Yay faster update! I was just too excited to finally have some Ichihime interactions that I couldn't wait to upload!

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Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.

Let's get into it!-

I'd heard the rumors of a rebellion for years. Talk of a simmering anger in the lower rim and in The Inbetween that was blossoming into more, but it had always just been words, whispers.

But, now, I could not pretend I had not seen their numbers. All of those young rebels strong, willing and ready. And those were only the ones within the walls, I'm sure their numbers only increased the further East you roamed.

How had they gotten into the city?

I surveyed, very casually, the faces of those around me. The men sunken into the walls, their hoods up to over most of their features, their heavy cloaks wrapped tightly around them. Protection from the blistering sun? Or a way to conceal hidden weapons?

All of the women, hair piled high atop their heads, sweat dripping from their furled brows as they concentrated on the steaming water before them, boiling out all the muck before daring to take a sip.

Why did no one look at me? Just like at the warehouse... where the rebels had already known I would arrive. Had all of these people been told? They could all be rebels, hiding in plain sight, and I would never know.

Even the best of warriors can not fight an enemy they do not see.

"You seem distraught, Princess." I whirled around. Only to find the rebel from before, the smirky one who liked sharp objects, standing relaxed, his hands hidden within his pockets. "Care to share? I hear I'm a fairly good listener."

His voice was lighter than I'd imagined. More carefree than I ever would have guessed. We faced off, neither of us moving. "Why have you followed me?"

"Don't sound so bothered by it, you'll hurt my feelings." He paused to smirk a bit, then his grin slightly faded as my expression only turned even more annoyed. His own expression became serious, as he jabbed his thumb over his bulky shoulder. "Oh, you want me to stick to the shadows? I mean, I can do that, but being your bodyguard seems like a better cover than 'creepy stalker'."

"My bodyguard?" I tested out the words, never in my life expecting to say them together. I shook my head at the strangeness of it. "Who even are you?"

The man bellowed a laugh from deep in his stomach. "Oh, right, introductions have never really been my thing. My name is Ichigo, and it seems we are destined to spend a large amount of our time together."

Me, turning on my heel and strolling away was probably not the response he'd expected, but it was the only one he received.

Ichigo caught up quickly, his long legs making his strides long and true. But he slowed himself down to my pace, keeping a polite distance on my right, his hands still resting inside his thick pockets. He didn't seem at all bothered by my sudden departure, in fact his mouth was turned up in a small delighted smile.

Noticing me observing him, he smiled wider. "You didn't think you could get rid of me that easily, did you? I was told to stay with you at all times, and I take my orders very seriously."

"And who gave you this order?"

"Your uncle, of course."

Jaw clenched, I turned forward again.

Kisuke seemed determined to force my hand. Showing me his allies within the rebellion, the rebellion which was currently simmering in the heart of my city. The one that wanted to destroy my home, my father, and everything I'd ever known. What exactly was the action he wanted from me?

"Look at me as your constant connection to Bronze. Now that Kisuke is returning East, he thought you could use an insider, that way, if you need us, we are never too far away."

I scoffed, "Are you sure you aren't here to make sure I don't bring my army down upon your cozy little hideout?"

Ichigo considered it for a moment, and then gave just the smallest of chuckles, his shoulders coming up into a half shrug as he retorted, "Maybe I'm here for a lot of reasons. But whatever those reasons are, you better get used to seeing me around, because until I'm told otherwise, I'm here to stay."

"Yes, you sound very put out."

"Well, I did volunteer." He informed me in a light voice.

We were drawing closer to the gates leading to the merchant district, I could see the guards standing tall, their armor shining bright under the suns rays. I would reach them within minutes.

I had many variables to consider. There were far more pieces on the board than I'd grown use too. And I was surprised to find out that my life had been fairly simple up until this moment. I had always known where I stood in the grand scheme of things, and I had somehow found a way to accept it. But now, with all the new doors being swung open... I had conflicts I'd never thought i'd have to deal with.

