The Nightingale

Chapter 63: Old friends

Summer — x493 / July 13

In the days following the events of the ring and the Shadow, Ichigo took her to almost every possible place in the palace; he told her stories of what he had experienced there and even took her to the training grounds for her to see the orphaned children training to become Shadows.

Rukia could imagine a little ten year old Ichigo with all those children who were training, and remembered that he told her that many of those children would not live to become Shadows because they would die before the training was over.

Rukia wondered if that little Ichigo knew that, that he might die, when he started training. Rukia wondered to herself, how much it had hurt that little boy that his own father didn't believe him to decide to stay and train in a place where he could die.

— Did you know? — Rukia asked as they left the training grounds and walked down a palace corridor. Ichigo turned to see her without understanding that question. — Did you know that you could die if you trained with the orphaned children?

Ichigo nodded silently.

Rukia didn't know what to say, seeing the children was different than hearing about them.

In her mind, she had imagined a very different scene about children training. Completely different from that training camp where the kids exercised by carrying weight on their hands and feet. Orphaned children, children who had nothing but their own life and who would eventually die in a fight, starve, or live long enough to become bandits.

— I knew it. My uncle explained it to me. I really thought that when my father came back, he would believe me and take me with him, but he didn't so I decided to stay here. It was a map, and even if I had torn it up, it was just a silly map. I know how important they are, but I don't know if I would react like he did; I hope I'm not like him. His blow knocked out one of my teeth, but luckily a new one came out. — Ichigo pointed to his jaw at the point where his father hit him. — I stayed here because I wanted to learn about the gift of war, train it and when I return to the castle try to win my father's love, let him see that I became someone of value, but he still prefers Kaien. I often wondered what it would be like if Kaien had been sent to a farm like all the king's bastards.

Rukia was silent for a moment and heaved a sigh, she also wondered many times before how everything would be if her father had explained to her what he intended to do with Jetaiya's help; she wondered what it would have been like to grow up filled with hatred for the people in the castle.

— If Kaien had been sent to a farm and if my father had told me what he intended to do to your father and the kingdom, I would have gone to the castle with the intention of seducing you. — Rukia whispered without looking at him. — Perhaps they would have educated me for that, to make you notice me, to make you take me to bed and to make you marry me or to make me your lover if you were already engaged.

— And then your father would have killed mine, made me king and you the Favourite, and maybe I would have died too after we had a son to secure the legacy to the throne. — Ichigo added softly and grabbed her around the waist before making her look him in the eye. — I'm grateful every day that my father loves Kaien enough to leave him the throne, and that you are by my side. You are the only thing I thank the Shadow for every day. I know that eventually I will take back what is mine, I will put the queen's war crown on your head and all the world will bow to you; I will be happy to bow to you.

Rukia stared at Ichigo, bringing one of her hands up to his face and caressing him gently before pulling him to her without taking her eyes off him.

— I also thank the Shadow every day that you are with me. I'm grateful that I saw you on that road, I'm grateful that my father did not involve me in his revenge, and I'm grateful that you love me as much as I love you. — Rukia brushed her lips lightly against his before closing her eyes. — I love you my Ichigo. My Sun. My Eternity.

Rukia felt Ichigo's lips brush hers, his hot breath on her skin and the grip of his hand on her waist.

— I love you my Rukia. My Moon and my Eternity.

The kiss was sweet, it was slow and full of all those feelings that flow from the soul and that cry out to be heard by the loved one. In that kiss there was not the passion that overflowed when they were together, in that kiss there was only love. That pure love that poisons the soul and at the same time is the antidote that allows life. Rukia tasted Ichigo's lips and hugged him trying to feel his warmth, and Ichigo held her with that strength and possessiveness that told Rukia that she belonged to him and only him.

The kiss lasted what seemed like an eternity, but that kind of pleasant and happy eternity, until Ichigo's uncle's voice sounded amused making them separate quickly; both were completely blushing and only Kisuke's laugh could be heard in that corridor.

— Look at each other, you look like two lovers who are caught in a forbidden kiss. — Ichigo's uncle laughed hiding half of his face behind his fan. Rukia didn't know what to say and just managed to hide behind Ichigo out of embarrassment.

