Come Back Alive to This Place – Chap. 6
A/N: In which Orihime faces her toughest decision yet. And this is the longest chapter so far.
Thanks to nypsy for her excellent suggestion for how to fix a plot hole in this chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.
(Originally posted 10/15/11, edited 10/29/11.)
XxXxXxX
A few weeks had gone by, with contrary winds delaying their journey to their unknown destination. Orihime found herself settling into life on a pirate ship more readily than she would have expected. Despite Aizen's arrogance and criminal ways, he was unfailingly polite and considerate to her, and if he was demonstrating cruelty to his underlings on shipboard, it was hidden from her eyes. Indeed, his ship ran quite smoothly; all his sailors were obedient to his every command; they all averted their eyes from her, and Orihime suspected that harsh punishments had been decreed for anyone who so much as looked at her the wrong way. Aizen did not look like a man who tolerated challenges to his absolute rule.
He was an odd mixture of iron discipline and classic self-indulgence. Although he lived in luxury, he worked extremely hard and slept little. When he was not directing the ship or engaged in strategy councils with his men, he retired to a small stern cabin that served as his office where he read or wrote out on parchment lengthy documents that Orihime was not allowed to read. The office was one of the few areas that were still off-limits to her; otherwise, she was allowed to explore the ship and sit out on deck, watching the water rush by, the silent Ulquiorra hovering in the background, usually occupied with some other shipboard task, one eye on her.
And every night and every morning, Aizen claimed her again in his bed. He never asked her permission, and with each day, she found herself more accustomed to his demands; she found herself beginning to almost look forward to spending time with him; indeed, she surprised herself one day by realizing she was craving the physical contact with him.
Although her cheeks burned to think of it, she had never experienced anything so intensely pleasurable in her life. But even though her body had deserted her and had gone over to the enemy, she kept a tight hold on her heart. The man might be inhumanly attractive and charismatic, but she refused to have any deeper feelings for a kidnapper, murderer, and pirate. She had, however, attempted multiple times to persuade him away from his plans of conquest, only to have him listen politely, smile serenely, and proceed to ignore everything she said. Clearly, he was set upon his terrible schemes, and there was nothing she could do to stop him.
But Orihime found that over time, her essential optimism was reasserting itself. She was still alive, and while she lived, there was always hope. She found she had not given up on the idea of somehow being rescued, of finding a way out of the trap she found herself in. In the meantime, she would make the best of her life as it now was.
Then one day in her third week at sea there was a commotion on deck as she was sitting upon the forecastle sewing. After her request for a needle and thread to repair her gown had been granted, it had turned out that many of the pirates' clothes needed repair, and she had volunteered to stitch or darn the fabrics to pass the time, and, because she couldn't bear to see anyone, even a pirate, in need when she could help.
The man in the crow's nest was shouting, and Aizen himself came out of his meeting. Orihime watched as he swarmed up the rigging to the top of the mast, his long, black-clad arms and legs moving with grace over the ropes. At the top, he took the spyglass from the lookout and peered through it for several long moments. Then he nodded to the man and descended rapidly. Gin was waiting for him on deck. They exchanged a few terse words and then Gin went aft to the poop. Shortly afterwards, Orihime saw the man at the tiller swinging it to one side, and she felt the shift in their course.
Resolutely, she stood up and made her way over the swaying deck to Aizen (fortunately, she had gotten her sea legs shortly into the voyage), who was standing with Ulquiorra and Tousen, giving them orders in a quiet voice. As she neared them, the two men split off to their various tasks. Aizen shot a glance at her, his face amused.
Forestalling her question, he held up a hand. "Do not fret, Orihime, I will satisfy that burning curiosity of yours." He gestured to the east. "Our lookout has sighted a ship."
Orihime looked puzzled. "What's all the commotion about then? Don't you usually see those at sea?" Then she realized that they had been out on the open ocean, alone, for several days now.
"It is no ordinary ship, Orihime," Aizen said in a kindly tone. "It is flying the Kurosaki flag."
He waited for the effect of his words to sink in.
"But—" Orihime gasped, feeling as though the breath had been sucked out of her body. "Are they searching for you?"
