The Nightingale
Chapter 83: Shadow Tribute
Warning: Attempted murder, physical and emotional aggression, sex, blood and death.
—
Autumn — x493 / October 31
The Night of Souls was the best night to communicate with the Shadow, it was also the best night to fight for the throne of Vayalat. It was a tradition that began many centuries ago, when the wars had ceased and the descendants of Vayalat had put aside the idea of expanding the kingdom and preferred to focus on protecting the land they had and improving it.
There were many wars, both internal and external, and eventually they got to the point where it was best for the king or queen to decide to retire before their firstborn killed them for the throne.
There was no worse enemy than the own blood of Vayalat, because just as the magic that ran through the blood of the children of Vayalat was dangerous for its bearers, so was putting on the Crown of the Sun.
At that time, Queen Aiko wore the Crown of the Sun on her head while she was the spectator of the shadow battle that took place in the middle of the combat arena. If Masaki was the one to inherit the kingdom, Aiko would have the succession fight against Masaki, but since Kisuke was the one to inherit the kingdom, he had to fight Yhwach.
Which was unfair because Aiko always kicked Yhwach's ass in fights, but traditions were traditions.
The shadow fight between Yhwach and Kisuke was something colossal, as the sword and shadow movements were charged with the killing intent of the one who executed them. They were blows that were meant to kill the opponents, as it should be a true fight for the throne of Vayalat and not a ceremonial pantomime.
Yhwach and Kisuke's wounds healed as soon as they were made because magic flowed through them the way magic used to. They were both in their prime and at their best with the gift, so mastering it seemed as easy as breathing.
Both of them were covered in dirt and were sweating from the effort of keeping up with their opponent, since if they were careless, they could die and the coronation could turn into a funeral. Everyone was aware of the possible endings to those fights, even Queen Aiko almost killed her mother when the succession fight was made and she knew that if Kisuke wasn't prepared to defeat his father, then he would get what he deserved.
That was another reason why everyone was gathered to witness the shadow fight.
It was also the reason why the other two princes of the kingdom were prepared to raise a claim to the throne should Kisuke die in that fight. It was advantageous for the princes because Yhwach would be tired, but it would not be against him that they would fight but against the queen.
The lines of succession were so easy to move that no one was assured of their place on the throne, not even the crown prince.
The shadows were summoned, they were thrown and they were neutralized among themselves regardless of the nature and quality of them because they were all directed at their opponent trying to make an opening and attack.
In the end, Kisuke's sword was faster and stronger.
Kisuke disarmed his father and made him end up on the ground with one aimed at his shoulder and a knee on his chest to immobilize him, however, Yhwach made the shadows become projectiles that were fired at Kisuke and everything turned into a cloud of dust.
It was a few long minutes in which all the spectators remained silent, but when the dust dissipated and the final image was shown, it remained the same: Yhwach on the ground and Kisuke on top of him, in a clear sign of victory with the point of the sword stuck in his father's flesh.
The silence of the spectators was broken at that moment causing everyone to celebrate the victory of the new Shadow King.
Autumn — x493 / November 10
The wedding dress was made of that beautiful red cloth that had been brought from beyond the Dawn Sea, it was fresh and bright, with all the gold thread embroidery that a princess's wedding dress should have. But although it was done in a hurry and the work of the seamstresses was exquisite, to Yoruichi it seemed more like a shroud than a wedding dress.
It was in those moments when Yoruichi regretted not having accepted the proposal of one of the suitors that her father had brought for her. All these men were young, handsome and wealthy, and they were willing to give the world to marry her because the more she rejected them, the more her value increased.
Before she was really a princess, but at that time she was just an object to buy allegiances. She retained the title of princess because her mother was the Malthai of the kingdom and her younger brother was the king, despite being only 6 years old.
The king was too young to reign and everyone knew that the one who was going to reign was the Malthai, that's why Yoruichi was going to marry Councilor Barragan, so that the reign of her younger brother would not be affected. Yushiru had ordered it that way before he died and the Malthai had not refused to obey the order because they really needed to ensure the reign of the little king.
Gardelia was a kingdom dominated by men, and the Malthai, despite being a powerful and influential woman, needed to have the support of a trusted man who would not betray her for his own interests.
A civil war was something they were preparing for in case the worst happened.
In the situation they were in, they did not doubt that the pretenders to the throne, princes who fled into exile to save their lives or their children, would return to the kingdom to claim it as their own, claiming that they could trace their ancestry as much as they wanted.
Loyalties used to change easily in pursuit of future interests.
When the wedding veil was placed on her, Yoruichi couldn't help but laugh at the irony of the situation. The veil was supposed to be so no one would see her, since she was a virgin woman who reserves beauty and purity on that day for her husband, but Yoruichi didn't have a single body part virgin. Which was a problem because Councilman Barragan was a true believer in the old traditions and expected her to bleed for the sheet test, which was impossible.
It was supposed that in the middle of the celebration, she would be taken to the bridal room and her husband would go after her, they would consummate the marriage and her husband would come out of the bridal room to show the guests the white sheet stained with blood, which meant that she was pure and he was the first man in her life.
Yoruichi had passed her sheet test with Ichigo the night of that party at Vermist, but she was supposed to marry him and Avanta didn't have that kind of test. It was in Avanta that they had most repudiated the old traditions to the point that men and women had almost the same rights and obligations.
Physical pleasure was among those rights.
It was somewhat ironic because in Avanta there was the sacred city of Entabeni and the representatives of the Deities ruled there. It was also clear that Avanta's crown had enough power to dominate the representatives of the Deities and keep them reduced to a single city.
Yoruichi knew she had to put up with this hell for her younger brother's safety, at least until he was old enough to take over the kingdom and she could get rid of the councilman with one of Sui Feng's poisons.
Masayoshi escorted her to the temple of the Deities, as the king's representative, and Yoruichi closed her eyes for a moment to steel herself and face her fate.
Sui Feng's dead told her that she first had to live through hell before flying with her prince of the Eagles, and that was what she would do. She would enter hell only to have new feathers grow on her.