— Stop showing up like that, Uncle! One day you're going to kill me with a heart attack. — Ichigo yelled at his uncle. Rukia was trying to lessen the blush on her cheeks by fanning her fan.

— Never! — Kisuke scoffed pointing at him with the folded fan. — And be thankful I didn't throw a stone at you and deform your pretty face!

— No! — Rukia yelled on impulse upon hearing that. — I like my husband as handsome as he is.

There was a silence between the three that lasted a second until Ichigo's uncle started laughing again and Rukia felt flushed and embarrassed at what she had said. Ichigo turned red again and stared at Rukia who didn't know where to hide anymore.

— Oh! My dear niece defends her own. I like that. — Kisuke congratulated her. Rukia felt Ichigo take her hand as a sign that they would run away before they ended up more embarrassed because of his uncle. — I did not want to interrupt you, but I felt that if I let you continue you would need a room and the closest one is the painting room, but that place is not a good place to…

— We're out of here! — Ichigo announced willing to stop listening to that. Rukia started walking with him as she listened to the words of Ichigo's uncle wishing them a good day while playing with his fan.

They walked in silence for a moment, still holding hands, until Rukia realized that they were heading for the main entrance of the palace.

— Where we go? — She asked curious, because Ichigo was the one who decided the itinerary of their stay in the palace and the city.

— You'll know when we're there. — Ichigo promised with a smile.

One of the soldiers who had arrived with them was waiting for them at the entrance, with two horses at the ready. The soldier informed Ichigo that everything was ready and Rukia looked at him curiously, she was excited that they were leaving the palace, because they hadn't been out since they arrived, and at the same time she wanted to know where they were going.

Ichigo got on the horse and helped Rukia onto it. As she was not wearing riding clothes, but one of the dresses that Queen Masaki had chosen for her to wear during her stay at Vermist's palace, Ichigo made both of her legs stay together on one side so that she would travel comfortably.

Rukia hugged Ichigo, and they both rode out of the palace, facing the city and the noise. A guard was in front of them, leading the way, and Rukia noticed another guard joining them to guard them from the back. That other guard wasn't one of them, it was from Vermist's palace, and Rukia guessed it was part of the security that Queen Aiko had told them they would have if they went out into the city.

During all the way, Rukia was seeing the city, the people, the shops and everything that she could; people dressed differently from Avanta and she assumed it was because of the warm weather in the kingdom. The clothing they wore was light colored to avoid the heat, and some women wore a kind of cloth over their shoulders that they sometimes placed over their heads to protect themselves from the sun.

From one moment to another, Rukia wondered how people would dress in the kingdom of Gardelia, which was further north and had part of the Red Desert, but she stopped thinking about that when Ichigo left the city through one of the north side doors.

They had entered through the main gate, but the walls had several gates to allow people to enter and exit in an emergency situation. They followed the dirt road and Rukia could see that in truth everything was different there, even the vegetation was different; they were all plants that resist heat.

She asked Ichigo a couple more times where they were going, but he just told her to wait a bit and she'd see for herself.

The houses on the road began to seem a bit more spaced out until the soldier in front of them stopped and got off his horse in front of what looked like a modest but pretty house. Ichigo stopped next to the soldier's horse but didn't get off, he just stared at the soldier who knocked on the door a couple of times waiting for them to open.

Rukia was attentive to what was happening, and when they opened the door, the girl who appeared made Rukia smile. Orihime was there. Ichigo had taken her to visit her.

Orihime's emotion was truly remarkable, her eyes lit up and her smile was huge. Ichigo helped Rukia down and when she was safely on dry land, she ran to her best friend to hug her tight. Rukia was really happy to see her friend again after so long.

Ichigo got off the horse, gave a couple of orders to the soldiers and then Orihime invited them into the house, where the maid Rukia had sent was holding a small baby in her arms. Rukia was excited and wanted to go with the baby, but held back from doing so; Orihime had told her in her letters that the baby would possibly be born in May, so that baby was still too small to be hugged by a stranger.

— Rukia, do you want to hold the baby? — Orihime asked as she went with the maid to take the sleeping baby in her arms.

— Can I do it? — Rukia asked, who was excited to see her friend and her friend's baby. She never imagined that she would see Orihime with a baby.

Orihime nodded.