It was clear now, there would be no stopping the bloodshed. There were too many rebels, brewing in hatred and need for war. And I knew the moment my father learned of them- if he did not know already- none of them would survive.

There had been hundreds of people in the warehouse. People with families, with lives... some of them I myself had saved in the past. And if I went to my father, told him of what I'd learned today, I would be the ones taking their lives, no matter who it is that swings the sword.

Did I want those deaths to weigh me down even more?

The soldiers would spot me in moments, they would want to know why I'd left with one man and returned with another. There would be questions too difficult to answer and I decided, for now, to play my cards close to my chest. "Stick..." I began, turning towards my new rebel shadow, only to find myself facing empty air.

Ichigo had vanished, seemingly into thin air. But the vaguely familiar feel of his careful eyes on my back told me that he was near.

I passed the guards with merely a nod, walking slowly through the long narrow tunnel towards the smells and sounds of the shopping square.

When i was once again in the shining sun, I felt Ichigo's gaze, and soon felt a large male presence at my back. As sly as a fox, he was walking with me again, step by step. Looking to all the world like he'd been there the whole time.

It seemed, I'd been given a very skilled shadow, indeed.

The girl laid in a dark, quiet room. Where the walls were made of stone and the air was cool.

She had not seen the sun for weeks, had not felt the wind against her skin. Had not felt anything besides blistering, blinding agony. Her fingernails, each ripped from the tips of her fingers, sat bloodied in a pile against her naked stomach. The small weight of them gave her crippling mind something to focus on.

For she could not see, could not hear past the silence, all she could do was feel. Every open, gushing wound, every sore muscle, and the very faint pounding of her broken heart. The pain had become her entire world. It was all she could remember, and she'd lost every fragment of herself within it.

The girl, smart as she was, knew she was not alone in the room.

For she could also feel his presence... smell his stench.

It had been hours since he'd last touched her, the relief of that would be short lived. For the man drew near, circling his prey like an animal starved to insanity.

More pain was coming; this she knew.

He started slow, with the brush of his coarse palm over her forearm, sliding up to the viciously bruised shoulder that now felt numb in comparison to everything else. He traced the wound. The only one he had not inflicted.

The girl did not flinch. Did not cry. No, the girl looked into the face of her tormentor, the monstrous face that would haunt her far past these weeks and begged in a voice so unlike her own, "Kill me."

The monster, with claws and fangs big enough to shred her to pieces, smiled. "I already have."

And this time, when the monster tore into her flesh, the girl couldn't even bring herself to scream.

Ryley and I had been spending the entire day together.

When I'd awoken he had been pacing out side my chamber door, his chin cupped in his palm and his eyebrows knitted together fiercely. And while I wanted nothing more than to slam the door and never emerge again, I'd felt something close to pity when he'd stuttered out an invitation to spend some time with him.

Yet I'd still reminded him of my duties as Heir and more importantly as General, and he quickly amended that perhaps instead it was he that could spend time with me.

And so, where I went, Ryley followed. He ate breakfast with my father and I, not once even seeming uncomfortable under the kings gaze. Though that changed rather quickly once we made our entrance into the hollowed Center. My recruits having already removed the majority of their clothing, their bruised skin dripping in sweat, all turned towards the young heir to the north, and did not hide their clear disapproval at his presence.

But it was not them that caused his discomfort, it was when I removed my own top, pulled my hair into a high ponytail and jumped into the sparing ring with men twice my size, and laid them flat on their backs.

We spent a good amount of time there, until even my body was sore and could no long continue.

Lunch, we spent alone. And he spent it trying to fill the silence with talk about his home, his older siblings and their children. He spoke of his mother, whose face I could barely remember, and how much he missed her- then quickly apologized for his carelessness, since he knew I no longer had a mother to miss. And I shook my head and reminded him that it had been a very long time since her passing and not to worry.

There was never an awkward silence, or any silence at all. I don't think I have ever listened as much as I did during my time with Ryley.

Soon, it was time for the late evening patrol on the wall.

