A/N: Thanks for waiting patiently for this update, which I wasn't sure was actually going to happen. And an extra thanks to those who reviewed the first two chapters (without which a continuation would NOT have happened!). As I said before updates for this story will be slow, so another probably won't come until the new year, as I have other projects I am working on. Thanks again for your patience and supportive or constructive comments. Have a nice day.

ALSO: I feel the summary I put for this story... well... sucks. Any suggestions would be welcome.


Rukia stared up at the high ceilings, by far the tallest she'd ever seen. Although they made the room bright and airy there was an unmistakable draft and every noise produced a bothersome echo. Perhaps this grand hall should have given her a sense of awe or amazement, but all she could feel about it was resent for the extravagance of the upper class and a vague sense of displacement that made her either want to be outside where the sky truly was high up or back in one of her old shacks where, though the ceiling would only often be a foot or two above her head, at least she knew where she was.

A stark contrast to the loud echoing of her footsteps, her journey here had been largely silent. Her rescuer seemed shocked upon first meeting her but then issued a few brief commands to some subordinates and went off on his own. His vassals seemed surprised as well, although some attempted slight degrees of geniality towards her. Rukia didn't want their services or protection or food or the scratchy blankets they offered her, she just wanted to leave. When that first vassal had instructed her to follow him, her heart sank. Even though her tongue felt dwindled from misuse she could not idly stand by.

"While I am grateful," her voice scratched and she cleared her throat.

"I'm very grateful to your lord for my rescue," she tried again, "but I don't wish to burden him any further. I can make my own way, uh, by your leave..."

Rukia stumbled over her words. She wasn't a simpleton but she had no experience whatsoever attempting to speak to or even about royalty. And polite speech wasn't exactly her forte.

"I'm sorry lady, the lord hasn't given leave. In fact he asks that you stay as our guest."

Rukia cast a hard sidelong glance to the fields and wondered if she could just run and vanish there. Then again, if they rode after her with horses at night there was a good chance she may be trampled in the high grass. In any case, she had the feeling this invitation was more of an order any way.

"I thank you, but-"

"Lady, I wouldn't," a serious eyed older man said. "Our lord is a generous one but he's not very tolerant." The two men exchanged a look that Rukia was fairly sure she understood.

"Well, uh..." She was struggling. That field wasn't starting to look so bad after all.

"Come now lass, no harm will come to you," the younger of the men attempted to smile. She was sure it was an unconscious movement, but his hand hovered near the sheath of his sword as he extended the invitation to her again. She sighed as she realized she'd been passed from the hands of one armed man to another. And escape was equally impossible here as she dared not disobey a noble who had just rescued her.

During their journey (once again, she was unsure of where she was going) the men became less and less comfortable addressing her. She experienced a decrease of talk to her face and an increase of hushed murmuring whenever she passed a group. Luckily, she'd become used to solitude and at the very least being away from the slave caravan had ignited a small spark of life back into her. Several nights she attempted to run away but each time her plans were foiled by night guards out patrolling. She wondered just how many men the lord was making stay awake to keep intruders out- or herself in. She continued her attempts any way until one night the guard dragged her aside. She struck at him hard, as she originally thought there might be some menacing intent on his part, but he simply rubbed his head and grabbed her arm gently. When he told her desperately to stop trying to run away or the lord would get angry, she saw fear in his eyes. And she believed him.

She begrudgingly stopped her escape attempts. She told herself logically that she was probably being paraded to some noble to show as proof of rescue from the caravan. Or maybe she was being brought so they could regale what a pitiful tale it was. Perhaps the lord just wanted accolades; for her to publicly bow down and thank him for saving her from a life of terrible slavery. If it was only a short time that she'd have to play the fool and then she could be released, then so be it; she would go along.

She was surprised when, a few days later, she saw a gleaming frosty gray castle in the distance waving a banner with the symbol for 10 on it. She was slightly confused but none of the rest of the men seemed to be. Weren't they taking her to their home? They all wore the symbol for six. Wasn't she to be paraded through the streets as people exclaimed how noble and magnanimous their lord was, saving a wretch like herself?

But no, they arrived at the drawbridge and stopped at the lowered portcullis. The guards at the gate bowed to the black haired man- Byakuya Kuchiki she'd finally been able to learn- and in a moment a messenger ran from the gate deep into the town until she could no longer see him through the bars. They were admitted in and many of the lucky men went off to shop, however she continued to be escorted along with the lord all the way up to the steps of the castle. The guards eyed them cautiously as lord Kuchiki ascended the stairs in a fluid and confident movement. Rukia was just the opposite, she was unsure and afraid and practically herded up the stairs by his remaining men.