Rukia sat down in a chair that the maid pointed to and Orihime showed her how she should put her hands in order to better hold the baby. When Orihime put the baby in her arms, Rukia felt that the little baby weighed nothing, it was so tiny that she was afraid to hold it too tight and break it, although babies didn't break. The baby had almost the same skin tone as Orihime and black hair, the baby was asleep so the expression that the baby had at that moment seemed adorable.

— It's a boy. — Orihime commented with a smile.

When Rukia met Hisana's baby, that baby was almost the same age as Orihime's baby, only Hisana's baby didn't make a noise and Orihime's baby every time he moved one of his little hands made a little noise with his throat. Rukia was enthralled with that baby, and she was careful to hold him well just to be able to touch one of his chubby and soft cheeks; Rukia's cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

— His name is Kaito. That was the name of Ulquiorra's father.

— It's a pretty name. — Rukia commented before taking one of the baby's hands carefully. She knew the history of Ulquiorra and Nelliel's parents, and it seemed to her that this was a good name for this baby, although she hoped it would not have the same fate. Names within the Great Families used to be repeated from time to time, as if the name brought luck or prosperity to the bearers. — Nice to meet you, little Kaito.

The baby yawned and opened his eyes slowly, making little noises and moving his little hands up to his face as if he was cleaning something, and Rukia could see the green color in the baby's eyes. Rukia wanted to share that with Ichigo, and it was at that moment that she remembered him, starting to look for him until she found him sitting next to her. Ichigo just looked at her, with an expression that Rukia couldn't decipher, and she smiled as an apology for forgetting about him when she saw the baby.

The baby started to cry and Rukia panicked, but Orihime went over to her and took her baby, excused herself for a moment and left that small living room only to enter a room followed by the maid. Rukia and Ichigo were left alone in the living room, and it was then that she again felt guilty for having forgotten about Ichigo, although in her defense, the baby was prettier.

— I hope that's how you look when we have ours. — Ichigo commented making Rukia blush. — I just hope I don't have to compete with my kids for my wife's attention.

Rukia covered her face with her hands from how red she was, and Ichigo let out a small laugh at that, making Rukia redder. She knew that they couldn't have children yet, but Ichigo's words and having Orihime's baby in her arms made her feel that it would be nice to have them one day. Not right now, but someday.

Orihime came back after a moment, without the baby and the maid, and offered them something to drink while they talked about everything that had happened and why they were here. Rukia was careful not to mention anything that had to do with magic, the ring, or the traditions of the royal family of Vayalat, and the conversation went on in an amusing way.

They talked all afternoon, and when Ulquiorra returned he joined in the conversation for a moment before leaving with Ichigo to talk privately.

Orihime told Rukia that Sora, her older brother, had come to visit her and had a fight with Ulquiorra because he wanted Orihime and the baby to return to Eikaran.

— My brother has no children, so he wants mine to take the place as his heir. — Orihime commented playing with an empty teacup. — Ulquiorra wants and at the same time doesn't want to. He wants our son to be the heir, because he knows that a better life awaits him in Eikaran than here, but at the same time he doesn't want to because it means we have to separate. And I don't want to be separated from him.

— Someday you, Ulquiorra and Kaito will be able to return to the kingdom. I promise you, Orihime. — Rukia commented holding her friend's hand. — I don't know how I'll do it yet, but Ulquiorra will be forgiven and everyone can return to the kingdom.

Orihime smiled and squeezed Rukia's hand slowly, trusting her word.

— There is one thing I would like to ask you. — Orihime began to speak again and Rukia was afraid it was something delicate.

Ichigo and Ulquiorra joined them as Orihime was explaining to Rukia what she wanted, and it was Ichigo who agreed to her request. Rukia guessed that was something of how much he talked privately with Ulquiorra, and was touched that he didn't refuse; Rukia would have accepted anyway even though Ichigo didn't want to because Orihime is her friend and there was no possible way to deny that request.

They talked some more, agreed and set a date for it soon, and then said goodbye to Orihime and Ulquiorra; Rukia entered the room where the baby was and said goodbye to him caressing his chubby and soft cheeks again.

—

On the way back to the palace, Rukia hadn't stopped talking about Orihime's baby, how cute he was, how small he was, and everything to do with that baby. Ichigo knew that Rukia didn't want children, not at the moment, and that was something they shared because they both knew they were very young; furthermore, the queen would force Rukia to lose the pregnancy just so they wouldn't have their heads cut off.

