The Nightingale

Chapter 46: Origin

Summer — x492 / September 16

Rukia's absence in that bed was what woke him up for the second time that morning, only to realize that she was not in the room.

Ichigo sat on the bed, ran his fingers through his hair, not caring if that made it messier or not, and was left thinking about the talk they had in the early morning; Rukia's words echoed in his mind and within his soul, knowing that she was right and yet, he couldn't fully assimilate the words.

He was still waiting for his father's approval, some show of affection beyond the praise of being a good commander or a good soldier; Ichigo wanted to have a complicity with his father like his father had with Kaien, it was the only thing he envied his brother.

During his years at Vayalat, his uncle had been like his father; Kisuke was the one who had given him everything he expected from his own father, but something very small inside him longed for, wished, that it was his own father who would give him that kind of affection.

Rukia was right, but accepting that his father would never love him the way he loved Kaien was something that made him feel inferior, small, fragile and weak.

Ichigo got up from the bed and discovered that Rukia had left some clothes ready for him; that surprised him and he smiled forgetting everything he had been thinking before getting out of bed. Those ideas wouldn't leave his mind so easily, but they were ideas he would think of when he was alone.

He got dressed and when he looked in the mirror it seemed to him that he was dressed as if he were going to spend the whole day in bed; his trousers were coffee-dyed cotton and his shirt was soft and light; Ichigo smirked as he realized they smelled peppermint, just like Rukia.

He put on his boots and left the room when he finished his morning routine with the intention of looking for Rukia, but the cabin was very quiet. Ichigo walked slowly and heard a laugh coming from the kitchen, he could recognize Rukia's voice at that moment.

Rukia was singing and he decided to stand in the kitchen door, silently and staring at Rukia's back, who seemed very entertained at something. Ichigo heard her sing a song about cookies and chocolate chips, until she realized he was there when she looked back.

— Good Morning! — Rukia greeted from her place, still doing what she was doing, and giving him a really happy smile.

That was Rukia's smile, the true smile; one that he loved to watch.

— Good Morning. — Ichigo approached her and hugged her from behind giving her a kiss on the cheek. — Are you making cookies? — He asked curious when noticing that there was dough spread out on the kitchen counter and it seemed to be mixed with something black that he knew very well. It was chocolate cookie dough.

— Cookies for the picnic. — Rukia explained with a smile before kissing Ichigo back on the cheek.

— Picnic? — Ichigo asked, noticing that Rukia had flour on her face and on the apron she was wearing so as not to stain her clothes. — Wait a minute, you didn't tell me you knew how to make cookies.

— I have many charms that the prince of the kingdom does not know. — Rukia replied with a smile before handing him the rounded dough cutter. — Help me by cutting the dough, I'll serve breakfast.

Ichigo took the dough cutter and started marking it on the cookie dough. Ichigo had never made cookies, so when he lifted the cutter a second time, there was dough stuck to it and the cookie had lost its shape. Ichigo panicked at that moment, he didn't know what to do but he didn't want to call Rukia, so he tried again and got the same result, even the dough seemed not to cut, but just to get muddy on the cutter.

— You have never done this, right? — Rukia asked, in a voice so amused that it made Ichigo jump out of his place. Ichigo rambled on for a moment in his answer and Rukia took the cutter, cleaned it, and ran the sharp edge through some flour. — This is the way to do it.

Rukia taught him how to cut the cookies and Ichigo, after learning it, made the following cuts in the dough.

They stayed that way all morning, cutting cookie dough and placing them on trays so that the chef could put them in the stone oven outside the kitchen; they ended up full of flour, Rukia had made more cookie dough, and Ichigo was really amused with stirring the dough and cutting it.

The song about cookies and chocolate chips was sung in two voices while they were in the kitchen until the last tray of cookies was carried into the stone oven.

They ate breakfast, laughed, and when the cookies and food were ready, Rukia put everything they needed in a basket and covered it with a folded tablecloth.