Autumn — x493 / November 14
The memory was still painful, no matter how many years had passed since Miyako's death, the memory still hurt his heart in the same way as the day he saw her jump off the cliff after telling him what Queen Masaki had done to her.
Miyako had suffered and he wasn't there to comfort her. He couldn't save her from the queen's hand, just as he couldn't save Nelliel when they made her miscarry.
He failed to protect what he loved most.
For years, Kaien had not stopped thinking about what he could have done if Miyako had told him about that pregnancy, and every time he came to the same conclusion: he would have exchanged the title of Second Prince of the Kingdom and Commander in Chief, for a life together with Miyako and their son.
If the queen had given him time, many things would have been different.
If they hadn't taken things as if he was committing a crime that couldn't be talked about, he would have been able to talk to the king and ask him to take away the blood right he gave him by recognizing him as a son.
With that decision everyone would have obtained what they wanted, he would have a life with the love of his life and the queen would have secured the throne for Ichigo; but the queen set the rules of that game in which Miyako lost her life and no one was punished for it.
Kaien stopped playing the violin in front of Miyako's grave and dedicated a few words in memory of her life, he apologized for everything he had done and for everything he would do, and again he left what was left of his heart there.
Only Miyako deserved his heart because she was the only one who had reached it. She was the only one who made him immensely happy without any kind of promise beyond the love they showed each other. Miyako did not see a prince or a bastard, she only saw him and filled his life with the light of her smile.
Miyako was his sunshine and his joy, and no one could ever take the place she left because no one was like her.
Miyako was perfect.
Kaien returned to his room with his mind full of the memory of Miyako, for that day he allowed himself to remember her and let his heart beat like those times when she told him how much she loved him and how happy she was by his side.
He allowed himself to smile in nostalgia and shed a tear at that future that never was and never will be.
His servant knocked on the door and entered the room after Kaien gave permission for him to do so. The man, who had survived the liquor Ichigo had sent him, had a package along with a letter in his hands.
— A birthday present sent by Miss Yuki, Your Highness.
Kaien didn't expect Yuki to send him a second gift but that made him feel strange because he didn't know how he should interpret that. Yuki said that she didn't want to know anything about him and at the same time showered him with gifts, it was contradictory and confusing.
Kaien took the letter and the package, allowed the servant to leave the room and when he was alone, he opened the letter to read what Yuki had written.
—
My prince… is that how it should be said?
I wish you a happy birthday… or as happy as it could be. This book belongs to the original owner of the Necklace of Tragedy, so please enjoy reading.
What hurts more, a wound in the body or a wound in the soul?
Yuki.
—
Yuki's words didn't make any sense to him because she didn't know who the original owner of the diamond necklace was, and yet Kaien's first thought upon reading those words was that Yuki sent him something that had belonged to Miyako.
— The original owner, huh? — Kaien muttered as he put Yuki's note aside and turned his attention to the package. — How angry are you, dear Yuki, since you use words that you don't even understand yourself?
He calmly opened the package, thinking that he would find something from Nelliel since Yuki had been staying in Nell's room, but discovered that the gift was an old book that looked terribly familiar. His breathing became slow and heavy, and his heart began to beat faster because the more he looked at that book, the more he felt like he had seen it before.
— A diary. — Kaien whispered to himself and realized that his hands were shaking from the shock of having seen that diary.
His mind screamed that this diary belonged to Miyako, but his common sense told him that Yuki had no way of accessing something that had belonged to Miyako because all of Miyako's possessions were returned to her family. Only the diamond necklace had remained in the castle and it was because Nelliel entered the room along with the Kahya to collect Miyako's possessions and she hid it.
— No, this can't be Miyako's diary. — He whispered again to himself, as if saying it out loud made his words come true. — I'm overthinking things. I need to calm down.
However, Kaien couldn't calm down because deep inside, he knew that this diary belonged to Miyako. He had seen that diary so many times that the only reason he hadn't read it when he visited Miyako was because she had told him she would show it to him when she felt ready.
Kaien decided to put an end to that tidal wave of chaotic thoughts that was driving him to despair and opened the diary, he just had to do that, read the owner's name and everything would make sense. Perhaps it was just a cruel joke by Yuki on a day when he was too affected by the memory of Miyako.
Kaien focused his gaze on the first page of the diary and his eyes stared at Miyako's name linked with his own with so many hearts that if they had been inked, half the page would be completely red.
The world ceased to exist, time ceased to exist, and only the diary in his hand existed. Kaien felt his eyes burn and the tears gathered so much that they began to run down his cheeks without him being able to do anything to stop it. He didn't want to avoid it. His breath hitched and his heart pounded so hard Kaien thought it might burst out of his chest at any moment.
— Miyako.
It was a painful whisper that showed how affected his voice was at that moment.
— Miyako.
He caressed Miyako's name with the tips of trembling fingers, and the paper was wet with a tear before he was able to wipe his eyes and cheeks with the back of his hand.
— My loved Miyako...
Miyako was the only one to whom he dedicated the word "loved". She was his only and most loved.
Kaien sat up in bed because the world was present again and all the emotions and feelings overwhelmed him in a huge way.
The diary began with the queen's invitation for Miyako to join the court, and Kaien reveled in Miyako's handwriting and all the emotion she had imprinted on those words. Miyako's handwriting was beautiful, as stylized and perfect as she was, and for a moment he felt that Miyako had left him a letter so he wouldn't forget her.
His heart swelled with happiness as he read about the day he ambushed her in the music room, and all that a mere touch of hands did to her, one he had been wanting since the night of souls, as well as all those beautiful sentiments that Miyako had written in all those days that he gave her such a simple gift that was immeasurably valuable.
Until he read the day of the tragedy.
The reading of that diary ended with a scream bearing Nelliel's name and a completely broken heart.
Kaien had never felt so much hate or powerlessness in his life as he did at that moment. The taste of betrayal was so bitter in his mouth that it could only be washed with the blood of all those who betrayed him and embraced him in condolences for what happened.
— Kingdom before life, you say dear father. Kingdom before life I will give you! — Kaien screamed and threw the first thing that came his way. — If Ichigo doesn't kill you first, I will and I'll make sure you know who sent you to Deity Hell.