Ichigo had seen Rukia cry twice for that reason, when she was scared thinking she was pregnant, and when she found out she wasn't. In both cases he had seen fear, despair and sadness in her, and that was something he didn't want Rukia to experience again. However, seeing her with a baby in her arms was perhaps the most beautiful image of her he could have had in a long time; seeing her smile and her eyes full of her emotion, made him imagine that future with her.

An eternity with his Eternity was beginning to seem like a short time.

Returning to the palace, a servant maid intercepted them at the entrance, while they were talking about what they would do for this little celebration with Ulquiorra and Orihime, asking Rukia to accompany her to have a little meeting with the princesses of the castle. Rukia hadn't met all the princesses in the castle, he had a large and numerous family, and many of them lived in other cities or in mansions during the summer where they could have a quiet moment.

Ichigo had three uncles who were older than his mother, all of whom were princes with the right to inherit the throne if their predecessor died, but the only crown prince was his uncle Kisuke. The reason Ichigo was loved so much in Vermist's palace was because he is the least of all the princes even though he wasn't in direct line to the throne. There would have to be a great tragedy for him to inherit the throne of Vayalat.

— Go, my Moon. I'll be waiting for you at the beach house. — Ichigo said goodbye giving her a kiss on the hand before letting Rukia go with the maid.

Rukia nodded although she was a little nervous. By that time everyone knew what had happened upon her arrival and her communication with the ring.

Ichigo suggested that they keep the matter of the ring hidden, because he didn't know how they would react when they found out that Rukia swallowed it when making a deal with the Original Mother, and Rukia agreed, adding that she would say that the ring was broken on that Shadow night.

Ichigo promised her that he would look for a similar stone to remake the ring so they wouldn't have any problems; he was a jeweler after all and could rebuild the ring even though it would no longer be magical.

He walked absentmindedly through the corridors of the palace, towards the beach house, when he felt a familiar aroma in the environment that alerted him. Ichigo stopped in his place and looked up, trying to find the origin of that scent because he knew who it belonged to and prayed silently that he was wrong about his own thoughts.

He didn't want to say her name, he just stood there and, when he concluded that maybe he had imagined it, he started walking again. He had only taken a couple of steps when something was thrown at him. Ichigo was alert at the time, so he caught what had been thrown at him in the air with his left hand; he didn't even have to unclench his fist to know what was in his hand, and just gave a silent curse for it.

Her laugh sounded in that corridor illuminated by the sunset, Ichigo looked for her and saw her there, standing at the end of the corridor, a few meters from him, dressed in those clothes that she had always worn and that inevitably gave her away as part of the royalty of Gardelia.

They both held each other's gaze for a moment as Ichigo unclenched his fist and dropped the white gardenia to the floor; he turned around and started walking in the opposite direction to get away from her. He didn't know why she was there and he didn't care to know, the only thing he wanted was not to see her again; he had made that clear when their relationship ended and with his last letter.

His relationship with Yoruichi hadn't ended well. He had been really a bad person with her, he had made her cry and had hurt her more than emotionally; he had comforted himself by saying that he was an immature child when that happened, but deep down he knew what the real reason was.

The war and the gift of war had consumed the good person he could have been, leaving only a facade that he had maintained very well since returning with the head of the King of Cikram in his hands.

The titles of manipulator, blackmailer, and liar, weren't just something said by people who had somehow met him before. He was all that, and perhaps more.

Rukia was the only one who had seen through that facade and the only one who knew all of his faces because he had shown them to her one way or another; she was seduced by the evil in him and she was the only one with whom he was really free.

Rukia wasn't a good person either; she was selfish, ambitious and liked power, and because of that they understood each other well. They were both the same and different at the same time; because deep down she would always try to do the right thing and he would only do what he had to do to get what he wanted, no matter if it was the right thing to do or not.

— Don't run away! — Yoruichi's voice sounded that usual claiming tone but Ichigo simply ignored her and continued on his way. — It's what you always do! If you go, I'll tell your wife we have a child, and we'll see if you can keep running!

Ichigo stopped when he heard those words, closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair trying to calm down. What Yoruichi had said didn't make sense because they couldn't have a child; there was no way for them to have a child. That was impossible, because they were both supposed to be aware that having a child was the last thing they could have.