— Very well my dear nightingale who sings about cookies, where will our picnic be? — Ichigo asked taking the basket to carry it himself.

— At the spring. — Rukia replied with a smile, after taking off her apron and wiping some of the flour that had fallen on her dress. Ichigo realized that Rukia's dress was just as simple and comfortable as the clothes he wore. I spoke to the soldiers when I got up and asked them to prepare the place.

Ichigo was surprised by how well planned Rukia had everything, and she seemed to notice it because she only smiled triumphantly before starting to walk towards the exit of that cabin. Ichigo followed her still surprised but happy.

Rukia had really planned everything, because when they reached the spring, which was not really far from the cabin, they found that the soldiers had brought a table and a couple of chairs that they had arranged near the shore of that body of water.

— My commander. — One of the soldiers spoke to him. — We have checked the area and it is safe, there are no animal tracks nearby, but we will still be giving tours from time to time.

— It's okay. — Ichigo nodded and the soldier bowed before leaving them alone.

The spring itself was a large natural pool with a border of large, carefully carved stones, which prevented the water that flowed from the earth from overflowing, and that it had a stone wall on one of the edges, where small shoots of trees grew between its crevices, which was part of the mountain itself. That spring had been modified by his uncle's workers, because the edge closest to the stone wall was open, letting the water flow in a small stream that passed near the cabin.

It was something Ichigo knew even if he couldn't see the path of that stream, because it was the only way they had water in the cabin where they were.

After arranging things on the table, both of them took off their clothes, leaving only their underwear, and entered the water that was really cold. Ichigo could see that the bottom of that natural pool was made of stones, large and small, and that there was even a large rock in the center but it was completely submerged.

The water was crystal clear, but when the bottom was stirred, the sediment at rest was raised, although it did not take long to settle again.

— I don't know how to swim. — Rukia confessed when they were both in the water, and Ichigo was checking the depth of the place.

Ichigo returned to her and took her hands.

— It's easy, I'm going to teach you; only we can't sing here. — Ichigo joked a bit. Rukia nodded between giggles and Ichigo started to explain what she had to do.

—

Rukia sat on that huge submerged stone, and even sitting there, the water reached a little higher than her chest; she hadn't imagined that a spring would be like this and it was incredible to be in one.

It seemed that the water was stagnant, but the constant sound of the water running down the stones that started the small stream, reminded her that it was incredible that the water flowed directly from the ground.

Ichigo was right, it was just water and nothing else, but the people who went to those springs had faith that their ills would be healed. She wouldn't be surprised if statues of the Deities were put in those places, just to assure people that the miracle would work.

It was very nice to be there, the sun's rays were intercepted by the leaves of the trees giving a warm shade; summer was about to end and the heat would gradually diminish until autumn entered.

— Do you want to try again? — Ichigo asked approaching her with a stone in his hand.

The large stone she was sitting on was in a deep place, one where even Ichigo didn't touch the bottom with his feet; Rukia had come to that stone by swimming, or trying to swim. Ichigo had taught her enough not to drown there.

— No, I like sitting here. — She answered, and Ichigo sat next to her on the stone, enjoying nature and handing her the stone that he was carrying. — A stone? — Rukia asked looking at what Ichigo had handed her.

— It is a white stone, or something like that, there are many at the bottom and it will be a memory of this day. — Ichigo explained pointing to the place where he had gotten it from.

The stone had no definite shape beyond being a rock almost as big as the size of her hand, and it was really beautiful; it was white and it seemed that it had even whiter lines or crystals inside. Rukia had not seen such a stone and it seemed incredible to her.

— I like it, we take it with us. — Rukia agreed with a smile.

One of the soldiers who was doing surveillance walked past, being careful not to see too much where they were.

— Thanks. — Ichigo commented next to her. They were both looking towards the soldier.

— Why? — Rukia asked curiously; she turned to look at him and she could see Ichigo's profile. He seemed to her as perfect as a sculpture. — For teaching you how to bake cookies?

