Chapter 15
-Later that afternoon around 4 o'clock-
Myssa returned an armful of books to the library. She found a happy Keiko hard at work with papers all over the desk. Myssa smiled at her, "Hi, Keiko! You look busy."
Keiko smiled too. "I am." She shuffled a few papers. "There is so much to do! I think I may be in over my head." She lost control of a fistful of papers and they scattered all over the floor.
Myssa helped Keiko retrieve the papers. She stopped when the content caught her eye. "These – look like – wedding plans."
Keiko beamed. "They are!"
Myssa felt sick, like someone had just kicked her in the stomach. She put the papers on the desk. "Congratulations, Keiko. I'm sure you and Byakuya will be very happy." She practically ran from the room before Keiko could correct her. Two steps into the hallway, she broke into shunpo.
Byakuya was in a captain's meeting. It wasn't until he got home that Keiko told him what had happened in the library. He knew there were only two places Myssa would run to – Shunsui's house or Ugendo.
Myssa had run straight to Shunsui's house. He was also in the captain's meeting. Nanao let her in and tried to calm her down. Myssa had known that Byakuya's marriage to someone would come, but it didn't stop her heart from breaking.
Nanao gave her some sake to try to settle her – big mistake. By the time Shunsui got home, Myssa had effectively emptied two bottles and was sloppy drunk. It took some time, but between the slurred speech and the crying, he finally got that Byakuya was going to marry someone named Gecko or maybe Kiku. Myssa was heartbroken and Shunsui didn't quite know what to do.
Not very long after Myssa staggered out into the garden, Byakuya arrived with Tamor. Tamor didn't wait for the door to open, he flew over the garden wall to look for Myssa. Nanao let Byakuya in and then went to get Shunsui.
"Where is Myssa?" Byakuya asked as Shunsui walked in from the outside.
"Roaring drunk and crying her eyes out in the garden."
Byakuya's eyes widened, "Drunk?! But, she does not drink."
"I know. She killed two bottles of sake before I got home."
"I need to speak with her." He took a step toward the open doors to the garden.
Shunsui moved to block him. "Trust me, you don't want to see her like this. It's really bad." He showed Byakuya a bite mark on his wrist. "I tried to take the sake away from her and she bit me! She's found out that you're marrying Lady Gecko, imagine what she'll do to you."
"Her name is Keiko and I am not marrying her."
"Myssa said she saw her working on wedding plans."
"Yes, she is making plans to marry a nobleman of a different clan."
"So, you haven't chosen a bride then?"
"I have chosen someone to court with that intent," Byakuya looked to the open doors, "and she is the drunk, emotional mess in your garden."
Shunsui laughed, "Well, congratulations, Byakuya!"
"I had planned to speak with her after dinner tonight and declare my intentions. Then, this happened."
"I can set her straight once she sobers up." Shunsui offered.
"No. She needs to hear everything from me."
Myssa staggered into the room with Tamor hovering close. She was using the wall for support. "Ugh – I feel so sick…"
Shunsui was a blur of motion, "Not on my floors, young lady!" He scooped her up and used shunpo to get her into the bathroom.
Byakuya followed. Myssa was on her knees, retching into the toilet while Shunsui held her hair back. "That's it, petal, better out than in."
She sat back against the vanity, "Just kill me now." She saw Byakuya standing in the doorway. "Never mind, I'll just die of embarrassment."
Byakuya crossed his arms over his chest. "Threw quite the pity party for yourself, I see."
Her eyes flashed, "It's all your fault!" She dragged herself up the vanity. Her eyes changed color from deep, mossy green to bright, electric, emerald. "No way in Hell will I be your damned mistress, you hear me?!"
Byakuya reacted instantly, "I would never treat you so dishonorably! Never!"
Seeing her eyes change colors, Shunsui grabbed her arm, "OK, time for a shower, snarky pants."
"Not now. I'm gonna knock his teeth out!" Her teeth were bared. Her eyes were green fire. But, her legs wouldn't obey and she staggered against Shunsui.
"Riiiiiight." He steered her toward the shower, "Behave or I'll spank you like the brat you're being." He turned on the cold water and shoved her in, clothes and all. She sputtered and foul language filled the room, echoing off the tile. Most of it was aimed at Byakuya.
Byakuya looked unsettled. "Why did her eyes change color like that?"
