Chapter 7
"'Ey Cap'n, please stop sulking 'round", Yuzu the kitchen chef sighed.
"I am not sulking around", Toshiro replied indignantly.
"Then why d'ye still stare at the poster announcement of the Princess with a sulky face?"
Toshiro laid down the poster on the counter with a sigh.
"Ye know, all the mates knew ye had a thing going for the lady. Yer were pretty dense Cap'n."
"Stop bothering me with that."
"Even yer language has regressed back to that time."
"Is that so? Oh right, you came here with your sister when the old captain was around for a visit, was it?"
"Ye were still talking all proper at the time."
Toshiro gave a dry laugh as he remembered. A brief period of silence descended between them.
"Why didn't ye do it Cap'n?", Yuzu finally asked.
"Do what?", Toshiro replied lazily.
"Go back to be a Prince."
Toshiro sighed again.
"You and the crew know well enough why I said no that night. I saw you all hiding underneath and listening into our conversation."
Yuzu flinched at being discovered.
"Ahaha", she shrugged the accusation off, "The Captain found out, I see. Cap'n, ye thought she was a normal girl hired by the royals, didn't ye?"
"…"
"If ye had then ye might've considered it, right? But ye wouldn't abandon the crew so easily, would ye? An' that's the troubles."
"…"
"Oh come on Cap'n. Don't be such a dickhead and jus go after her. You've got Shuhei and Uryuu 'ere don't ye? We'd already made our minds up long ago – had a feeling the day would come you'd be discovered. Man up, will ya."
Toshiro frowned but broke into a smile.
"Such a sly bunch."
"Ehehe", Yuzu shyly giggled.
Toshiro stood up and went for the door.
"I'm gatherin the crew, so ye better get up there as well Yuzu."
"Aye Cap'n!"
"Oh and that wasn't a compliment."
"Hey!", Yuzu said in protest as her captain disappeared behind the corner.
Everyone had gathered on deck for the announcement of the captain.
"Morrow mates, I've got something to say. I'm steppin down as captain today an' going after someone. There's something I needs to do. I know this is all sudden but I know as well that yous can take care o' yer own."
"Took ye long enough Cap'n!", someone shouted out and everyone laughed.
At that, Toshiro smiled.
"T-t-the C-captain smiled!"
"Shiver me timbers! Me thinks saw something incredible!"
Toshiro grew irritated at the nonsense responses the crew was giving and yelled while stomping his foot:
"Hold yer tongues! What nonsense are ye all spouting like brainless monkeys?!"
The whole group went still. None of them wished to anger the youth who had bested their old captain with his swordsmanship a year after his arrival from an enemy ship. The old captain had the best swordsmanship on board. He didn't look like it but Toshiro's strength was only second to Chad who had the greatest strength from the crew.
"Captain, take this with ye, you'll need it!", Uryuu shouted and threw up a small bag to Toshiro, "I made sure not to touch it. I dun want t' end up with a curse myself."
Toshiro caught the bag with a swing of the hand took a peek inside.
"Thanks mate. I better get going so it'd be great if yer could drop me off on land."
"Heading towards it already Cap'n!", Shuhei shouted out from the cabin where he stood.
"I am captain no more", Toshiro shook his head with a grin.
#####
The sound of birds' wings flapping around and their lovely chirping could be heard everywhere in the capital, even in the palace. These sounds entered the ears of a young lady from the royal household as she sat at the open window and stared at the palace gates. She was dressed in fine red cloth tailored into a dress fitting her figure. The soft smell of flowers emanated from her. A soft sigh escaped her lips as her gaze wandered over the city.
From the tower, where she was positioned, her eyes travelled along the whole city with a stair-like build. The lowest was the largest area, surrounded by a ring of water and one big wall. Then on higher ground was where the middle area resided, surrounded again by a ring of water and wall. The highest ground was the where the palace was situated. Water and concrete encircled the castle. The other areas had several big and small gates to let people through, but the palace area had only two: the main and the back gate. The one the young lady's gaze ended at was the front one, the main gate.
This young woman was going to become the crown princess after a ceremony the next day. Her name was Momo Hinamori Tobiume. She was the daughter of General Tobiume. However, she was also the daughter of Lady Hinamori Tobiume, first degree cousin to the current king.