— Besides that, also because of everything you said in the morning. — Ichigo turned to see her and caressed her cheek gently. — I didn't know I needed to hear those words until you said them. Thanks.

Rukia smirked at Ichigo's caress and words, feeling happy to have helped him even though she wasn't entirely sure how she did it.

— No problem. — Rukia whispered, but before Ichigo kissed her, she splashed water on him. Ichigo complained and Rukia started laughing. — It's because of the morning tickles. My revenge will be terrible!

Ichigo returned to the water and, from a safe place, he returned the attack to Rukia, who was holding tightly the white stone that Ichigo gave her in one hand, and with the other hand she splashed him.

Summer — x492 / September 20

Back to responsibilities, after having spent a couple of days away from everything and everyone, helped Ichigo to try to focus on what he had to do.

The Queen Mother had complied with what she said. She had made sure that the rumors were not so scandalous, the official version would be that a mad man entered the temple of the Deities and attacked those who were there.

A mad man was better than saying that someone had wanted to kill the Priest, as that could bring trouble with the Deity Representatives, and they were really a headache if anything involved them.

Even so, Ichigo had to do the work and the tour of the walls, although everything was ready, he had to see with his own eyes that everything was as specified in the report they would send to the capital.

After all, making sure the cities were okay was part of his job, too.

Ichigo sealed the report for the king, and sent it with that messenger who always came to the cities; he had to restrain himself from sending a letter to the king telling him what had happened in the temple of the Deities. Most likely, the messenger would speak, but he didn't care about that.

Ichigo wanted to see the king's gaze when he could show him that execution order. Ichigo wanted to see what his father would do in the face of an accusation against Kaien.

The temple bells of the Deities rang, indicating that the afternoon was beginning, and Ichigo rose from his seat in the office of the Lord of Visnia to stretch a bit and relax his posture. His work had finished a few hours before, when the king's envoy came out of that door, but he had remained helping a little with some documents for his uncle.

The Lord of Visnia always has a lot of pressures, especially since the Queen Mother is his mother-in-law and she always has an eye on him.

Ichigo arranged the papers he was working on, on the desk and took the invitation that had been delivered to him in the morning; they had been invited to a party and that seemed nice to him, especially since it wasn't just any party, it was the grape harvest party and he had never attended one of those.

Surely his grandmother would also go, the Queen Mother loved wine, like everyone in that Palace.

—

Kholtan was standing on Rukia's arm. The eagle was clinging to Rukia's arm so tightly that she had the impression that if it weren't for that leather glove on Ichigo, it would have hurt her arm with its strong claws.

The sun was setting and although it was not the best time to send the eagle, she had to do it if she wanted the answer to her letter to arrive before they had to leave Visnia.

— Take care. — She whispered to the eagle before stroking his feathers one last time. — Go with Renji or with Uryu.

The eagle took flight and Rukia saw how Kholtan was lost in the sky behind a cloud.

Rukia stood there a moment longer, gazing at the sky, until she let out a sigh and went back inside the palace. She hoped Orihime would reply to her letter soon, she needed to know how things were in Adelaar before returning.

Autumn equinox — x492 / September 23

— I have to admit that I like this place. — Rukia commented, as she and Ichigo walked through that vineyard, among the rows of vines that were not yet harvested but would soon be.

The guards, as always, were watching over them a few meters behind them.

There was supposed to be no danger anymore, but the Queen Mother insisted that an escort of soldiers accompany them, plus Ichigo agreed with that, that Rukia had no choice but to accept it.

In the distance she could hear the sound of music that enlivened the party and the guests on the garden terrace.

— The Palace of the Sun is the summer residence of the king. We can come back whenever you want, and surely we will be able to walk through the vineyards again. — Ichigo promised, holding Rukia's arm as they walked and admired the place. — Also, my grandmother loves you, so she will be happy for us to spend some time with her.

