I don't own BLEACH. I don't own anything close to that. Although I do own the Shihouin Siblings... and Zenai... Although Zenai's name was helped being made by my VERY good friend Stephy (UraharaSteph) and she owns part of it. I own the other part... Anyways. Enjoy! (Yes, that means no summary this time... I'm too lazy.)
Slam.
A few heads looked up as a certain purple haired noble rushed through the halls.
Slam.
Door after door was slammed open as if it were anything but expensive cherry wood.
Slam.
Servants rushed after the captain as she furiously hurried through the halls of her home.
Slam.
The entrance to her father's office was thrown open, and Tale stood in the doorway, huffing and puffing as her golden eyes stared with fury at the man how looked up with barely even a glance at her.
"How could you?!" She screamed at him and stomped forward. Her fists were clenched together at her side, knuckles turning white with everyone passing second. "How dare you arrange a marriage for me?! I am a human being, a can pick my own spouse! I shall not marry the pig of a man even if I must break away from the family to do so! I did not take the role of Head just so I could marry someone who I have no clue is, or the fact that all he wants is my power and money."
Shihouin Ean placed his pen down on the desk, leaned back in his chair, and entwined his fingers to sit them on the cold wood. A pair of glasses sat on the tip of his nose as he stared at his eldest and only daughter over the top of them. Amber met gold as a fest of anger ranged through the both as their eyes met.
"Tale, my darling daughter, I did not set up the marriage, the Council did. If it had been me, do you think I would have picked a "pig" for you so he could rule over my family?" Eyes widened from the news, Tale crossed her arms with a sad look over her face as she bowed her head in a way to apologize.
"I apologize for yelling at you, father. If had known it was them, I wouldn't be here right now." With a sigh, Tale sat down in the leather chair that sat in front of her father's desk, and bowed her head to her chest. Why would the Council choose a husband for her without even consent of her thoughts, and a chance for Tale to get to learn more of him? It was preposterous!
Tale sat in her formal kimono with her long dark violet hair pulled up into an elegant bun as her spouse-to-be sat only a few feet away with a mischievous smirk placed upon his lips. Ryu sat behind Tale in his own royal attire as he watched the glares that Tale sent the man be unnoticed by Jun. The young sibling sighed and closed his amber eyes, before opening them back up to show a fake happiness.
"It's nice to meet you, Yukon-san. How is it that you were befitted the task to marry my older sister? I would surely like to know the story." Even thought his voice was light and friendly, his eyes showed the truth of his feelings. They showed that he hated the man right off the bat. Just the feeling he gave off made him be disliked by Ryu. Why would the council choose this man to be their new Head of the House?!
"I myself was quite surprised…" Tale only rolled her golden eyes as the man went into a story most likely made up about how he was picked out of the many good men that were on the list. She slumped slightly, and fingered the glass of her tea cup as she blocked at the voice that was already haunting her.
Three days they have known each other. Three weeks, four days, ten hours, twenty-six minutes, and an odd number of seconds were left until the wedding would be held. After the wedding, Tale would take a few days off from her duties as captain and go on a 'honey-moon', as they called it, with Jun. They were to have an heir within two years…
"…and then one morning I was awaken by a servant coming to wake me up with a messenger at the door saying I was to be marrying the Shihouin's House Head within a month."
Tale just gave up on her form of posture right then, and slumped fully forward, an elbow leaning on the table with her chin propped on her palm. Her eyes gave off a lazy look, but still held the anger and hate for the Yukon male.
"Is it me, or are you always this boring?" Tale stifled a yawn behind her hand as shock etched itself across the man's face. "I think it's just me, but then again… I think Ryu thinks so too." Not only was she being rude, but she was also talking as if this man was an old friend (enemy to herself and Ryu) and most definitely wasn't using the correct royal form of conversation.
A chuckled was heard from behind the Shihouin Head Noble, a smirk spreading on Tale's lips, as Ryu shook his head in mock disappointment. "Please forgive my sister, she has not been feeling well the past few days." Ah yes, the prefect lie that everyone will believe…
"Tally-chan~!" Tale groaned at the sound of her friend's frilly voice and the noise that yelled her much disliked nickname. Turning away from the unseated shinigami that she was talking to, and toward the charging lieutenant, "Why didn't you tell me you were getting married?!"
'There's a reason for everything, Ava...'
Three weeks, one day, six hours, ten minutes, and some odd number of seconds until the wedding.
"Ohayo, Jyuu-kun, Shunsui-kun. How are you this lovely morning?" The two male captains looked up from their cup of tea and sake to greet the woman back. But once they saw the tired look on her face, they both knew something was wrong.
"Oh my, Tale-san, you look horrible! What's wrong?" The sickly man stood from the cushion he was sitting on, and guided the woman over to it. She only smiled weakly at him and thanked him with silent words. Shunsui looked at his old friend from over the tip of his hat with an unreadable look.
"My, my, Tally-chan, you don't look so well after all. Please, do tell us what is wrong." The dark violet haired captain only gave the man a weak stare, before grabbing one of the extra cups sitting on the low-raised table and poured herself some lukewarm tea.
"Even though it is currently none of your two's business… I'm getting married in about two and a half weeks. I would invite you, but its family only," as Tale sipped at her tea, Shunsui and Juushiro stood/stared in shock at the woman before them. It seemed just like yesterday that the two boys were playing jokes on the poor noble girl.
"So, no more Shihouin Tale anymore?" She looked up slightly before shaking her head sadly, and finished up her tea. Setting the empty glass down, she stood from the pillow, Shunsui doing the same thing, and turned to the 13th Captain.