Kaien muttered with red eyes in a mixture of pain, crying and anger.
Autumn — x493 / November 18
Ichigo knocked Rukia down for the third time that afternoon and like every time he knocked her down, he gave her a little kiss on the lips. He had started training her so that she wouldn't be completely dependent on the gift that flowed through her skin and could defend herself if someone tried to hurt her, and Rukia was a quick learner but on this particular day she was distracted.
They had made their move on that huge game board and they just had to sit back and watch what would happen next. There were so many possibilities that it was best to always be alert to adapt to the situation.
— Again! — Rukia asked as she got up and Ichigo took his position again.
Hand-to-hand fighting was what Ioana was teaching her and it was what he would finish teaching her before he let her touch any kind of sharp weapon. Rukia had a dagger that Byakuya had given her for her birthday and she had to learn how to use it or she might hurt herself instead of her enemy.
— Commander, a messenger has arrived. — One of the soldiers spoke up as Ichigo had pinned Rukia down so quickly that Rukia was still processing how it had happened.
Ichigo let go of his wife, who was moving her hands to try to better understand the movements he had made, and allowed the messenger to approach them to deliver the message.
The man was one of the soldiers he had left in Vermist to look after his sisters, so Ichigo guessed it must be a message from the twins and he couldn't help the small smile that appeared on his face when he opened the metal tube that protected the letter.
—
Big brother, guess what happened!
Karin says that if I don't tell you, you'll never guess, so I'll tell you.
Our uncle Kisuke is the new king of Vayalat!
There was a big fight in one of the fighting arenas on the Night of Souls, and it was amazing! We didn't know that shadows could do that and now we're more motivated to learn how to control the gift on that level. The Karanq says that Karin and I are improving a lot, so that makes it even better.
Returning to the fight, they had everything ready for that night because for days they had been making many arrangements and training was canceled. That night, we were all told that we had to go to the fighting arena to witness something special.
Grandma was wearing the Crown of the Sun and Grandpa was wearing the Crown of Shadow, and they were both sitting in the main seats in the stands.
Karin and I thought there would be a demonstration fight or something, but Uncle Kisuke appeared in the fighting arena without wearing armor, dressed in black and with his sword in his hand, and pointed the tip of his sword at our grandfather.
He said: Under the laws of inheritance, I challenge the Shadow King for the throne that is rightfully mine. Let the Shadow decide if I am worthy to be the new king.
Everyone was surprised to hear that.
Grandpa got up, took off his crown and called for his sword before going down to the fighting arena. The fight was incredible and they didn't stop until it was over, and for a moment I thought that one of the two was going to die but it was not like that.
Our uncle defeated Grandpa and was declared the new Shadow King.
Grandpa bowed to Uncle Kisuke, Grandma got up from her seat and bowed to him too, and then they all did. We also did it because we are also daughters of the shadow.
After the fight, Grandpa and Uncle Kisuke changed clothes and there was a big party but no one was wearing a crown, neither Grandpa nor Uncle, nor Grandma because they are still making the new Sun and Shadow crowns. We were told that the coronation would be when everything was organized.
We hope that our parents can come.
We miss you, big brother. Vermist without you is boring.
With love, Karin and Yuzu.
—
Ichigo smiled at the emotion his little sisters put into the letter, although they had written to him before, he was always moved by reading them. His sisters, since they learned to write, began to send him letters and it was always fun to read them. They filled his heart with life.
— We have a new king. — Rukia commented, who was reading the letter next to him. — That means our...
— Our alliance is over. My mother is the sister of the new king, so they may send an invitation. — Ichigo commented before turning to Rukia. — The situation is not favorable for the kingdom because if the king or Kaien angers the new Shadow King, they may carry out their threat of attack. My sisters have bowed to the new king and I don't know how to interpret it.
— Will you tell Kaien? — Rukia's question came out in a whisper.
That there was a new Shadow King didn't alter their immediate plans, but it was a danger that loomed over them if anyone made a wrong move.
— I have to tell him. — Rukia nodded and Ichigo could almost see her mind start to work with the new information. Ichigo called out to the soldier who had brought the letter, who had stood a few steps away from them, and spoke again. — Are there letters for the king or queen?
— Yes, commander. The princesses sent letters to the king and queen.
— Very well. They are not in the castle, rest for a few days and then you will go to the house in the mountains, they are there. You will place yourself under their orders and if there is nothing to do, you will return to Vermist and resume your post.
The soldier nodded and walked away.
Rukia made a small noise in her throat and Ichigo turned to look at her. Rukia looked like a child who had been told she couldn't play on the playground anymore.
— What's wrong, my Moon?
— Training over?
Ichigo gave a small laugh and shook his head before making her move into attack stance. Rukia smiled and without him noticing, she knocked him down.
Kaien could wait.
Autumn — x493 / November 22
—
My dear Nelliel...
My princess, my friend and my lover, I miss you madly. This year away from you has been a torture from which I want to escape. I can't stand the ridiculousness of the queen's court, I haven't chosen a wife yet because none is like you.
My dear Nelliel, I need you.
You are the only woman who could sit on the throne by my side when the Deities decide to take the king to their paradise. Come please, the king is not here and I long to see you, it may be very cheeky of me but I also long to have your warmth in my bed.
I need your kisses and the scent of your skin.
I sent a letter to the queen mother to let you come, I hope she will.
My dear Nelliel, when I become king I will make you my queen, as it was meant to be. Let's talk about this between the sheets of my bed, which is the place that corresponds to you for being my wife.
Come straight to me I'll be waiting for you.
With love, Kaien.
—
Nelliel had never read such desperation in a letter from Kaien, even the handwriting seemed too hastily written. Kaien had always written with an elegance that was enviable, and his sentences were always well done. What the letter said made her think Kaien really missed her but from the shape of his handwriting, she thought there was something wrong with him.
Maybe Kaien was suffering from something and she was suffering thinking about it, because the love for Kaien was still there and her soul couldn't tolerate that the man she loved suffered in any way.
— Lady Nelliel, we will change horses at the Crossroads house. We will arrive at the castle shortly before midnight.