— It's because I'm adorable. — Rukia replied opening her fan to play with it a bit. — Don't you think so, Lord Commander of the kingdom?

Ichigo smirked and shook his head without taking his eyes off her.

— I will not even deny it, beautiful Princess of the People. — Rukia blushed.

He always had that effect on her, made her blush and flustered when he looked at her like that, as if she were the only woman in the world; and it didn't help that he was dressed like the Second Prince.

They returned to the party after that very long walk through the vines, at the exact moment when they were going to do the wine tasting for all the guests, and they stood next to the Queen Mother, who was talking with several people.

The first wine was poured, and the Queen Mother got close enough to them to make some private comments.

— You took too long to get back. It's the wine you're supposed to taste, not your wife. — Rukia turned completely red upon hearing that comment from the Queen Mother and almost choked on the wine in her mouth.

— Grandma! — Ichigo claimed in a low voice, just as red as Rukia. — We didn't do anything you are imagining! We were just strolling through the vineyard!

— Your grandfather would be so disappointed in you. — The Queen Mother replied dramatically denying. — He had more guts, one of your uncles was conceived at a grape harvest party.

Ichigo choked on the wine he was drinking and Rukia didn't know whether to laugh at that comment or be shocked by the natural way the Queen Mother said that.

— Breathe well, and give me a great-grandson, I'm getting old. — The Queen Mother said again, causing Ichigo to turn redder than the wine that was trying to kill him at the time.

Ichigo survived his grandmother's comments, and as soon as the wine tasting was over, he took Rukia away; Rukia appreciated that, because she felt like she was going to faint if she kept turning red at those comments that she couldn't laugh at in public.

They would eventually give the Queen Mother a great-grandson, but it was not yet time.

They walked that time among the people, Rukia and Ichigo were dressed according to the protocol of the royal house, and they had to greet many people who stopped to talk with them. It was all tiring, fun because it was a party and there was a lot of wine, but tiring.

They walked to the other end of the vineyard, where there were also many people, and Rukia watched as a music group was tuning their instruments. A group of people was starting to gather and another group was pouring baskets of grapes into what Rukia thought was a very wide and very large barrel.

— Your Highnesses. — The voice of a man who approached them and bowed them caught Rukia's attention.

She thought for a moment that he was just coming over to greet them, until she realized he was one of the hosts of the party. She and Ichigo returned the greeting with a smile.

— Would you do us the honor of participating in the treading of the grapes? — The host asked, pointing to that huge barrel. — The winepress is almost ready, and it would be a great honor for us if you were the first to dance.

Rukia had read a little about those parties the day before, and was excited to realize what was all that they were organizing in that place and what the host was proposing.

— Of course we accept, my lord. — Rukia replied before Ichigo could refuse.

— Wonderful! — The man exclaimed happily. — Follow me around, we'll help you prepare.

Ichigo didn't refuse to follow the man, who seemed genuinely delighted that they were going up to the winepress, but he stared at Rukia waiting for an explanation as to why she had accepted the dance. Rukia knew that people would not hesitate to profit from something the royal family was involved in, especially if it left them money.

— Let's dance, my love. — It was the only thing Rukia said, with a smile on her lips, knowing that Ichigo wouldn't deny her anything.

— You know that the wine that will be produced from the dance that we will do will be sold as if it were "the tears of the Mother", right? — Ichigo asked her before reaching the place where they were being led.

— I know. But I've never danced on grapes before, and I don't mean to waste this opportunity to do so. — Rukia hugged Ichigo, stopping his advance. — Or I tell the Queen Mother that you don't want to give her a great-grandson.

— Rukia! — Ichigo was surprised to hear that threat. — You too? You will no longer spend time with my grandmother; she is infecting you with her attitude.

Rukia started laughing at that comment, but Ichigo took her hand and led her to where the host was waiting to give them instructions on what to do and how to do it.