[What are you doing Momo? You didn't even hear him out when he tried to talk and now you're expecting him to still show up?]
Momo grumbled in her mind and didn't notice the woman coming up behind her.
"Momo dear, what's wrong?"
Momo turned around.
"Mother…"
"What is it my child?"
Lady Tobiume sat down beside her daughter.
"Mother", Momo began, "What would you do if you had finally found the one of your life but he didn't reciprocate your feelings?"
Looking at the crestfallen figure of her daughter, Lady Tobiume pulled her to her chest and stroked her hair.
"Did he actually say that he didn't love you?"
Momo backed away from her mother in a fluster.
"I wasn't talking about myself. I was just talking hypothetically…"
Momo trailed off when she saw the look in her mother's eyes and leaned against her again.
"No", she answered, "He didn't say anything like that. He – I-I never gave him the chance to after his horrible blunder."
"What did he do wrong, dear?"
"He actually didn't recognize me – he didn't remember until I told him face-to-face who I was."
"Was Toshiro being a bad boy again?"
"…No he wasn't… But how do you know mother?"
"Naturally my cousin and I had a nice long chat after your departure and return. I know what's going on, Sweetie. Your trying to hide that your pirate captain isn't the Prince won't change much. Since you decided to finish what you started."
"I'm glad mother, but I still wish that I could see him one more time."
#####
The ceremony for giving Momo the Crown Princess title was a grand one with many high ranking officials as well as various noble houses attending. All Momo had to do was walk up to the front and kneel down in front of the throne. She would be presented with the tiara signifying her position and pronounced crown princess by the king. That was it.
Momo took a deep breath soon she would be called in or rather her entry would be announced. She took a deep breath again and took a step forward.
[Let's do this.]
Same time at the castle gates a young man walked up to the guards standing there, a smirk on his face.
Momo knelt down in one elegant motion while keeping her posture straight. It felt as if she was floating down. The king stood up and walked forward. Standing near the princess was the high minister holding the tiara on a small purple pillow lined with gold. A guard came up to the minister's side and whispered into his ear. Once the king arrived at the minister's side, the minister forwarded the message he received. The king nodded and frowned somewhat.
Momo vaguely saw it from the corner of her eyes. She barely heard the king say 'let him in'.
"Rise Princess Momo."
[What's going on?]
Momo stood up without question and waited for further instruction.
[What did the minister tell him?]
She heard the doors behind open and saw the king and minister stare intently at the entrance. Momo curiously turned around. Her eyes widened.
"Shiro?"
The person who entered had white hair gelled back and turquoise eyes. He had a dark blue triangular hat on his head and was dressed in a navy blue pants and coat with white and silver linings. A slight frown was on his face as if somewhat moody from something recent. As this person's eyes met the eyes of the princess, the expression smoothed over. A small smirk crept up his lips. He marched forward without regard for anyone and stopped a meter away from the princess. He took off his hat and gave a deep bow. He kept the hat to his chest.
"Your Majesty, if I may introduce myself. I am Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya but that is just my current name. My former name is Toshiro Hitsugaya Hyorinmaru."
The announcement shocked the whole crowd inside the hall. Even Momo herself couldn't believe what she was hearing.
[What is he doing?]
King Ukitake didn't know what to do. The young man in front of him claimed to be the late king's, his brother's son. He could definitely see the similarity, but couldn't just take his word for granted in front of the whole country's representatives.
"What do you base your claim on?"
"Oh that", Toshiro said unconcernedly and took the small bag hanging on his belt.
He opened it and pulled something out. Sounds of breath sucking in and cries of 'oh', 'eh' and 'ah's could be heard when they saw the object the young man pulled out.
"The Grand Crimson Lotus…", King Ukitake was speechless.
He had a feeling that the boy would have something up his sleeve to boldly stride into the throne hall like that but to expect the lost crown was something entirely out of his mind.
"Upon the Grand Crimson Lotus rests a curse that will endanger anyone is not of royal descent and touches it with bare hands. It is a confirmed curse that has been handed down in the royal family. If you are able to touch it so easily without gloves you must be my real nephew", a smile spread on the king's face.
"Long time no see uncle", Toshiro casually greeted.
"What are you here for, Toshiro? It is very obvious that you did not want to inherit the crown when Momo came back alone."