"Dragonrage. If she had reached the final stage, she would have been a danger to both of us. The only thing that will snap her out of it is cold." Shunsui's arm jerked a bit as he kept his grip on Myssa who was trying to get out of the cold water.
"You have seen her like this before?"
"Never. But, she told Jushiro and me what to do if we ever saw her dragonrage take over." Shunsui shifted to turn off the water. Myssa was sitting on the floor of the shower, shivering, teeth chattering. He looked over his should at Byakuya. "I'll take care of Princess Potty-mouth tonight."
Byakuya gave him a nod, "Thank you, Shunsui, I'll come for her in the morning."
-The Next Morning-
Myssa woke up dressed in a white, silk kimono and laying across Shunsui's wide chest. Her head hurt horribly, the morning sun was stabbing into her eyes. Her mouth felt like it was lined with wool. Tamor was laying close by, snoring softly. Feeling her stir, Shunsui opened his eyes and watched her sit up next to him, her fingers combing absently through her tangled hair. "What happened?" She croaked.
Shunsui looked hurt, "You mean our magical night of passion has been forgotten?! You wound me, Myssa."
She tried for an exasperated look, but her bleary eyes made it impossible. "Very funny, Shunsui!" She grabbed her head, "Ugh! My head…"
"Serves you right," he huffed, "you were a mean drunk. You bit me!"
She put her hand on his wrist where her teeth marks were fading. "I'm so sorry, Shunsui."
"You're forgiven." He sat up. "I'll whip you up some of my secret hangover remedy. You'll feel much better by the time Byakuya comes to get you."
The previous night's events came rushing back: the sake, the puking, Byakuya, the dragonrage, the shower. She rubbed her hands over her face, "Ugh – Byakuya. How can I face him after all that ugliness last night?"
He got up and slipped on his kimono, "Have a little faith, he might surprise you."
"Yeah, with the speed at which I'm removed from his home." She looked around. "Where are my clothes?"
"The drying machine is broken. I hung them outside to dry." He headed for the door.
She went out to get her clothes as Shunsui went to the kitchen. Her clothes were dry so she stripped off the robe and got dressed in the cool morning air. Her mind kept churning over and over. She had almost succumbed to dragonrage again. The alcohol had destroyed her ability to reign in her anger. When she thought of what could have happened her old fears came sneaking back to nip at her mind.
She had just finished getting dressed when a glowing, silver gate opened in the sky above her. Four massive dragons, black, brown, dark blue, and red, descended at blinding speed. Tamor felt them first and erupted from the bedroom, "Princess!"
His warning was too late. The largest dragon, the red one with the gold chest, blasted Myssa with a burst of power that knocked her to the ground and pinned her. Tamor morphed to battle size and launched himself at the red dragon heading straight for Myssa. The other three attacked. Tamor never had a chance. He hit the ground so hard, he was unconscious for a few moments.
Shunsui and Nanao ran out of the house just in time to see the four dragons flying back through the gate. The big red one had Myssa hanging limp in his claws. Nanao fired off a blast of kido, but the gate closed a split second later and the beams fired into the sky to disappear. The dragons had escaped. Myssa was gone.
"Nanao, go get Captain Kuchiki." Shunsui said and she was gone in a blur of shunpo. He went to check on Tamor. "Tam, you all right?"
Tamor was picking himself up, "I'm fine. They did nothing more than knock me down."
"Any idea who took Myssa?"
"It was her Xander Starjax, her uncle."
Less than ten minutes later, Byakuya was standing in Shunsui's living room. On the surface, the news of Myssa's abduction didn't seem to fluster the ever-calm Byakuya. However, the hard edge to his voice spoke volumes of the fury raging beneath that placid surface.
"Tam, why would her uncle abduct her?" Shunsui asked.
"Xander has been trying for years to seize the realm throne. I suspect he has taken the princess as leverage against the king. Most likely he will use her to try to draw the king into a trap. All of the realm knows how much Xanthan treasures his daughter."
"Would Xander hurt her?" Byakuya was clearly worried.
"No, I don't believe he would. At least not until he gets Xanthan drawn into the open. If Xander were to gain the upper hand, he wouldn't hesitate to kill Myssa in front of her father."
Byakuya's eyes pinned Shunsui. "We need to go after her now."
"Officially I can't send anyone to rescue her."
"She is still a princess of the Royal Realm. All of the Court Guard are sworn to protect the royal family as well as the Soul Society." Anger was leaking into Byakuya's tone.