"No." The brown-haired man smiled as he adjusted his cuffs. "They are searching for you."
"But why?" asked Orihime. "I am worthless to them now." Her forehead creased in a puzzled frown.
"Perhaps young Kurosaki is not aware of that fact," said Aizen.
Orihime's eyes turned to him. "Young Kurosaki?"
"Yes," replied Aizen. "It is flying the flag of the heir, not that of Lord Isshin. Your husband-to-be has come to rescue you."
Orihime's head spun at the thought of Ichigo Kurosaki sailing to engage with the pirates on the high sea. Aizen was watching her, his dark brown eyes measuring.
"Indeed, young Kurosaki is right on time."
Orihime's eyes swung to him. "What do you mean?"
He smirked. "His attack now is in accordance with my plans. Fear not, Orihime. I shall protect you from him and bring you safely to Las Noches."
Orihime glared at him. "You're always insisting that you're planning everything. Why do I not believe you this time?" Her voice was skeptical, but Aizen only smirked more widely.
"There is no need for you to believe me. Only that you obey me. According to my calculations, we still have another day before his ship comes in range of ours. That will give me plenty of time to prepare, and enough time to set a trap for him."
"Using me as bait?"
Aizen looked at her, his eyes distant. "No. You are too valuable to be bait. I have something else in mind for the young man."
"Wait a moment." Orihime's head was still spinning, but she could see that something was not right. "How does Lord Ichigo even know that you have captured me, much less where your flagship is, or where Las Noches is for that matter?"
The brown-haired pirate smirked at her. "Ah. It is a mystery, is it not? I'll leave you to wonder how it came about. Perhaps you will soften your disbelief in my ability to plan."
XxXxXxX
That night, she had dinner with him as she often did, in the privacy of his cabin. Aizen had been unusually quiet that evening, gazing off into space thoughtfully for much of the meal. As they sat, pressed thigh against thigh on the narrow bench, finishing the simple but remarkably tasty meal, Aizen finally set his utensils down and turned to her. "So, tomorrow we face a battle with your fiancé." His face showed only mild amusement at the mention of the upcoming fight.
Orihime felt her shoulders clenching. She knew that people would die tomorrow, no matter which side won. She doubted that Aizen would care for the lives of either his enemies or his allies. She turned her face away from her captor and said nothing.
She could feel Aizen shifting on the bench beside her and then she felt his fingers tangle in her hair as he gently turned her head to face his. The amused expression had not left his face. She cast her eyes down, refusing to look him in the eyes.
He stroked her hair for a moment, not saying anything. Finally he tilted his head to one side and inquired, "Are you still convinced I am an utter rogue with absolutely no redeeming qualities?"
Orihime glared at him as a faint smile quirked his lips. "You kidnapped me, and threatened my family members with death. I'm not going to ever be your friend."
"But indeed, I have harmed neither you nor any one of your friends or family," Aizen said softly, running a hand up brazenly up her inner thigh, "and it seems to me that you enjoy our time together. At least your body appears to indicate it." His gaze was dark over a slightly amused mouth.
Orihime blushed. She shook her head and said nothing, bending her head over her food.
He said, "Isn't there anything I can do to persuade you that I do care for you? Have I not treated you well here?" He ran his slender fingers lightly over the skin of her throat and she shivered at his touch.
"You said the Lord Aizen everyone in the Seireitei knew was an illusion." She looked him full in the eyes. "For all I know, your so-called 'care' for me could be another illusion." Her eyes were fierce and bright. "I'm certain you merely think of me as a toy, something to amuse you during your travels. Soon you will discard me as you have discarded so many others."
He drew back from her. "You wound me, Orihime." His tone was half-mocking and half-sincere. His dark eyes caught hers and she could not look away. "Do you truly think you have seen through my illusions? Let me assure you that you are different from any of my previous lovers, my dear."
She sniffed and tossed her head. "As if I would be so foolish as to believe a word of what you say. No doubt you beguiled all of those many lovers before me with honeyed words as well. You are a liar and a rogue."
"Ah, but Orihime..." His voice was coaxing. "Have I lied to you since you have been here?"
"How would I know?" she responded tartly. "I'm your prisoner. You control the flow of information."