It took me longer than normal to reach the top, having to take breaks every other landing for Ryley to catch his breath. And when we, at long last, were standing on its head, the sun was close to setting over the horizon.

"Man, you do this everyday?" He asked, his chest still heaving, his hands shaking just slightly.

"Normally, yes. Though, it isn't really apart of my responsibilities. I enjoy the exercise." And the view. I added in my head.

Ryley was laughing as we began strolling, "This morning wasn't enough exercise for you? I don't know how you can even move, I feel sore just from watching."

"Well, it use to be more difficult. When I was fifteen I would need to take ice baths every night. But, I suppose, with time, the body can become used to just about anything."

Whistling low, Ryley stared out into the setting sun. "This is something I can get use to. Sunsets in the North are beautiful, but nothing like this."

I turned also, watching the sky as bright colors of orange, pink and purple swirled around the fluffy clouds, illuminating the world in a sea of color. The sun reflected on the miles and miles of open sand dunes, leaving each speck to glimmer and glow.

A scene I saw every day, yet still remained beautiful.

"It must be amazing to live here." I glanced at him. "Where it's always warm, and the outside world is so quiet. It seems really peaceful. I think... I'll enjoy living here." He met my eyes and grinned.

I could only stare for a moment. Not being able to understand how he could come to such a wrong conclusion. The truth of this city seemed so very clear to me. A cage made of sand and stone, a prison of walls and secrets.

I wanted to shake him and scream at him that he should never have come here, that nothing good would ever find him within these walls. But I said nothing, instead I looked over my shoulder at the very city he saw as beautiful.

And standing on the wall with Ryley, I could almost see it as he saw it. See it through eyes that had never seen horrors. I imagined what that must be like, to view the world with such optimism. To hold such an ideal in his hands without fear of crushing it.

But I couldn't look past the things I've seen. Couldn't see the world as anything but the terrible brutal place it was. If I were to hold his optimism in my hands, it would crumble; the unwashable blood would turn it red and cruel.

So, I continued to say nothing, choosing to let him have his hopes. Even if I believed them unobtainable. He talked more about it as we walked, about his eagerness to rule, his ideas that would benefit my people. I tried to listen, but my attention was easily stolen by the view of the city. And for a moment, I imagined this was my first time seeing it, and I could understand his confusion. Because there was a certain beauty to it, a beauty that always had a way of captivating me when I walked high up on the walls. Perhaps, because it was easier to view it as beautiful when you were too high above it to see all the wrong.

I drifted to the edge and peeked over, the wall stretched so high the people below looked to be tiny dots. Without thinking, I let myself sway forward, readying myself for the familiar drop, when I was suddenly yanked backwards.

"Are you crazy?" Ryley hollered, his face inches from mine. "You could have fallen to your death!" His grip on my arm tightened at every word as his voice grew higher, and his fingers dug in sharply.

"There's a net about 15 feet down." I said simply, not bothering to loosen his crushing hold on my arm. "There was no danger."

And it was true. A few years ago, the suicide count had skyrocketed when people realized the fall from the wall could kill them. Clark soon noticed the number of workers in the lower rim begin to decrease significantly, and the High Court was inconvenienced by this. So, because he cared so much, he'd installed suicide nets along the entirety of the wall. Problem solved.

I could tell my response did nothing to soothe Ryley, so I took two steps away from the ledge and said, "Since it bothers you, I will never do it again."

A smile slowly lit up his face, and finally his fingers loosened, and drifted down my arm to brush against my palm before dropping back to his side. My arm ached dully, the blood finally flowing freely. "Good... Sorry I raised my voice at you, I just was surprised. But I'm glad we can agree so easily, it'll help us in the future."

And with that he began walking again, talking once more about his hopes and dreams. I walked beside him, silent. My gaze often drifted to the edge of the wall, and I couldn't help but wonder, if he had thought there truly wasn't a net to catch me- that I was about to willingly leap to my own death- should he have let it go so easily?

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That's all I got for you this time, guys!

Let me know what you think of Ichigo so far!

Till next time-