"Jyuu-kun?" He looked up suddenly, a look in his eye that she couldn't place. "I'm sorry," she turned to Shunsui, giving him a quick hug, and disappeared with a step of shunpo. The brunette male turned to his friend with a raised eyebrow.
"It's a long story, old friend."
"I have time."
Two weeks, four days, nine hours, forty-eight minutes, and some odd number of seconds until the wedding.
"Shihouin-taichou," Tale looked up from the paperwork to see a very familiar face, and great friend.
"How may I help you, Zenai?" The blonde young man stood from his knelt position on the wooden flooring of his captain's office.
"After the information I've heard of you seen being courted by Yukon Jun…" Tale set down her pen and entwined her fingers together. "You shall always be known as Shihouin-taichou to me no matter what happens."
The Head Noble of her clan blinked a few times, before smiling at her lieutenant and old friend. "I'm glad to hear that, Zenai-kun." Tale stood from her chair and walked over to give the tall young man a hug. He returned it just as much as she.
Two weeks, one day, four hours, two minutes, and some odd number of seconds until the wedding.
"Shihouin-taichou!" a voice rang through the early morning of the halls of the 2nd Squad barracks. The young man, also known as the 3rd Seat of the 2nd Squad, ran looking for his much needed captain. The lieutenant, Zenai, was already at the meeting, but their captain was nowhere to be found. "Shihouin-taichou!"
"She's not here kid, so stop your blabberin'." The shinigami turned at the sound of the voice and visibly shrunk back.
"W-where is s-she, Geri-san?"
"She's the reason there is a meeting in the first place, don't you think she'd be the first one there?" Era stood for a moment in shock. Why was she the reason she was the cause of the meeting? Had something happened?
-
Tale stood in the opening of the door that led into the meeting room in the 1st Squad's barracks, her brother behind her. The 11th Captain had actually showed up, which was once in a lifetime thing, and stood with a gruff look on his face. His lieutenant was almost like a son to him, of course he'd come to the meeting if it had to do with the Shihouin's Head.
"Ohayo minna, we would like to think you all for being here to listen to thee." The captains nod to the Noble. She was dressed in the familiar violet and pale peach kimono that she wore to ever meeting with the Gotei Captains or Council of Nobles. Her bronze and golden headdress sat firmly on her head, and Ryu stood behind her in his normal attire.
"Why is it that you have called this meeting, Shihouin Tale-hime?" The dark violet haired noble held her head up firmly as she answered.
"There has become an obstacle for us in our path of duty as a captain and Head Noble. In two weeks to this day, we shall be marrying a Yukon Jun, appointed by the Council of Noble themselves. Within two years we must produce an heir for the Shihouin family, which will cause a problem in the line of duty for us." Two captains kept their heads down, both already knowing of the news, a certain lieutenant doing the same.
"When that time comes, though, we would like to leave our duty in the hands of our lieutenant until time has passed and we are able to perform our duties once again. We are asking your permission for this to come into play, Head Captain Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai."
There was a long silence. The many captains that had not known of Tale's actual aristocracy were amazed that she was in charge of a royal clan and was to be marrying soon. Some of them only knew her as the jokester of the academy, and now she was to be having an arranged marriage and soon having a child! How did this woman do it? Hushed whispers rang out through the pale wooded room as they discussed the situation themselves.
"Silence!" The bang of wood smashing into wood rang through the Seireitei as Yamamoto quieted the captains. His wrinkling face straightened a bit as he opened his eyes. "I give permission to Shihouin Tale to take leave when time comes of pregnancy. Although, after two months, and no more than that, shall she have to return as a captain with all full duties. If that is all, this meeting has been adjourned." With another swift slam of his cane, the captain turned to leave go back to his business.
The other captains stood standing, waiting for something to happen. The thing that made them all jump, though, was a sigh that left the 11th Squad's lieutenant. "Come, nii-chan, we must get back to give the news." She nodded, not an emotion on her face, and left.
Two weeks, thirteen hours, five minutes, and some odd number of seconds until the wedding.
Tale stood in front of her office's wide window that allowed her to look over her squad's land. The trees swayed in the late summer breeze, and the cherry blossom trees began to lose more and more of their flowers every day.
Her arms were crossed over her chest. A maroon red silky robe was tied to her body as she gazed at the moonless night sky.
She heard the shuffling of faint steps, but did not turn when the sliding sound of her door echoed, she only waited for the person to speak after they entered and blocked all sights and sounds from the outside world.
"Tale-chan," The captain finally looked up and over at the handsome face that she remembered of every since she could remember. The first days at the academy… the streets of the Rukongai… in her home when introducing him to her family… it was all she loved about her past.
"I'm so sorry."
Shihouin Tale was a strong woman. She could take just about any type of torture you gave her, not a sound would leave her. Her golden eyes would always be filled with hope, and no tears would ever leave in at the saddest of all times. This woman was the strongest that many knew of and would ever meet. Only a hand full of people has ever seen her golden eyes fill with tears, and that was only around two or three people in all.
At this moment, the 2nd Squad's captain was in the arms of a man she knew oh to well, just about more than he knew himself, and she was crying. She was crying for what she hadn't done. She was crying for all the things she wanted to do but wasn't able to. She was crying for the love she would never experience with the man she was holding right now.
"I'm so sorry…"
One week, one hour, one minute, and close to one second until the wedding.
So... What did you think?? (I apologize if the font got somehow screwed up. Blame FF)
RnR!
-Bri