"I just had some business with our dear Princess here", Toshiro grinned at Momo.
"Your Majesty, if I may speak with the Prince?", Momo turned to the king.
"Yes."
"Why did you come, Shiro?", Momo raised an eyebrow at her childhood friend.
"I couldn't simply leave our conversation unfinished without you hearing me out."
"Is that all?"
"Just hear me out, will you?"
Momo nodded. Toshiro glanced at his uncle who understood. He let the hall get cleared out with the excuse of 'due to unexpected circumstances, the ceremony has been suspended until further notice'.
Left in the throne room were Toshiro and Momo.
"Now talk", Momo demanded.
"Alright, alright. I'll get to it", Toshiro sighed.
He gave a deep bow.
"I'm sorry for everything", he said and stood straight again.
"Is that it?", Momo's cross voice pierced him.
Toshiro shook his head.
"I'm sorry for not noticing that you were actually Hina. It did surprise me that you used that name during the masquerade infiltration. I should've noticed with all the hints you gave me. I… I want you to know why I said no at that time."
"I know already. You didn't want to leave your family behind, right?"
"It wasn't only that."
Toshiro's eyes averted from Momo's before continuing. He started fidgeting.
"I actually thought –since I didn't know yet that you were Hina– I thought that you were just a knowledgeable girl hired by the king to search me out. So when you told me to return, I thought that if I became king, we couldn't be together and so I said that all that when you asked me and when I found out who you were, I tried to talk to you again but you wouldn't listen and when you left I didn't know what to do, but Yuzu told me to 'man up', so I followed you here and now I–"
Toshiro saw Momo's impatient face and flinched.
"I wanted to say I love you."
Momo sighed in exasperation.
"Took you long enough. What's with that way of talking until you're out of breath? I thought you might suffocate before you even got to the point."
Momo swung her arms around Toshiro's neck and leaned against him. She gave him a bright smile and inched closer to his face. Toshiro wrapped his arms around her waist and smiled while leaning down to her.
"I love you too", she whispered.
Nearby King Ukitake and High Minister Kyoraku peered out of a small gap made by the open door near the couple in the throne hall. They could see the Toshiro and Momo passionately kissing while creating their own little world around them. King Ukitake and Minister Kyoraku turned away from the opening with a grin.
"And so the story ends happily ever after."
"What are you talking about Kyoraku? If those two want to marry, then Toshiro must become the crown prince and not Momo. A princess can't marry a pirate captain. That only happens in a fairytale."
"Nah, they'll probably figure something out, Ukitake."
"You're as lazy as ever, even though you're supposed to figure that kind of stuff out."
"I think I'll retire once Toshiro becomes king and Momo the high minister. I think that she's got the right personality for that. She is dutiful, faithful and loyal. She will make a good wife."
"What are you saying Kyoraku? Of course she will be a good wife to Toshiro."
"Why are you two planning are future without discussing it with us?", came an icy voice from behind the two men.
The two men turned to find Toshiro glaring at them with Momo in tow.
"Ahaha", Kyoraku answered, "Want some wine inst–?"
King Ukitake clamped his hand over his idiotic friend's mouth and forcefully kept the hand down that was trying to grab the wine bottle nearby.
"We'll go our way now and leave you two alone", he quickly covered up and pulled the minister away with him.
"Uncle should really get rid of the minister already. The story about how he's making his secretary do all the work has spread even to the pirate world", Toshiro shook his head in displeasure.
"Don't be like that Shiro", Momo soothed him, "Though the idea that High Minister Kyoraku had was not bad. I was given the Princess title after they couldn't find you in case they needed to make me Crown Princess. Otherwise I'm just the daughter of General Tobiume with a bloodline connection to the royal family."
"What were you doing before you set out to find me?"
"Me? I was a knight."
"A knight? How could you do something so dangerous?"
"I've done more dangerous things than that in my childhood", Momo responded in a deadpan tone.
"Oh right", Toshiro remembered.
"So what's your decision?"
Toshiro replied with a grin:
"Let's go along with what Minister Kyoraku suggested. Even his ideas are not bad sometimes."
A/N: I hope that you at least somewhat liked it. Feel free to give any thoughts you like. This is originally the end of the story but there is an epilogue.