Shunsui looked frustrated. "Byakuya, she is in exile. When Xanthan took Myssa 57 years ago he made a deal with the Soul King. Myssa would get her freedom but she had to forfeit her title. On the rare occasion that she visits the Royal Realm, she is considered dangerous. Four royal guards escort her at all times from the moment she arrives to the moment she leaves. They have only one order: if she uses her birthrights for any reason, they are to kill her on the spot."
Byakuya's eyes widened. "Her mother fears her that much?"
Shunsui nodded. "She does. Marisheken is a cruel, vicious woman, but she is the Soul Queen. If I send anyone after Myssa she will see it as treason."
"Then I will volunteer." Byakuya was mentally scrambling for any way to get to Myssa and bring her back. "I will go alone, not as a member of the Court Guard. I will take some personal time."
Shunsui sighed. "I had a feeling you'd say something along those lines." He paused a moment. "I will grant you a leave of absence. What you do on your own time is your business. However, you won't be able to use a senkaimon to cross to Dragon Realm, it would be logged. You'll need to cross through a gate with the help of a dragon." He looked at Tamor.
"I will go to inform the king of what has happened." He bowed to Byakuya. "I will tell him of your desire to go after Myssa. For now, return to your home. I will return as soon as I can." He flew into the garden then into the sky. He summoned a gate to Dragon Realm then disappeared through it.
Shunsui sent messages to Jushiro, Rukia, and Renji about Myssa's abduction. By the time Byakuya got home, Rukia and Renji were waiting for him outside of Myssa's room. He seemed surprised to see them, "What are you two doing here?"
"The head captain sent us a message." Rukia replied. "We have been granted a leave of absence. We are going with you."
Byakuya closed his eyes, bowed his head slightly, "I appreciate the offer, but…"
Renji cut him off, "Don't even think about telling us to stay here. Myssa has been our friend for a long time. We will not stand by and do nothing."
"As you wish." Byakuya said then walked into Myssa's room. He could still smell her scent lingering in the room. He felt her loss, sharp and tight in his chest. Something on the desk drew his attention. He picked up a drawing of himself in amazing life-like detail. His eyes widened a bit, a sad smile tugged at his lips. She wasn't even there and she was still surprising him.
Rukia spoke from the doorway, "She drew that while you were away at the Fujiama trial." She paused. "Are you aware that she's in love with you?"
"I am aware."
She let a little gasp slip. "Do – do you…?"
He looked up at her, "Rukia, it would be wrong to confess my feelings to anyone without having expressed them to Myssa first."
She dropped her head to hide a smile, "I understand."
He looked back at the drawing in his hand once more before placing it back on the desk. "I keep thinking that if she had been here I could have stopped them."
"There were four dragons, brother, even Tamor was no match for them. She still would have been taken."
He slammed his fist on the desk. Rukia jumped. His voice was seething, "She has been through enough in her life. Now she is being used a pawn to further a traitor's ambition!"
Rukia moved forward, reached for him, "Brother…"
"Please go. I need a few moments alone."
She had never seen Byakuya like this. She left the room.
-An Hour Later-
Tamor returned with orders to bring Byakuya and anyone else who wanted to help to Dragon Realm. Myssa's brothers Rygar, Maycen, and Jaycen came to transport the soul reapers. They were all very friendly and seemingly unaffected by their sister's abduction.
Rukia had taken one look at Myssa's brothers and nearly started drooling. To say they were handsome would be an understatement. They were powerfully built with the beautiful Starjax features that made heads turn. They were a mix of dark hair colors and greenish-blue eyes.
Watching the brothers shift from human to dragon form was a sight to behold. Rygar's scales were a sleek, dark, gunmetal gray with lighter gray scales over his chest. Maycen and Jaycen were an unusual mix of colors ranging from gold to purple with gold scales over their chests. Their scales shifted in a beautiful iridescent sheen when they moved that had a hypnotic effect on anyone that looked at them.
The passage to Dragon Realm took about ten minutes. Traveling through the ether was vastly different that using a senkaimon. Byakuya, Rukia, and Renji were riding the dragons, nestled safely between their wings. The power of the dragons kept them safe from the creatures that lurked in the ether. They caught sight of them often, creatures that looked like snakes with the head of a dragon and the tail of a fish. Rygar called them wyrlinga and said that they lived in the space between realms. They swam through the ether with eyes that were predatory, hungry.