He cupped her face in his hand and leaned into her, his lips brushing her ear. "Do you truly wish for me to release you?" His voice was deep and sensuous as it vibrated against her skull.
She pulled away. "It doesn't matter what I want. All that matters is what you want. I know that if you say you are releasing me, you will instead kill me to prevent me from informing Seireitei of your plans." She looked down and whispered, "Not that anyone there would believe me anyway. You know very well what fate would be mine were I to be returned to Seireitei now."
He took her in his arms and held her tightly. "Hush now." He stroked her hair back from her face, his eyes surprisingly gentle. "Do not worry. I promise that no harm will befall you while you are under my protection, neither from my pirates nor from Seireitei. And—" he hesitated for a moment, then spoke with an odd intensity, "I will also promise to extend that protection to you for as long as you should choose to accept it. Please believe me, Orihime, when I say that I have feelings for you."
She stared at him. His face looked oddly vulnerable, his eyes sincere.
"I—" she stammered, hesitating. Her wiser self was telling her that he must be lying again. But her essential compassion had arisen in her and taken her by the throat. She could not tell a man who was speaking to her so intimately and with such apparent sincerity that she knew he was a heartless bastard. On the other hand, after everything he had done, she could not bring herself to reach out to him, to show any weakness to him. Her voice trailed off into silence as she continued to stare at him without speaking.
He sighed, his face suddenly weary. "I know I have done many terrible things, including, especially, kidnapping you. I don't know if you can ever forgive me for what I've done, even if you come to understand why." Abruptly, he rose from the bench and went to the porthole, where he stood gazing out at the night sky for a long moment while she remained silent, her heart unexpectedly torn. "No doubt I deserve your hatred. I suppose it is the price I have to pay."
Her mind spun, trying to reconcile this new admission with the man she had thought she had finally begun to know. Chameleon-like, he seemed to change with each passing day. Although it was certainly possible he was putting on an act once more, all her instincts were telling her that he was truly sincere at last. To her surprise, she found herself questioning her own heart. Could he not be as evil as she had once assumed? Was it indeed possible that he could have feelings for her? She should speak to him, say something to indicate that she had understood what he said.
She drew in her breath to speak, but before she could open her mouth, he had turned to face her, his expression once more serene, his eyes shuttered. "Nevertheless, it does not matter what you or I feel." His face once again wore the familiar look of indifference. "We must all play our parts in the game." His fingers reached out, wove themselves into her hair; they were warm. His brown eyes held her immobile; in sharp contrast to his touch, they were cold and intense.
Orihime was struck dumb by the hard look in his eyes, all traces of gentleness gone. Her words died in her throat.
"You, in particular, must play your part in my game. Is that understood?" His eyes narrowed as he withdrew his hand from her hair, his face closed, mouth set as he stood over her. "Tomorrow, you are to remain in this cabin until I personally give you leave to exit. My men will install a deadbolt which you are to secure; you are not to open it unless you hear my voice or Ulquiorra's. Do you understand?"
When she continued to say nothing, he sighed with what sounded like resignation. Then he said softly, "I have released a carrier pigeon to certain of my agents on the mainland. I informed them they are to monitor the movements of certain individuals in the Inoue household."
Orihime's eyes flashed. "I thought you said you wouldn't harm my family!"
"Of course I will not harm them," he said, his tone mild, "so long as you comply with our bargain."
Her chest heaved as she glared at him ferociously. When she spoke, it was between gritted teeth. "I will do whatever you want, sir, in return for their safety."
"Good." Aizen's eyes were dark. "Then I expect utter obedience tomorrow. I will not have you running about on deck during a pitched battle, do you understand?"
"Yes," she ground out. "I will remain in the cabin for as long as you tell me to stay."
His eyes narrowed and something she did not understand stirred in their depths. "Very well. See that you continue to obey me."
Not waiting for her response, he swept out of the room.
XxXxXxX
The next morning dawned crisp and clear. Orihime woke up to the sun shining thinly into the cabin. The bed beside her was empty, and she could not help but feel a pang before she stifled it. Aizen had not returned to her after their argument the night before, and she tried to tell herself she was glad that he had left her alone. But all she felt was an unaccountable sadness, no matter what she told herself.