When everything was ready, a couple of maids washed both their feet. Ichigo had rolled up his pants to his knee and Rukia had pinned her dress to the side of her hips with a ribbon that had been given to her for that purpose, and then they entered the winepress.

The sensation of the grapes being crushed under her feet was something Rukia never imagined feeling; it was weird and funny at the same time.

— Today, the prince and princess of the kingdom have honored us with the first dance of the harvest. — The host announced, and the people who had gathered there began to applaud. — We have no doubt that the wine they will help create will be exquisite. Let the dance begin!

The music started playing after that little speech, and Rukia bowed to Ichigo, he responded in kind, and then took her hand. The dance was simple, they just had to follow the rhythm of the music, trying to dance around the winepress to crush as many grapes as possible.

Ichigo seemed annoyed at first, but after a while, he started enjoying the dancing and the music, making the whole moment even more incredible and magical for Rukia.

Autumn — x492 / September 27

Many events had happened within Adelaar's castle over the years, but if anyone knew the story of how King Isshin had met Kaien's mother, it was Queen Mother Raiza.

Raiza was the queen when Isshin first arrived with that woman at the castle. Kaien's mother was a beautiful girl, she had black eyes and even blacker hair; her skin was beautiful and because of her hair, she looked paler than she really was.

The girl arrived injured in the ankle and it was the queen's doctor who took care of her, all at the request of Prince Isshin who seemed genuinely concerned for the girl. Raiza did not object, it was an act of kindness that could not be denied, but that girl did not seem to belong to the kingdom, she did not even seem to belong to the continent, and Raiza feared that she was a slave.

Slavery was forbidden in the kingdom, and it was one more reason to help her, although she seemed to be very well educated and that only made the doubt of the girl's place of origin greater.

The girl's ankle healed and, although Raiza thought that the girl would leave as soon as she could walk well, that did not happen. Prince Isshin did something that was not in the rules, he took the girl as Inamorata.

That news was scandalous.

The ladies of the court were offended, although being the Inamorata of the only prince of the kingdom was something that was not really desired because he was already engaged to the princess of another kingdom, that the prince chose someone who was found like an animal in the street, was insulting.

It was even more insulting that overnight Prince Isshin tried to cancel the wedding to Princess Masaki.

That wedding had to be celebrated, there was a peace alliance between both kingdoms that was consummated with the marriage between Isshin and Masaki, and the old king wasn't going to allow his kingdom to be destroyed just because his son couldn't keep his pants in place.

Raiza tried several times to make Isshin fire his Inamorata, even taking advantage of the fact that he left once to kick her out of the palace before the wedding, but somehow Isshin found out and returned early only to confront his own mother, claiming that she was no one to treat the woman he loved like that.

Those words were something that Raiza never thought she would hear from her own son, but she never tried to kick the Inamorata out of the castle again. Seeing that girl dressed as a princess, walking and laughing in the palace as if she were the owner, made Raiza lose her cool.

On the wedding day, however, the Inamorata did not appear anywhere and, although Isshin was desperate because he did not see her, he knew how to behave until it was all over. Raiza had thought that this woman had finally understood that she was not welcome in Adelaar; but it was not like that.

The absence of the Inamorata was only for that day and when she returned, the first thing Raiza heard from that girl's mouth was a declaration of war.

— Have you realized how much the prince loves me? He cannot live without me and you can never get me out of this castle. It doesn't matter which woman you put in front of him, I'm the only woman he's going to look at. Ask the princess, in which bed the prince spent the wedding night.

Raiza slapped the Inamorata, but that girl just smiled and left there as if that blow had been a reward and not a punishment. Raiza, although she did not want to do what that girl said, went to Masaki's room and found her sitting on the bed, completely heartbroken and alone.

Masaki, seeing Raiza, asked her through tears, what had happened to Isshin, why from one moment to another he had stopped loving her, and Raiza did not know what to answer. The marriage between Isshin and Masaki was not consummated on the wedding night or any other night.

