uthor's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU.

Crossing the Threshold

Shunsui let out a sigh of relief as the inn came into view. As eager as he was to get home, especially when he was this close, he was barely awake in his saddle. Tomorrow he would reach the capitol within a few hours of riding, and he knew that he should make sure he was presentable when he rode into the city, especially since that his first duty was to present himself to his princess. But that would have to be tomorrow.

With his horses stabled and his room arranged, Shunsui headed for the common room for some food. He had barely sat down to his meal when someone slid into the seat beside him.

"You made good time. I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow." Jyuushiro grinned at him.

Shunsui blinked and gaped. "Jyuu? What are you doing here?"

"Meeting you of course. You didn't think we'd let you walked into the palace without letting you know what was waiting for you, did you? I've had scout keeping an eye on the road for the past few days. I knew you'd get here as soon as possible." Jyuushiro's grinned became a warm smile. "Welcome home, Shunsui."

Those words made him smile. He was almost home, and he wasn't going to wake up and find that this was a dream as he had so many times before. Jyuushiro clapped him on the shoulder.

"Eat. I'll fill you in afterwards. We'll want some privacy for that."

He demolished the food soon enough, and he and Jyuushiro retired to his room. Jyuushiro produced a flask of sake and poured them both cups.

"We have things in hand for right now, but we're playing catch up. The Shinigami Knights were barred from the palace grounds within a year of your exile. We only were let back in after the King's death. It was one of the first things her highness did." He paused, sipping his sake. "Retsu and a few others were our only source of knowledge of what went on inside the palace during those years."

"And they don't know everything."

"No, they don't." His friend shook his head. "But things are going well. The royal council would have been a problem, but the princess evened things out some by adding Retsu, Kisuke, Yoruichi, and me to it. It's still something of a struggle to deal with at times, but it's beginning to get easier."

Jyuushiro sat back and smiled. "They had no idea what they were getting into with your princess. I think they were expecting a shy intellectual. Instead they got a dragon. Her highness had already started taking care when she called us in. She is doing very well for someone who had been as sheltered as possible for the past few years."

Shunsui smiled. That was his Nanao-chan all right. She never had been one to let others dictate her life especially when it interfered with what she considered her duty.

"How is she?"

"She's well. She's not the child I remember though. She's even more self-contained. She seems a little lonely but has developed a friendship with the tutor the council hired. I'm not entirely sure, but it wouldn't surprise me if Lady Matsumoto has been supplying the princess with more of an education than the council wanted."

"Lady Matsumoto? I don't think I remember her." It was good to know that Nanao hadn't been completely on her own.

"Rangiku Matsumoto. She's better known as Lady Kiku in the city. She's one of the highest ranked geisha in the country." Jyuushiro sighed. "She's only a few years older than the princess, I think. I haven't been able to find much about her, but she's proved herself to be trustworthy and loyal to the princess."

"Good. It sounds like things are going fine."

"For now. Aizen is up to something, and we're not in the strongest of positions right now. Until the princess is crowned queen, the council will be an issue." Jyuu met his eyes. "She's missed you, Shunsui. Probably more than she's admitted."

He didn't really know how to respond to that. On the one hand, it was good to know that she had missed him. He had missed her as well. But on the other hand, Shunsui hated to think that he had caused his Nanao-chan any sorrow. Jyuushiro rose to his feet.

"Get some rest, Shunsui. We should get on the road as early as possible in the morning. I brought your formal uniform, but I couldn't find your pink haori." He shrugged. "It wasn't really appropriate anyway. I'm sure it's in one of your boxes back at the Eighth Division."

They said their goodnights, and Shunsui sought his bed. Sleep came reluctantly but it did come. For once in his life, Shunsui had no problem waking up early. It felt odd to dress in the black kosode and hakama of a Shinigami Knight as well as his white captain's haori. He hadn't worn either in so many years now. Jyuushiro was waiting for him down in the stables.

"Are you ready?"

Shunsui nodded. "Yes."

He watched the countryside as they rode down the road, Jyuushiro filling him in on all of the little things he had missed while he was away. The countryside hadn't changed much over the years, but as they approached the city, the changes became clear. Shunsui didn't remember the city being this big. They got a welcome reception as they rode through the streets. Jyuushiro commented that while the knights had been in disfavor with the king and the nobility, the common people had still been supportive.

As they approached the palace, Shunsui found himself unaccountably nervous. He hadn't been here in so long. From everything he'd heard his Nanao-chan had things well in hand. Did she really need him? She was all grown up now. He shook his head. This wasn't helping. Jyuushiro disappeared after they stabled the horses, leaving Shunsui to find Nanao on his own. It proved more difficult than he had thought.

Finally, he found a page who led him through the maze of corridors that made up the oldest part of the palace to the royal archives. Shunsui looked around the room, not seeing any sign of his princess.

"What do you need, Yamada?" A voice called from above.

"This man is here to speak with you, your highness."

Shunsui looked up to find a petite young woman perched on a ladder. She wore the uniform of a Shinigami Knight. Raven hair was swept up in a neat knot at the back of her head, and a pair of delicate wire framed glasses perched on her nose. She looked down at him, eyes wide and startled. He grinned up at her.

"Thank you, Yamada." It was clearly a dismissal.

Once he was gone, she scrambled down the ladder. His princess wasn't a little girl any more. She had grown into an elegant young lady. There she paused a moment, clearly uncertain, then Nanao took a step towards him.

"Sir Kyoraku." She smiled and held out her hands to him. "Welcome home."

Shunsui captured her smaller hands in his own, pressing a kiss to each of her palms. "Nanao-chan."

Her smile grew, and he suddenly found himself with his arms full of Nanao. Shunsui hugged her just as tightly and ignored the sniffles he heard just as he was ignoring the tears pricking at his eyes. He was home.