— He looks like you, he has your hair. — He heard Yoruichi's voice again, this time behind him, just before feeling how one of her hands caressed him from the left shoulder, along the length of his arm, with the intention of holding his hand. — He will be three years old in August.

Ichigo let Yoruichi hold his hand only to move quickly and make her back rest against one of the pillars that were in that corridor, pressing Yoruichi's right wrist above her head. Yoruichi smiled seeing him like that, not even trying to force him to release her, just looking at him with satisfaction; she had a knack for pissing him off that anyone would envy.

— Oh! There you are! — Yoruichi whispered with a smile, trying to caress his face with her free hand, but Ichigo stopped her before she managed to touch him. — My dear Ichigo, this time you didn't run away.

They had both been lovers, and they both knew they would have been more than lovers if their relationship hadn't ended this way; but the "would have" does not exist and the affection he had felt for her had vanished with time.

— My dear Yoruichi. — Ichigo used Yoruichi's hand to caress her cheek. — For your own good, I hope what you said isn't true or you and I are going to have problems.

— Now I understand why you never answered my previous letters. It was because you never received them. — The tone of disappointment in Yoruichi's voice was noticeable, but neither of them moved from that too intimate and compromising position. — I wonder, who intercepted the letters? In Adelaar it was surely Queen Masaki, she knew it. Here I don't know who could intercept them, if you had received the letters everything would have been different.

Ichigo released her upon hearing that his mother knew about that child, and wondered if that was the reason Yoruichi's name had been suggested as a possible wife when the engagement with Rukia had broken off.

His mother and Yoruichi had a lot of explanations to give him, and he would start with Yoruichi; so he took her by the wrist again and made her walk with him until they entered through one of the doors in that corridor to a half empty room after making sure no one saw them.

Ichigo was really upset.

Yoruichi didn't resist; she was enjoying it like all those times she had pissed him off in the past only to end up in bed moments later with him between her legs. Ichigo made her sit on a chair and made sure the door was closed properly, then he walked over to her and grabbed her chin causing her to look up at him.

— Very well, my dear Yoruichi. — Ichigo stared into her eyes and spoke with that demanding anger that seeped into his voice. — Start telling me about our son, that I want to meet him.

Ichigo walked away from her after that sentence, leaving a spider shadow on Yoruichi's cheek, she let out a laugh and crossed her legs; the shadow spider moved from Yoruichi's cheek to shoulder and stayed there, small and dangerous and deadly.

The silence in that room, after that laugh, was heavy.

Ichigo leaned against the door, putting as much distance between them as possible, and waited silently for her to speak.

— The reason I insisted that we get married was because I was pregnant. — Yoruichi spoke without taking her eyes off him. Ichigo held back the sentence he intended to say at that moment and simply looked at her waiting for her to continue. — I wanted us to get married so that our son would be born in a blessed marriage and not be just another illegitimate child. I was going to tell you after we got married, but I think that was my mistake, not telling you before, because then your mother would not have forced me to lose our son and now we would be together, the three of us.

That was the great secret, the great reason for her to want to marry him, the reason for so many fights at the end of their relationship and the injuries he had caused Yoruichi for not being able to control magic back then.

Ichigo felt like laughing at that moment because of how ironic he found that situation, he ran a hand through his hair, took a deep breath and then smiled a little; again that smile appeared that was not friendly. Ichigo didn't even feel sorry for the loss of his son with Yoruichi, on the contrary, he only felt anger at her words. One son at the wrong time and they could all have ended up dead.

— What made you think that getting pregnant with my child would make me marry you, my dear Yoruichi? — Ichigo asked, this time walking towards her. Yoruichi stiffened in her seat seeing him smile like that and hearing that tone of voice. She perfectly remembered that smile and that tone of voice. — What made you think that telling me you were pregnant would change anything about your destiny?

— But you… you promised that we would get married. You said we would unite the kingdoms with our wedding! You said you loved me! — Yoruichi called out. Ichigo approached her, no longer angry or annoyed, but with that predatory look and that smile that he kept hidden and that scared Yoruichi, and took her by the chin so that she wouldn't stop looking at him. — You lied to me! All that time you lied to me!