Raiza tried to kill the Inamorata, tried to poison her a couple of times, and although Raiza saw how that woman drank the poison, it seemed that she was immune to it.

The next news that shook Adelaar's castle to the ground was when Inamorata announced that she was pregnant. Isshin was completely happy, so much so that he had even started looking for a name for his "prince or princess".

That news emotionally shattered Masaki, who still hoped that Isshin would once again be the same man who traveled to Vermist just to give her a flower. Rumors of Masaki's infertility began to sound, but it was all completely false because the reality was that Isshin had not consummated the marriage.

Again they tried to kill the Inamorata or make her lose her son, but nothing they did seemed to work. It was all so frustrating and overwhelming that Raiza really began to believe that they would never really get the Inamorata out of the castle.

When Kaien was born, Isshin was overjoyed; Masaki, for her part, had stopped expecting Isshin to turn to see her. Raiza knew that Masaki had not returned to Vayalat for two reasons, the first was that she still loved Isshin, and the second was because she would not leave the castle until she saw that woman and her son dead.

Again they tried to kill her, but it didn't seem to work, until one night Masaki entered Raiza's room, completely desperate; Raiza doubted that Masaki could continue to endure that situation any longer.

— That woman is a witch. I sent her a shadow, I made a spider and sent it to her, and she didn't die. She should be dead right now, but I see her laughing in one of the gardens. She is a witch from the Jade Sea.

Raiza tried to calm her; she wasn't understanding what Masaki was saying about sending her a spider, but Masaki was truly desperate, and for a moment Raiza feared that Masaki had lost her sanity.

— A spider? — Raiza asked trying to make Masaki focus on one thing at a time.

— By the Deities, mother! Didn't the king tell you? Didn't he tell you why he was so happy with the engagement between Isshin and me? — Raiza denied at that question. — The king is afraid of this.

That night was the first time Raiza saw the ankh.

She watched as Masaki began to move her own fingers, as if she were pulling invisible threads, with the palm of her hand raised, and out of nowhere black threads began to move on her skin until a spider formed.

— Are you a witch? — Raiza asked, completely surprised to see what seemed really impossible.

— No, this is not witchcraft, this is a gift for war and only my family possesses it. This is why Vayalat is a warlike kingdom, mother. A spider is the easiest to control, this is the reason why no one has been able to defeat or conquer Vayalat; that's why soldiers attack at night. Vayalat is the only kingdom that attacks at night.

Raiza sat in the first chair she found, she didn't know what she was listening to; she couldn't understand it.

— I wrote to my own mother. — Masaki continued upon seeing that Raiza had sat down. — I told her what was happening, and she responded. Today I received the letter and my mother says that this woman is most likely a witch; that would explain why the poison and the ankh do not work on her.

The Jade Sea was so far away that getting there was a half-year journey, if there were no setbacks on the journey, and the lands of the Jade, that strange and mysterious place, was almost a myth. It was believed that this place was almost uninhabited, and the existence of those women who prayed to Gods who were a mixture between man and beast, was almost a myth.

Raiza did not believe that the Inamorata was a witch, it must have been something else, or perhaps Masaki was being more affected by everything that was happening in the castle than she seemed. Although she accepted that the ankh was real because she had seen it with her own eyes, believing that the Inamorata was a witch was too much for her.

One afternoon Masaki arrived, as nervous as Raiza had ever seen her before, and she confessed that she had summoned the woman to the cliff room.

— I told her to go away; I told her to take her bastard and get out of here, but she ignored me. She laughed at me and told me that her son would be king because I would never have children, and that as soon as Isshin could, he would divorce me and marry her. — Masaki paced back and forth in that room, playing with his hands that were sweating from nerves at the time. — I got mad. The ankh doesn't work on her, so I pounced on her and we began to struggle. Many times she was on the verge of falling off the cliff, and although I hit her head against the pillars and the stone walls, that woman did not die. From one moment to another, I don't know how it happened, that woman was hanging over the cliff, holding only her fingers to the stone wall, and for the first time I saw fear in her eyes, mother.