— What? Aren't we going to spend the night there? — Nelliel asked because there was no point in not stopping at the Crossroads. That was a must stop for all trips.
— The prince gave the order.
That gave Nelliel a bad feeling.
The distance between the Crossroads and the castle was little more than half a day's travel at a moderate speed, and although it was not yet completely dark because the journey had only the necessary breaks, the sense of urgency to reach the castle did not please her.
Nelliel tried to keep those thoughts in her heart and reread the letter in her hands as if trying to find something more than Kaien's words of urgency towards her.
When the night began to darken the road, the carriage stopped and they lit the lanterns that served to illuminate it, as well as the lanterns that the riders who went before them would use to ensure that the road was clear.
Once everything was ready, they hit the road again, this time a little faster because it was night.
Nelliel thought they were nearing the city when the carriage began to slow to a stop, but when she looked out the window she realized that they were in the middle of the road and that the riders of the vanguard had dismounted from their horses and were checking the road.
— There's a log in the road! We are going to move it! — The riders called out and left their lanterns on the ground.
Nelliel settled back in her seat and waited as the riders cleared the log blocking the path. The silence seemed eternal and gave her that feeling of loneliness that made her stomach ache and set off all survival alerts. When she was about to open the small window that communicated with the coachman, the carriage moved violently and she heard something heavy fall to the floor with groans.
The carriage door opened and a man with his face covered entered the carriage looking desperately for something.
— Where are the jewels?! Give me the money! — The man's scream startled Nelliel, who froze in place unable to speak. The man looked upset. — Tell me where the money is or here you die!
— No… I don't know… there is no money…
— You lie!
The man was really angry, he took her hand and put the knife to her neck to threaten her. Again the man asked about money and jewelry, but Nelliel had none of that with her, just a few coins but nothing more. The man got desperate and stabbed Nelliel in the side of the abdomen a single time, causing her to scream.
Screams could be heard outside the carriage that must be from the other thieves and Nelliel wondered if they had killed the entire escort Kaien had sent for her.
— There is nothing of value! There are only old rags! Let's move on! — A man outside the carriage yelled.
— Next time bring something of value.
The man pulled the knife out of the side of her abdomen and got out of there as fast as he could. The thieves could be heard leaving on horseback, perhaps the horses that were carrying her, and again there was silence in the place.
Nelliel thought she would bleed to death there and began to cry, squeezing her side right where the wound had been made to stop the bleeding. She did not want to die that way and prayed to the Deities that someone would rescue her from such a lonely death because dying like this was the worst thing that could happen, with no one to calm her fears before the unknown of life beyond life.
— Help! Help! Help me... someone... please...
Nelliel's tears blurred her vision as she cried out for help, her heart pounding so hard and she felt so scared that she felt the cold night air seep into her bones and stay there. Fear was cold and chilled her legs and arms, like a paralyzed poison.
She was trying to get up but she couldn't, she was still afraid and although she wanted to move, her body wouldn't respond to her.
— Help! Help…
Nelliel could feel the blood oozing from the wound wetting her fingers and dress, the hot turning cold so quickly that fear overwhelmed her more and more. She tried to move and couldn't, tried to scream and couldn't.
She no longer heard noise outside the carriage, she only heard her breathing and the beating of her heart that seemed to be beating slower and slower. Her vision was blurring and it was hard to breathe, and though she didn't want to give up, she closed her eyes and lost herself in the darkness.
—
Rukia was about to reach the paradise of the Deities at that moment, the pleasure ran hot all over her body and she felt her soul vibrate with each gasp Ichigo gave.
One of her ankles rested on one of Ichigo's shoulders, who was on his knees on the bed, holding her hips so tightly that his fingers would mark her skin. She had a pillow under her hips so the position wouldn't be awkward for her though at the moment she couldn't think of anything other than the pleasure Ichigo was giving her with each thrust.
He had bound her wrists above her head with the ribbon that she had used to tie her hair, and had tied that ribbon to a small ring that had been placed on the head of his bed for that purpose.
Outside the air was cold, but inside the room it was so hot that they were both sweating.
The sound inside the room was obscene.
— Give it to me, my princess. — Ichigo's voice came out in a gasp that couldn't hide the tone of command. — Give me what belongs to me.
Rukia opened her eyes, which she had closed at some point in the midst of all that maelstrom of pleasure, and focused on him. Heaven was so close to her fingers that she could almost touch it.
— That's an order? — Rukia asked in a gasping voice before she felt Ichigo thrust into her again making her close her eyes and arch her back in pleasure.
Ichigo touched spots inside her that made pleasure whip through her and she begged for more.
— That's a command.
Ichigo said that before moving one of his hands just to use his thumb to stimulate her more. Rukia couldn't resist all the pleasure that Ichigo was giving her at that moment, she felt her legs tremble and heaven come to her in such a delicious way that it was obscene.
Ichigo didn't stop, he made her legs stay on his sides, and continued to thrust into her more and more slowly while kissing her chest and lips.
— Good girl.
Ichigo's voice sounded hoarse in her ear and Rukia squeezed him with her legs so that he wouldn't come out of her at that moment until they calmed down enough for Ichigo to untie her and she used what she learned in hand-to-hand fighting to make him lie on the bed.
Rukia smiled and sat on him with the intention of marking her dominance and power at that moment.
Ichigo took her by the hips and moved his caress up to her breasts before pulling her to him and kissing her in such an obscene way that it took her breath away. Ichigo's eyes had almost completely lost their honey color and were looking at her in a way that made her feel wanted.
— Will you be a good boy? — Rukia asked as she took his hands with the intention of tying him to the bed.
She was shaken and her legs were shaking, but she still had enough strength to use that same ribbon and bind his wrists the same way he had. Ichigo meekly gave in to what she was going to do and began to kiss all the skin he could reach, when a servant knocked insistently on the door.
— Get out! — Ichigo yelled at the servant, his voice hoarse with desire and anger at being interrupted.
Rukia searched for her husband's lips to kiss him and make him return his attention to her, and Ichigo kissed her again with the same desire and the same desperation that showed how much he needed those kisses. She loved that dominant, aggressive part of him.