Ichigo shook his head slowly, making a slight noise with his tongue, without letting go of Yoruichi's chin.

— I didn't lie to you. I was clear with you, I told you that when they named me crown prince we would get married. My dear Yoruichi, I never said I loved you, I said I felt something for you, but it was never love, even so we could have more but you had to spoil everything. — Ichigo released her and walked away from her taking the shadow spider with him. — I also told you that I couldn't, that I shouldn't have children. Did you think it was a lie? Did you think I was playing? The best thing that could happen to you, that could happen to us, was that you lost that child and returned to your kingdom.

— You! How dare you say that?! — Yoruichi got up from her seat, completely angry at Ichigo's words, the fear had vanished and only anger remained.

— I dare because it is the truth! Did you think I'd hide you somewhere? What would keep you and your child a secret? — Ichigo asked wryly. — Did you think I'd come for you and we'd be happy? By the Shadow, Yoruichi!

— It was your first child!

— My first child will be born to my wife! Do you understand? — Ichigo moved away from her a bit more. — Do you know what happens to princes who have children before their time? They are executed for treason, along with their children and the mother of their children. Is that what you wanted, my dear Yoruichi? Did you want us all to be killed?

Yoruichi looked at him with disbelief that later gave way to anger and resentment; she also smiled a smile that was not kind.

— Your wife? That silly girl you were forced to marry? — Yoruichi asked, making Ichigo angrier. — That silly girl you turned me down for?

— I forbid you to disrespect my wife! Also, I forbid you to get close to her! — Ichigo held up a finger in warning, and the magic moved like a mist over his skin unable to contain himself anymore. — This matter is between you and me.

— Or what? What will you do me! — Yoruichi approached Ichigo without taking her eyes off him, with a fury similar to the one he distilled. — Are you afraid that I will tell her what kind of person you are? Are you afraid that she will see the kind of man you are?

— The kind of man I am. — Ichigo said without taking his eyes off her before smiling with a slight touch of macabre humor. — Make up your mind once and for all, my dear Yoruichi because you're confusing me. Why are you telling me all this? What were you waiting for when you decided to tell me about our child? Did you want me to comfort you and cry with you for what could not be? That I would make you my lover? As I remember your last letter, you wanted my life to become hell, do you want to live that hell with me?

Yoruichi took him by the shirt and brought him closer to her without taking her eyes off those eyes that at that moment were looking at her as if she were just another stranger. Ichigo put his hands on his own back to avoid touching her because the magic was flowing through his skin and it was very likely that he would hurt her again; controlling himself was costing him more than he had imagined.

— That is what I want. We both know that we are destined to be together, I want to live that hell with you, that you realize that I'm the only woman for you. We both had a great time, we were able to be the king and queen of the greatest kingdom on this continent, we were able to…we can still have it all, Ichigo. — She tried to get closer to him to kiss him but Ichigo moved back avoiding that kiss. Yoruichi released him. — I told you about our son because you deserved to know.

— Well, now I know. Is that all you had to tell me? — Ichigo asked nonchalantly before making one last effort to keep the magic from getting out of control; he himself was digging his nails into the palm of his hand until he bled so as not to accidentally kill Yoruichi. — I'm sorry you went through what you went through, but that fate was inevitable. It's all you're going to get from me and I'll be clear with you one last time. What happened between us is past; it's over. Live your life and leave mine alone. You and I are not meant to be together, and for your own good, I hope you stop thinking about it; there is nothing in this world or outside of this that makes me feel something for you.

— It's all because of that girl, isn't it? She put a spell on you, didn't she?

— I warn you my dear Yoruichi, do not mess with my wife. You have no idea who you're messing with. — Ichigo warned before turning away from her to head for the door.

Yoruichi clenched her fists and saw Ichigo leave that room.

Special thanks to jobananasan and diah77. Thanks also to those who follow this story.

Author's note: I wrote this chapter like three times, and this is the mildest of the three versions. I can only tell you not to trust Yoruichi.

The way of referring in the Vayalat family is "dear x". Between families is in an affectionate way, Ichigo uses it with Yoruichi as if it were an insult or sarcasm. That was also the tone he used when he replied to her letter. Ichigo really was a bad person to Yoruichi when they broke up and that's all I'll say about that relationship.

See you on Friday.