There was a certain amount of resentment among the people when Emperor Yamamoto sent his messengers throughout the empire to share the news that his daughters were no longer bespelled, but a pledge from the Emperor himself that he would not only give his personal support to returning veterans of the border war, but send new envoys to try and negotiate a peace with the enemies they fought, quieted the worst of it. The sudden appearance of twelve princesses, wearing plain working clothes, in places of charity across the capital city was met with initial skepticism, particularly given the presence of uniformed guards. After all – what could royal girls know about anything?

At Yuzu's orphanage, Rukia was met with a much warmer welcome: she and Ichigo spent time there three days each week to support his sister's efforts. Yachiru and Ururu frequently joined them, and they entertained the younger children while Rukia tutored the older ones. Ichigo's role was often one of manual labor, carting in firewood or even helping Yuzu with the piles and piles of laundry that twenty young children generated. Over time that laundry grew rather nicer, as "donations from the palace" replaced old linens and Rukia's pocket money bought clothing and other necessities.

But in the afternoons, he led training sessions for every child old enough to listen, showing them basic footwork and how to defend against an attacker. It was street fighting, nothing he'd teach at the palace.

"Are you teaching them to be soldiers?" Rukia asked one afternoon when he sent the children back to playing. Ichigo accepted the wooden cup of cold water that Rukia held out and stole a kiss from her as he did it.

"No. I hope your father really will end the border war. But they should know how to defend themselves," Ichigo explained before taking a long drink of water. "Their lives are going to be…rougher than yours. Rougher than mine, in some ways. I've always had a family."

Rukia pursed her lips and leaned in closer, stealing a kiss for herself as she did so. "What if they didn't have to be?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well…has Yuzu ever tried adoption? I don't think I've ever seen a child leave this orphanage unless they've turned seventeen and gotten work," Rukia pointed out.

Ichigo shrugged. "You'd know better than me. I was gone before she started working here." The words created shadows in his eyes before Rukia tucked herself up against him and chased them away. He leaned down and dropped a kiss on top of her head.

"I'll talk to Yuzu about it," she decided. "And Nanao. Nanao's been working with the city records system, maybe some of the children have living family that Yuzu doesn't know about."

He hummed his agreement and tightened his arm around her shoulders. "That sounds good," he agreed. "We should get back to the palace," he said then, and drank the last of his water. "We're supposed to meet with that wedding planner, aren't we?"

Rukia laughed at the scowl on his face. "It's not that bad," she teased. "They really just want us to sign off on their choices."

"Hn. Last time we watched him argue with his assistants for three hours over the type of white roses that would be going in the flower arrangements outside the temple," Ichigo pointed out with a little grumble. But then he steered her back inside and dropped off the wooden cup before they walked back to the palace arm in arm.

Ichigo and Rukia's wedding took place a year after their official engagement, in the largest temple in the city. Though it was a much larger wedding than either of them really wanted, the wedding of a crown princess was nothing to be modest about. Hundreds of thousands of people lined the streets during their procession into the temple, and a thousand guests gathered within the temple walls, creating a rainbow of color in their finery. Every country in the empire sent a representative, and so did the surrounding nations – even Necuria, with which a treaty had been reached after a decade of war. Prince Ulquiorra of Schiffer and Prince Grimmjow Jaegerjaques were there – Rukia swore Orihime snuck at least three kisses from her suitor before the wedding even began. Rangiku stood next to Gin, as happy as Rukia had ever seen her, and her sisters and his all held pride of place in the temple.

Ichigo thought that Rukia had never looked more beautiful: The white gown she wore seemed woven with the very stars, for it was shot through with threads of silver and crystal beads sparkled in the folds of silk fabric. Her coronet sparkled on her head and so did the jeweled combs that held her hair in an elaborate arrangement of loops and silk-smooth locks. And the palace tailors hadn't left him out: Ichigo was resplendent in his own way, wearing black robes embroidered with golden thread that were so heavy he was surprised he could still walk.

After the wedding, the celebrations went on for nine days and nights, and they lost track of the number of pretty gowns and elaborate robes they changed into. The noble clans, eager to curry favor once more with an Emperor who had shut everyone out while his daughters were dancing beneath the city, hosted party after party. Even the public joined in, and Rukia and Ichigo made appearances at three different celebrations in the capital. The marriage of a crown princess to a veteran soldier, it turned out, was excellent public relations.

"It's almost like being back in the palace underground," Rukia whispered to him five nights into the celebrations. It was nearly midnight and Rukia's maids had just finished helping her out of a dusky rose confection so elaborate that it had taken three women to help her put it on.

Ichigo, thankfully, had it easier: the maroon robes he wore were much easier to deal with, and he'd waited patiently in their bedroom while Rukia had struggled in her dressing room to get out of the many layers of fabric. "We can try and beg off tomorrow night if it's too much," he suggested quietly as they lay side by side on the featherbed.

"We'll offend Lord Ukitake," Rukia sighed. "And no, we can't send Orihime and Prince Ulquiorra in our places."

"I didn't say anything," Ichigo protested, and turned on his side to look at her. "You know," he said, "I think this is the first time we've actually been alone together before dawn since we said our vows."

Rukia flushed pink as her eyes met his. "It is," she agreed as Ichigo draped an arm over her waist.

"I've gotten teased that we haven't been able to spend any time together," Ichigo continued, and carefully tugged her closer to him.

"Rangiku is being insufferable about it," Rukia agreed. "Though she offered to distract our guests tonight so that we could make our escape."

Ichigo laughed quietly and then leaned in to kiss her thoroughly, arm keeping her pressed close to him until they were both breathing unevenly and flushed pink. "Why didn't you agree?" he asked, and kissed his way down her neck, to her collarbone.

"Knowing – ah – knowing Rangiku, she would have done something borderline scandalous," Rukia explained, gasping when he nipped at her skin. "My gown tomorrow is lower cut than that, if you leave marks we'll scandalize everyone."

The words drew another laugh, softer this time, but Ichigo brushed his lips over the spot gently. "How low cut is it?" he asked.

Rukia lifted a hand up and pressed one fingertip against her skin so that she could trace a wide, square shape on her chest. "The neckline looks like this."

"I'll be sure to stay below that line, then," Ichigo murmured, and his lips drifted lower so that he had to pull her sleeping yukata open to keep kissing her. Then he looked back up at her, lips hovering just over her skin, and asked, "do you want me, Rukia?"

Rukia's cheeks heated again and she shivered in his arms. "Yes," she whispered.

Ichigo's lips touched her skin, lightly. "We don't have to go further than you want," he promised as he kissed his way along her skin, following the line of her yukata.

Her fingers drifted through his bright hair, which had only gotten longer since they'd met. It was nearly to his shoulders. "I want everything," Rukia told him, and gasped again when his mouth found the modest curve of her breast.

Ichigo lifted his head and looked at her, eyes amber in the low light from an oil lamp across the room. "Well, then," he whispered, and kissed his way down her stomach, pushing her pale yukata out of the way as he went. "Let me give you everything."

They moved together deep into the night and slept far into the morning. They didn't even notice when a pair of servants poked their heads into the room and stifled giggles and heated cheeks over the sight of them twined together, her yukata and his flung to the floor. "Let them sleep a little longer," one whispered to the other, and the door closed without a sound.

Finally, though, Rukia stirred and Ichigo woke with her. They looked at one another in the late morning light, and Ichigo's smile was tender as he leaned in to kiss her. "I love you," he said quietly, and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

"I love you too," she told him, and beamed.

Thanks for reading this odd little story based on an odd little fairy tale! I hope you enjoyed.