— Your Highness! It's something urgent! — His servant's voice sounded from the other side of the door. — They attacked a caravan of Prince Kaien's guest.
Ichigo cursed at those words.
Rukia rolled her eyes, tried to hold back the urge to hit the servant who had interrupted them, and began to untie her husband's wrists to set him free. Someone ruined the game and the night for them.
They both put on their sleeping robes over their pajamas, and Ichigo opened the door to his room for the servant to speak. Rukia began to braid her hair as she felt Ichigo's anger flow from the moon tattooed on her ribs.
— Did he die? — Ichigo asked directly, with anger flowing into his eyes at being interrupted like that.
— No, your highness. — The servant looked at the floor as he spoke. — The queen's doctor is checking her out right now.
Rukia, who was angry that they had been interrupted before she could make Ichigo beg, noticed that the servant meant that Kaien's guest was a woman, so she walked over to the door as she finished knotting the braid in her hair.
— What room is she in?
— Prince Kaien requested that the Lady Nelliel be accommodated in the Inamoratas' room near his own chamber, my princess. — The servant replied without looking up. — Prince Kaien also asked to have a meeting with Prince Ichigo urgently.
Ichigo let the servant go and stayed with Rukia in the room, who was still processing that Nelliel was hurt and that she was inside the castle. Ichigo took her hands and made her focus her attention on him because her mind had started to wander at that moment.
— Go to the Kahya and talk to her because Nelliel is like a daughter to her, so she will take care of her and see to it that she is saved. — Ichigo looked at her and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. — I'll go to Kaien and see what he wants. Be discreet and don't rush. Be careful, my queen.
Rukia nodded to what Ichigo said and took a minute to collect her thoughts because caring for and protecting the life of the woman who had tried to kill her was something to be careful with.
Autumn — x493 / November 23
The brightness of the day made her open her eyes. She felt tired, weak and sore, but she was alive and that made her immediately thank the Deities for having listened to her and preventing her from dying in the carriage.
Nelliel had no idea who had saved her and for a moment she didn't know where she was, until she recognized the room and her heart stopped at that moment. She was safe in the castle but she was in Kaien's Inamorata's room and it sent a chill down her spine.
It was a room she would never have wanted to return to.
She tried to get up and the pain in the side of her abdomen ran through her body like a whiplash that made her groan and bring one of her hands to the area of the wound to try to mitigate the pain. She immediately felt something bulge under the nightclothes they had put on her and discovered that her abdomen had been bandaged to keep the gauze covering the wound in place.
— My lady, don't move. — A maid spoke, who came from who knows where and whom Nelliel had not seen in the room.
— The queen's doctor says you should rest for today so the stitches don't open.
— Stitches? — Nelliel asked in alarm upon hearing that the wound had been healed with stitches.
— Yes, my lady. The doctor decided that it was better to put stitches so that it would heal faster. — The maiden explained. — She also left medicine to ease the pain.
The maid pointed to a small dropper on the nightstand and a pitcher of water.
— Prepare it. — Nelliel ordered because the pain in her side was burning her aggressively.
The maid poured several drops of an almost clear liquid into the glass of water, stirred it, and handed it to her. Nelliel drank the medicine and settled back on the bed. She didn't like being in the Inamoratas' room because it reminded her of Miyako and it wasn't nice being in recovery in a place that brought back unpleasant memories.
— Why didn't they take me to my bedroom? — Nelliel asked as the maid cleaned the glass and put it back in its place.
— Prince Kaien requested it this way. — The maid explained helpfully. — He is extremely concerned about your health and did not accept that they take you to the queen's area. The prince has come to see you a couple of times since you arrived and he watches you sleep.
Those words made her forget about the awkwardness of being in the Inamorata's room just because Kaien had come to see her and was worried about her. The maid helped her sit up so that her back was supported by several pillows at the head of the bed, and then she left the room with the intention of letting Kaien know that she had woken up.
Nelliel felt her heart beat with that anxiety prior to the reunion and her mind flew to scenes where Kaien arrived and kissed her while swearing that he would find those responsible for that assault.
The Deities had been good to her by allowing her to live and return to Kaien.
A moment later, Kaien entered the room and Nelliel smiled at the sight of him, but the smile faded from her face as she realized that he was upset. Kaien had reason to be, she had traveled to see him as he had requested and she was hurt because of that urgency.
— I'm fine, the doctor says it's not serious. — Nelliel spoke up realizing that Kaien was not approaching her and still had that angry expression. He must have been very angry. — I will have a scar but...
— What was it you said to her?
Kaien's question stopped Nelliel from speaking further. She didn't understand what Kaien meant and could only look at him with a confused expression, but before she could speak, Kaien spoke again.
— What did you say to Miyako when you entered this room after the queen made her lose my son?
Surprise was immediately reflected in Nelliel's eyes, which widened as wide as humanly possible, and her heart began to pound with fear. So many years had passed since that talk with Miyako that she didn't remember the exact words, she had even forgotten that conversation and she didn't understand why Kaien was asking her that question at that moment.
— I didn't… I told her that it was the will of the Deities that the baby would not be born but that later she would have many healthy children. — Nelliel tried to remember what she had said that afternoon but that was impossible.
— And what else?
— I do not remember. She was sad and I tried to comfort her, I don't remember what else I told her. — Nelliel felt her wound ache with the effort of responding.
Nelliel didn't know why they were having this conversation when Kaien was supposed to ask about her health. She had traveled to see him because she was worried about him, and had been injured along the way for following his travel orders. Kaien should be consoling her and promising that he would find the culprit and make him pay, he shouldn't be asking her about things that had happened too many years ago.
They shouldn't be talking about that idiot Miyako.
— Did you tell the queen that Miyako was pregnant?
Kaien's question was so direct that it was like a blow to Nelliel and for a moment, Nelliel didn't know what to say because she had never thought he would ask her that question; not after so many years. She wasn't supposed to know about that pregnancy until the queen forced Miyako to lose it, that's what queen Masaki told her to say.
— No! I wouldn't be able to...