Inside the castle- the entry way of which she wasn't even in long enough to gawk at- Lord Kuchiki spoke a few words to a few different people and she was suddenly whisked away by several women. She attempted to talk to them and when that failed she found herself dragged into a steaming room with several basins and scraps of cloth and a sponge or two. When they suddenly tried to undress her, she started to fight tooth and nail. "Such a feisty child!" they exclaimed, and, "Oh quiet down, we don't like it any more than you do!" She suffered the humiliation of being scrubbed clean by others despite the fact that she kept insisting she could bathe herself only because if she did escape, she had no idea where she'd run to with no clothes. Finally, towards the end, a rather fine looking gown was brought in. Rukia thought it looked a bit too big for her, not to mention too costly.

"Here child, put this on."

Rukia scrambled away from the women rubbing her with towels and faced them with crossed arms, a stern look, and a stamp of her wet foot which resounded like a slap throughout the busy room.

"I'm not putting on a single thing until someone tells me what's going on!"

"But you must!"

"Yes, we're to bring you to court!"

"Why?" Rukia demanded.

The women only looked at each other.

"Tell me, or you'll be presenting me naked," she sneered.

A short haired blond girl with a lovely dress embroidered with the symbol for 13 stepped forward gently and clasped her hands in front of her.

"The truth, my lady, is that we don't know anything either. Your coming was hasty and we were only just told we must get you ready for court as soon as possible."

Rukia eyed the woman cautiously and shifted her position slightly.

"This isn't your home, is it? How would an outsider know anything of the matter?"

The girl only smiled knowingly instead of taking offense. "My name is Kiyoune. My lord is visiting to learn the customs of judgement. He used to be a great warrior- I mean, he still is, of course- but unfortunately his health has taken a turn for the worse."

"Judgement?" Rukia's eyes widened.

"You've nothing to worry about, my lord is very kind."

"But judgement of what sort?"

The girl's face fell when she couldn't answer.

"And we're in the 10th Lord's House, aren't we? What of him? What about his temperament?"

The girl's face fell further and she averted her gaze.

"He is very wise and fair..."

Rukia scoffed. Fair. How was it fair to free her from a slave caravan only to bring her here to face completely unknown- what, charges?

Rukia sighed and nodded at the girl, turning and attempting to plan out how she would get dressed quickly in that many layers. She didn't think she'd ever worn so much clothing in her whole life, and when they brought out a lace-up corset her eyes bugged and she backed away.

"Oh, leave her be," Kiyoune said to the women attempting to corner her, "Can't you see the dress is already too big any way?"

To Rukia's relief she was spared the corset and the ladies finished their work of dressing her relatively quickly. She'd been ushered through door after door until she reached the grand hall where she now stood.

She blinked and tried not to jump as a fanfare was suddenly played. An obviously perturbed white haired boy waved off the musicians angrily as he stalked up to a throne. He was followed by an elegant looking man with longer white hair who actually bothered to acknowledge the guests as he entered the room.

"Lord Kuchiki," the angry one said, "Your presence here is certainly an honor but the issue which you've brought before me-"

"Actually, technically, I'll be making the ruling on this one," the taller man said merrily.

"Lord Hitsugaya. Lord Ukitake."

Rukia froze at the voice that came from behind her.

"I'm bringing this matter to you simply as a formality, you understand. So that you may inform the high magistrates of my doings."

Lord Hitsugaya leaned forward in his throne and fumed. "Excuse me but the royal family has entrusted me with the decisions that can't be brought before them. Do you dare-"

"Now now," Lord Ukitake held his hands up, attempting to calm the two, "we heard your request earlier and we've thought it over, haven't we? I, at least, am prepared to make a fair decision."

Rukia felt increasing fear as the men spoke. Was she the cause of this much tension? And if so, why? Of course she had committed more than her share of petty crimes to get by, but she didn't see how those could have been traced back to her. And besides, since when was petty thievery a matter for the royal courts?

"Normally I'd say no to this absurd business," Hitsugaya growled.

"However," Ukitake rushed before tempers could flare again, "given the pre-existing circumstances I think it's just fine, don't you?" He smiled at the boy next to him who stared back rather flatly with a slight scowl.

"Being that she's related to Lady Hisana, we're going to allow you to bring her into your household."

Rukia felt her heart stop. Bring her into his household? Related? To who? She had no relatives, at least not as far as she knew.

People continued to talk and move around her; she heard none of it. The only thing she heard was Lord Kuchiki's simple command as he turned on his heel to go. "Come."

But I don't want to she attempted to say. No words would come out. Say it. Say something, you must!

"My lord..." she tried.

"You're dismissed," Hitsugaya said leaning back in his throne and massaging his temples.

"Farewell Lady Kuchiki," Ukitake said raising a hand towards her.

"I don't want-"

"Come," Lord Kuchiki said again, this time from the doorway. She knew there would not be a third command. His voice was large and oppressing. It was, she knew, the sound of a cell door closing her in.