Raiza listened to that confession with apprehension in her body; she knew that Masaki had been an archer, that she had gone to battles, and that she did not hesitate to kill the enemy. Raiza never thought that she would see Masaki this nervous when confessing something that she used to do when she went to battle.

— And then that woman looked me in the eye, and she swore that she would never leave the castle, that even if she died, she would never leave the castle because her memory would live on in Kaien. That woman told me that Isshin would love his bastard more than any children I could give him; that I could never get rid of Kaien, because my gift wouldn't work on him, and that Isshin would protect his son from me and anyone who tried to take him away from him. — Masaki began to wipe the sweat from her hands with the skirt of her dress, and Raiza realized that Masaki was trying not to cry. — She cursed me three times and I couldn't stand it, I started stepping on her fingers so that she fell at once off the cliff, and even when she was falling, she cursed me once more laughing.

Raiza didn't know what to say or what to do at that moment, but when it was discovered that Kaien's mother had fallen off the cliff, Isshin said nothing or did anything, and no culprit was ever sought to justify her death.

Isshin looked confused, as if he were coming out of a very deep sleep, and when the woman's room was opened to take out her things, the servants found a strange book, which seemed to be covered in human skin.

No one understood what that book had written on it, and Raiza made sure to burn that book so that no one could have it; if Kaien was the son of a jade witch, then she wasn't going to risk the same thing happening again.

— Everything returned to normal after Kaien's mother died. — Raiza commented to Ichigo and Rukia, who were sitting in front of her, listening carefully to that story. — It was like waking up from a nightmare, although Masaki was never the same again, she was affected by everything that happened in that time. We tried to make Isshin abide by the rules about bastards but it didn't work, that woman's words turned out to be true, because when the old king died, the first thing Isshin did was legitimize Kaien.

Ichigo was completely silent, not moving at all other than shifting position in his seat. Rukia was completely silent, playing with that strange red ring in her hand.

— That is the reason why Masaki raised Kaien as if he were her own son, because she hoped that curse would not be fulfilled, but it was useless. — Raiza continued. — We do not know how much that woman did to Kaien while she was still alive, or if those gifts are inherited, but Kaien has a somewhat strange mark on the sole of his left foot. That mark was in the book, but we couldn't figure out what it meant, just as we'll never know why that woman was here and did what she did.

Autumn — x492 / September 29

—

Rukia, we have a lot to talk about and these are things that I will tell you when you are back at the castle, but there are things you do need to know before heading back to the castle.

Lord Kuchiki is still on the Council, he is still the Peace Councilor, but he does not go anywhere alone, Ulquiorra always goes with him. Kaien went to Maranni, after that, Ulquiorra was assigned as Lord Kuchiki's protector.

I heard rumors about summoning Lord Byakuya and his family to the castle, but I don't know why.

Senna is the new Favorite of the Queen and the Queen is angry. The king signed the papers assigning Senna as his official mistress, and I know you know what it means.

Senna and her sister Leena are in the castle; Leena arrived a few days after it was made official that Senna would be the king's mistress. Leena is friends with Nelliel, she was in court before us.

Yuki has become very close to Kaien, however she is still alone because Loly and Riruka follow Senna; they believe that being with her, their lives will be easier.

Kaien sends gifts to Yuki, Nelliel gets angry but accepts it. You know gossip runs fast in the castle, but so far Kaien hasn't asked for a mistress, I think deep down he's afraid of Ulquiorra.

And about your other question, about whether anyone has said anything about Visnia, I don't know anything. It has not been mentioned that an incident had happened in that city. Something bad happened?

I hope you arrive safely at the castle, we must have tea and talk a lot.

Orihime

—

Special greetings to jobananasan, diah77 and Guest [No, she's not. hehe].

Thank you all, and the next chapter is Friday.