The speed with which she responded made the pain in the wound stab. Nelliel closed her eyes in pain and put a hand to the wound to try to put a little pressure on it so it wouldn't hurt anymore. The medication was taking a long time to work.
— You lie! Don't lie to me Nelliel! — Kaien, who until now had kept his hands behind his back, tossed a book on the bed for her to see. — Start talking, Nelliel! Speak up and tell me that what is written in that diary is a lie! Speak up and tell me how the hell that diary came into my hands! Explain to me why the love of my life threw herself off the cliff, Nelliel!
Kaien's screams demanding an answer echoed through the room louder than they should have. Nelliel trembled at the aggressiveness in Kaien's voice and her eyes filled with tears that she didn't know if it was from the pain of her wound or from Kaien's words referring to Miyako as "the love of his life".
Nelliel saw the book and didn't have to open it to know that it was Miyako's diary, which she had hidden in her room and which she hoped no one would find. Her trophy, the one she had kept as a souvenir for getting rid of that girl who wanted to take away the only man she loved.
Nelliel knew what Miyako had written in that diary and if Kaien had read it, then he must also know everything Miyako wrote in it.
She had been discovered and it was no longer necessary to lie.
— I should have burned it when I had the chance. — Nelliel whispered as she touched the cover of the diary with one hand and with the other she held the wound, which ached every time she spoke. She didn't need to remember that talk with Miyako precisely, but there were things that she didn't forget. — I told her that she was a fool to believe that she would be allowed to have a child of yours.
— Did you tell the queen? — Kaien's question carried that tone that indicated he sensed the answer.
— I told the queen as soon as Miyako entrusted it to me. I couldn't let her stupidity of hiding a pregnancy go ahead.
The fury in Kaien's eyes was so palpable, it terrified her.
Nelliel couldn't do anything when Kaien approached her and grabbed her by the neck with such force that she immediately began to fight for him to release her. In that moment she forgot about her injury and the pain, and was only concerned that Kaien would squeeze her neck and break it or suffocate her to death. She had never seen that aggressive part of Kaien and never expected to see it.
— What the hell did you say to her?! Why did she cut her wrists?!
With each question, Nelliel felt Kaien tighten his grip on her neck as she dug her nails into his wrist for him to release her. Kaien was like a snake at rest, and now he was sinking his fangs into her.
He was terrifying.
The look of hate in Kaien's green eyes was one she had never seen. It was as if Kaien could kill her just by looking at her.
— I said… she had… to go… never… never… you both never… together…
Nelliel muttered as she felt her face turn red and her lungs fight for air. Kaien released her at that moment, as if he had been touching something unpleasant, and moved away from her. Nelliel took a deep breath and her lungs ached, her wound ached, and her fingers were wet with blood. Her eyes were filled with tears from fear and pain.
Kaien had nearly killed her.
— How the hell did you dare to do it?! Who gave you the right to interfere in my life?! Because of you I lost them both!
— I did it because I love you! — Nelliel gasped as she rubbed her neck trying to ease the pain of Kaien's grip. Her voice was hoarse and painful.
— Because you love me?! If you loved me you would have told me about that pregnancy! You should have come to me, not the queen!
— And let you do something crazy and run away with her?! — Nelliel cried out that question and immediately winced, both from her throat and from the wound in her side. — They were going to declare you a traitor to the kingdom! What I did was save your life! You owe me your life, Kaien!
— I don't owe you anything! You ruined my life, Nelliel! — Kaien yelled and Nelliel reacted instinctively and moved away from him as far as she could when she saw that he meant to hurt her again. Kaien simply stood by the bed, looking at her with hate and contempt. — You don't know how I regret having trusted you so much. You don't know how I regret marrying you. I wish I had never met you.
Kaien said that last with a look of utter contempt that broke Nelliel's heart. Kaien hated her and didn't see that what she did was for him.
— Kaien, please understand me... everything I did...
Nelliel wanted him not to hate her, wanted him to understand that she just wanted him to live. She wanted him to understand that all she wanted was to be by his side. Her heart could not bear Kaien's hatred and contempt.
She was afraid of him, but she couldn't live without him.
— Just because you sent me that book I spare your life, but I hope to never see you again in my life. When you recover you will be exiled from the kingdom, go wherever you want, but do not set foot here again or I will not have so much mercy on you.
Kaien said that last, took Miyako's diary and left the room leaving her alone.
The last thing Nelliel saw of Kaien was his hateful gaze and his back.
—
All the anger, all the fury and all the pain that Nelliel's betrayal caused him, were settled inside his soul. Her betrayal of him was the most painful of all because he had blindly trusted her, he had loved her as one loves a sister and as one loved a woman, and all those thoughts only made the pain greater.
He looked at his hand, the one with which he had nearly choked her to death, and clenched it into a fist. It took Kaien a lot of effort not to kill her on the spot, but it was the only thing his soul asked for. Because of Nelliel, he had lost Miyako and any chance of being with her.
Kaien looked up and found Ichigo, who was waiting for him outside that room, with his arms crossed and his back against the wall. Kaien had asked Ichigo to take charge of finding out who robbed Nelliel's caravan. He was upset that he wouldn't have been able to confront her if she died on the way.
— Are you going to exile her? What are her crimes? — Ichigo asked calmly, as Second Prince and as Commander of the kingdom.
Kaien hadn't realized the screams had been heard outside the room, but he was glad he didn't have to repeat what he had said to Nelliel for Ichigo to catch up on the information.
— I'm not going to exile her, I don't have that power yet. — Kaien replied making a sign for Ichigo to start walking with him. They both walked in silence until they entered Kaien's room, and Kaien didn't speak until the door was closed. — Make it look like an accident or make it look like she ran away taking advantage of my goodwill. Do it the way you want.
— I thought she was your friend. You even pretended to lie for her when you found out that she stole the king's seal and made an attempt on my wife's life. — At that moment, Kaien found out why Ichigo was helping him. Ichigo also had some unfinished business with Nelliel. — Do you turn your back on her so easily?
— She is not my friend, she is a traitor. — Kaien's voice carried all the anger and contempt he felt at that moment for Nelliel. — Because of her someone important to me died.
