nights pass before we feel the pounding of the soldier's feet as they march to war. They start their long march in the early hours of the morning, the cavalry horses whine and pound their hooves eager to move quicker than the pace of the foot infantry. It takes the majority of the morning for the camos to vacate, and I scarcely breath till long after the pounding of feet can no longer be heard. Starrk summons his hounds to scout for stragglers making sure we are well and truly alone. We all let out a collective sigh of relief when no solider or scout has been spotted.
Starrk is out of the shelter as soon as his dog returns. Never have I seen the man go so stir crazy doing nothing. The distance and uncertainty about Uryu's fate weighs heavily on him. He longs to jump into action, claim his love back and kill everyone that stands in the way. He knows charging in without thought will get the lot of us killed including Uyru. Ichigo gives me a reassuring smile before tending to the horses, they have been cooped in their make shift shelter for far too long. I am torn between going to seek after my best friend or my husband. Being in such close quarters with the fear of death looming over every moment has made the passing days tense. Few words between us all have been shared for fear of drawing unwanted attention. I leave Ichigo to tend the horses and search for my oldest friend.
I find Starrk hours later on the top of an old crumpling bell tower. He stares out towards the Silbern castle. His eyes full of longing and pain. While cooped up Ichigo and I may have said few words but our touches and smiles were loving and affectionate and more than once I caught Starrk's eye before his flicker away in pain.
"We will get him back" I say as I walk up from behind him. He doesn't react. Eyes staring far away.
"I wish you believed that." He whispers. And I don't deny it. Uryu is probably lost in death or betrayal. When my father learns of his treason the penalty will be death, regardless of how either of us would plea for mercy or Uryu's own reasoning. My father is not merciful nor one to forgive. I follow my best friend's gaze looking at the decrepit building my heart sinking.
"When we find him I want you to run." Starrk looks at me with a frown. He understands that this betrayal will not sit well with my father either.
"I will be spared my father's wrath; he will not execute his heir. I can guarantee he will not be as forgiving to you nor your betrothed. Run to the Seireitei or to another land all together. I will not watch you nor Uryu be executed on my father's orders. Even if it means I'll never see either of you again."
"Your willing to take quite a risk for me Grim." He sighs but gives me a small smile. I know he appreciates it.
"You made a very lonely existence bearable" I whisper back catching his eye. I try not to allow myself to get choked up with emotion. I can't allow for myself to become distracted. Soon the other espada and Visords will be joining us and we will launch a full attack on Sibern and hopefully end the tyranny of Yhwach
The village is eerily quite after being so filled with the bustling of the Quincy army. The wait is the worst part. Waiting for the Visords to join us is like waiting for death. The more time passes the weight of an inescapable defeat grows heavier. I know that they will be here shortly, and that time just seems to stretch, passing slower then possible. But as the days turn the worry grows deeper. For they should've arrived by now. I see when I look at Starrk and Ichigo they realize the same thing. Worry etches deep into Ichigo's face. Most of them are ordinary citizens who we have asked the very most of. It is cruel to send them into a battle we have no reasonable expectation to win. It's a fool's shot but a fool I will be if it means escaping the tyranny of the false god.
It's the morning of the fourth day we decide that should they not arrive by nightfall we will infiltrate the stronghold ourselves the next morning. The day is a gloomy one, the morning fades into the afternoon and the evening creeps in without a rustle from the boarder. The Visords are nowhere to be found. The meal that night I meagre, silent and sits heavy in the stomach. The fire burns low and out. The darkness is all encompassing. Sleep doesn't come.
None of us are well rested to face the day ahead of us, but to delay any longer will surely mean a lost opportunity. We make for Silbern with nothing but our weapons. The Horses are left to roam the boarder of the forest. Our supplies remain in the musky ruins of the bath hall. Should we defeat Yhwach we will have his resources and should he prevail then there is no harm in losing some dwindled supplies in a ruined city.