Kaien didn't need to say more, if Ichigo was listening behind the door to what he and Nelliel had been talking about, he could easily go to the kingdom records and look up Miyako's name, or ask the queen directly.
Ichigo was silent for a moment and then he bowed to him with that smile he always showed him when they were together.
— Whatever the crown prince wishes and commands. Nelliel will not arrive at the Palace of the Sun.
Kaien agreed and ended that conversation. Ichigo turned his back on him and headed for the door, but before knocking on it for the servants to open it, he stopped and turned to look at him.
— By the way, our little sisters wrote and say that there is a new king in Vayalat. — Kaien stared at him, surprised because he didn't expect that kind of information at that moment. — I sent a messenger to the king, possibly the time of absence of the king and queen becomes longer.
Kaien knew what it meant to have a new king in Vayalat.
— Do you think King Isshin will be intimidated by the new King of Vayalat? — Kaien asked with a hint of mockery.
— I have no way of knowing. — Ichigo shrugged nonchalantly. — But if you're going to become king, I recommend you don't kill me yet. Maybe I'll be your savior and prevent a war.
— Maybe you'll become a traitor and make them conquer us faster.
— Maybe… you'll have to wait to find out.
—
"Nell…"
Miyako's voice calling her name woke her up from the sleep caused by the pain medicine. Nelliel hadn't dreamed of her, it was just her voice, as if Miyako was there and at the same time she was in a faraway place.
As if Miyako was calling her.
— Shut up. Shut up. This is all because of you. — Nelliel murmured, putting her hands to her face and feeling her eyes burn and fill with tears as she remembered everything that had happened in the morning with Kaien.
He hated her and she couldn't bear to know that he hated her.
Everything she had done was to be with him, for him to see how much she loved him and that no matter what happened, she would still love him and protect him without fear of getting her hands dirty. She would even protect him from himself if that was necessary.
But Kaien didn't see that love, he just blamed her because the idiot Miyako threw herself off the cliff because she didn't want to be married to someone else.
Miyako was crazy, losing the pregnancy made her crazy. Not following the rules and fantasizing about a life with Kaien made her go crazy.
Nelliel could do nothing but sob silently, her throat aching because Kaien had nearly choked her to death and her side aching where the wound throbbed. The maid who attended her approached her worried to see her cry, but Nelliel simply ignored her, covered her face with the sheet and continued crying as she had before falling asleep.
She didn't know how long she was like this, but when she managed to calm her heart a bit and the pain in her wound was unbearable, she wiped away her tears and asked the maid to help her sit up on the bed.
A short time later, Nelliel was sitting up against the headboard with her back resting on the fluffy pillows and her glass of pain medicine ready.
— I'll go tell the Kahya that you've woken up, my lady. — The maid commented after Nelliel drank the entire glass of medicine. — She was worried about you and came over a few moments ago, but she didn't want to wake you up.
Nelliel nodded and allowed the maid to go in search of Mrs. Retsu. She needed someone to comfort her and hug her right now, and Mrs. Retsu was like her mother, she wouldn't judge or yell at her because she knew that everything that happened with Miyako was to save Kaien's life.
"Nell…"
A shiver ran down Nell's spine as she heard Miyako's voice again followed by a ghostly laugh that chilled her blood. She immediately searched for the origin of that voice but she was alone in the room, even the curtains were still because there was no breeze at the time.
— Being in Miyako's room is starting to make me nervous.
Nelliel said those words in a whisper just for her, but again Miyako's spectral laughter rang in her ears making her jump from her place.
— Who's there?! — She asked scared but only got a silence that was interrupted by the strong beating of her heart.
— Hi Nell.
Nelliel screamed at the sound of someone's voice in the room and immediately looked up who it was.
Rukia was standing in the doorway.
— Hi Nell. — Rukia's voice sounded strange to Nelliel's ears and for a moment she thought it had mixed with Miyako's voice, which made the fear within her rise for a brief moment.
Rukia entered the room and closed the door behind her as Nelliel tried to calm her nerves by telling herself that she hadn't heard Miyako's voice and it was just the effect of blood loss, being hurt and the pain meds.
— I didn't give you permission to enter. — Nelliel murmured without taking her eyes off Rukia, who was looking at her in a strange way.
— You don't need to give me permission. — Rukia's voice sounded in a tone that made it clear that she had power there. — Now I'm the one who rules the castle and if I want to go in to see my former sister, I will go in to see my former sister.
Rukia's response made Nelliel clench her jaw in anger, forgetting in that moment the initial shock and all the fears that hearing Miyako's voice had caused her.
Rukia walked slowly up to her and sat on the chair next to her bed, the same one where the maid had been sitting earlier, leaning her back against the back of the chair and crossing her legs under her dress.
— What? Are you the queen now?
— I'm the only woman with a crown in this castle. — Rukia was still sitting in such a domineering position that Nelliel didn't like. — Everything is mine.
Nelliel didn't like the way Rukia talked, like she was talking to someone stupid.
— You're enjoying it, aren't you? What do you want here?
Rukia took her time responding and Nelliel hated that pause.
— I didn't think you were such a bad person. You made Miyako suffer and made life difficult for us just because you didn't want Kaien to die. If you had let things take their own course, now we would not have to worry about who is first in the line of succession.
Nelliel froze at those words for a brief moment and then she realized that Rukia didn't have to know that name unless she knew Miyako's story.
— Was you! — Nelliel pointed a finger at her, making her wound ache at the time from how quickly she moved. — You gave that diary to Kaien! How did you get it?!
— That doesn't matter.
— You ruined my life! — Nelliel cried out and the pain in her throat made her close her eyes. — Because of you Kaien hates me.
— Because of me? — Rukia's question came out in a tone that mixed seriousness with anger. — I wasn't here when all that happened, you can't blame me for your own mistakes. Everything you have is what you deserve. Kaien hates you because you made him lose that girl, and you were exiled because you stole the king's seal and almost killed me. Did you enjoy planning my death? Because I did.
— You! — Nelliel screamed upon hearing those words. A small dizziness clouded her mind and the pain in her throat was accompanied by the taste of blood. — You ordered to assault the caravan!
Rukia smiled for the first time since she entered the room. Rukia's smile didn't like Nelliel because it was like she was seeing for the first time how evil Rukia really was. Everything dangerous that she hid under that serious and formal facade.
— This is how an attack should be planned, Nelliel. And I didn't even have to steal the king's seal or issue a silly misspelled order.
Nelliel held her wound with one hand as she tried to focus her eyes on Rukia. Dizziness was getting to her and she didn't understand why, but she couldn't be weak in front of Rukia; not at that time.
— Your attempt failed, I'm still alive.
— You're still alive because I wanted it that way. The killer could have cut your throat but he stabbed you in the side, see? You're still alive because I gave that order.
— You! Damn bitch!
Nelliel was about to get up from the bed to hit her, when Rukia raised her hands and made a noise in her throat that was meant as a warning. Nelliel felt that strange dizziness again and had to cling to the bed because she felt like she was going to fall despite sitting almost in the center of it.
— Don't move too much. — Nelliel watched as Rukia took the dropper of pain medicine, the same one the maid gave her to drink before leaving the room. — Do you know what this poison is called? The Sleeper. It's an unoriginal name but that's what it does, you take it and it sends you to sleep, forever.
— What are you... — Nelliel didn't finish speaking, her eyelids heavy and the world moving too fast for her.
— The effect is somewhat slow, the truth is that I had not put it to the test before and I did not know how long we would have to talk. — Rukia kept talking as if Nelliel hadn't interrupted her. — It was the same one that had the assassin's dagger, of course it was less dose and it didn't kill you.
Nelliel watched as Rukia put the vial of poison in the right pocket of her dress skirt and pulled an identical one from the left pocket which she placed exactly where the previous vial had been.
— You… lie. You wouldn't… be able to.
Nelliel tried to speak, but her tongue felt foreign and she couldn't move it at will. Nelliel felt her body begin to freeze.
Rukia smiled.
"Nell… are you ready?"
Panic invaded her completely when she saw that smile and when she heard Miyako's voice again.
— You are dying, my dear Nell. — The phrase sounded to her like a mixture of Rukia's and Miyako's voices, and that was horrible because she felt that Miyako was there to take revenge.
Rukia got up from her chair and walked over to fluff up the pillows where Nelliel rested her back. Nelliel moved her arms but it was clumsy and so slow that Rukia stopped her. She tried to speak but her tongue felt paralyzed and only sounds came out of her throat.
Nelliel prayed to the Deities that someone would enter the room and save her. She didn't want to die like this. She didn't deserve to die like this.
— I read Miyako's diary and I have a question: did Miyako cut her wrists or did you cut them? The Inamoratas book says it was with a broken mirror.
Rukia's voice sounded far away to Nelliel, like she was too tired to pay attention. Nelliel could no longer speak or move her body, she was paralyzed and terrified, and Rukia turned away from her as if she was looking at a work of art.
Rukia broke the glass where Nelliel had taken the poison disguised as medicine and took a shard big enough and sharp enough to cut skin. The sound of glass breaking made Nelliel make an effort to focus her gaze on Rukia and, realizing what Rukia was going to do, she tried to scream for help but not even a noise came out of her throat anymore.
The poison was doing its job on her and was dragging her to her death.
"Will you tell her, my dear Nell?"
— Feel lucky, you are not my first blood but you are my first tribute to The Shadow. A special place reserved for you. — Rukia took her by the arm and instead of nailing the glass to make the cut, she passed the tip of one of her fingers.
If Nelliel had been able to speak, the scream would have alerted everyone in the castle, but her mouth was paralyzed and the only thing that could show the fear and pain that she was feeling at that moment were the tears that trickled down her cheeks.
The pain was the strongest she had ever felt in her life, it was like knives, like cold and like heat, all at the same time.
Nelliel begged the Deities for mercy, she begged them not to let her die like this or for someone to at least come in and discover Rukia, but the Deities weren't listening.
Rukia made a similar cut on Nelliel's other wrist as she recited something in a language Nelliel didn't understand and released her. Nelliel could see her blood staining the sheets, as well as Rukia's hands as she adjusted her wrists to her sides. Rukia took the crystal, cut Nelliel's thumb and index fingertips on both hands, covered it with blood and threw it on the floor.
— Yes, this is enough. — Rukia muttered before grabbing Nelliel's wrists in an attempt to stop the bleeding. — Aid! Call the doctor! I need help!
Rukia's cry for help echoed through the room too loudly. Nelliel wanted to scream for help and for someone to save her from what Rukia was doing to her, but she couldn't move and couldn't keep her eyes open. Fear and poison had her paralyzed, Rukia was killing her and at the same time pretending to be her savior.
"Where did I see this scene before? Ah! When you saved my life."
Miyako's voice rang in her ears again but Nelliel no longer had the strength to deny that she had heard it. Miyako had gone for her as she had for her baby the night she lost it.
The door opened and Nelliel saw the Kahya for the last time, whose eyes were terrified by the scene she must be seeing. Nelliel made one last attempt to speak, to keep her eyes open, but she couldn't. Her eyelids closed against her will and she felt darkness closing in on her as her heart beat so fast it felt like it was going to explode. Panic over impending death ran cold under her skin.
Nelliel didn't want to die there, she didn't want to die in Miyako's room listening to her voice and her spectral laughter. She did not want to die at the hands of Rukia, who should have been executed for being the daughter of a traitor and for plotting against the kingdom.
Nelliel did not want to die knowing that the Kahya was crying because of her, for thinking that she had attempted against her own life.
It was in that darkness that Nelliel was able to see Miyako once more.
Miyako was standing next to her, wearing the same dress in which she had thrown herself off the cliff, with that unearthly beauty that gives death and with bleeding wrists where the cuts had broken her skin.
"My dear Nell, my best friend…"
—
—
Hello everyone!
Remember the opening note of this season? The list of deaths so far: Yushiru. Nelliel.
Do you remember when was the first time the laughter of a dead person was heard in the castle?
With this chapter the year x493 officially ends, so the next chapter will be x494. Oh! Time goes fast!
See you soon!
Greetings to all who read, comment and follow this story. Kisses.
—