She sighed. Today she would be confined to the cabin. That was probably why she felt sad, she told herself.
She sat up and moved to get out of bed, and was surprised to find herself nauseous and dizzy. She had thought that she had gotten over her seasickness early in the voyage. She had gone to the small washbasin set on a low table to one side of the cabin and was splashing water over her face when one of her aunt Rangiku's lessons came back to her. She clutched the side of the metal washbasin in sudden shock.
"Nausea is one of the first signs of pregnancy." It could not be possible that she was pregnant… could it? She counted back on her fingertips to her last period. Usually regular as clockwork, she was a couple weeks late already; she hadn't noticed in all the agitation of being captured and then her confusing feelings and experiences with Aizen himself.
She wasn't married! Once again her cheeks burned with shame. To be pregnant outside of wedlock… perhaps the deepest disgrace that could befall a young woman of her class... no, it could not have happened to her.
She stared at herself in the tiny mirror hung on the wood paneling above the washbasin. She didn't look any different. Her hand dropped to her still-flat belly. Would it soon begin to show signs of her ignominious behavior?
No. She shook her head. It could not be possible.
She heard shouting up on deck, and wondered when Kurosaki would overtake them. Her mind flooded with bitterness. If she were truly pregnant, it would end her last chance at returning to her previous life. There had been some small chance before that Kurosaki would take her back. She was a prisoner, after all, and it was possible he could have forgiven her disgrace; they could have created some polite lie, pretended nothing had really happened during her time as Aizen's captive.
But if she were indeed carrying his child, her position was irrevocable. She would be tied to Aizen now, her fate truly in his hands. Kurosaki would never take her now. Indeed, she would be cast out of the Inoue domain unless she were lawfully married before she gave birth. There was no way a noble would marry a woman carrying another's child.
She felt the last spark of hope die within her.
The shouting continued, and she went back to the porthole in the cabin, peering out of it to see if she could see anything. But no ships were visible from this vantage point.
She fancied that she heard the clash of swords. Was a battle being fought on deck even now?
She returned to the bed and sank down on it in despair.
XxXxXxX
"Lady Inoue," came a familiar monotone voice from outside her door. Ulquiorra. "Lord Aizen requests your presence on deck."
Taking a deep breath and smoothing back her hair, Orihime slid open the deadbolt and opened the door. The slender man with shaggy black hair gazed at her without expression. "Come," he ordered tonelessly, and turned to go.
Emerging behind him on deck, Orihime blinked at the bright sunlight. All around her, on deck, stood Aizen's men— and half a dozen men she did not recognize. One of them was standing across from Aizen, a handsome young man with messy, bright orange hair and a ferocious scowl on his face. He was wearing a black frock coat over black slacks. A huge sword hung from his belt.
Hesitantly, Orihime's eyes crept to his; she felt a sudden shock as intense, warm brown eyes met hers. Although she had never met the man, she knew who he was.
Aizen stepped forward with a casual gesture at the other man. His eyes were amused and his body completely relaxed, in sharp contrast to the tension in the others around him. Once again, Orihime's eyes were drawn unwillingly to his handsome face and the play of muscles under the skin of his chest. "My dear Orihime, let me introduce you to Lord Ichigo Kurosaki. Lord Ichigo, this is the Lady Inoue. We are under flag of truce for an hour's parlay, my lady. This man," he gestured at Kurosaki, "wished to see that you were alive and unharmed."
Kurosaki frowned. His face was sulky beneath the thick orange hair. Orihime noticed how full his lips were, how vibrant his brown eyes were beneath lowered orange brows. This was the man she might have spent the rest of her life with, under other circumstances. She found herself wondering what he was like, what he might be thinking of her. Did he think of her as 'damaged goods'? He was her own age, and she found herself intensely curious about him, and regretful that she had never gotten to know him. He did not notice her scrutiny, as he was scowling fiercely at Aizen. "So all the rumors are true, you traitor. You betrayed the Seireitei and kidnapped my promised bride, a noble and heir to her domain."
The brown-haired man's smile was serene. "I don't deny it, sir."
The younger man's face creased with frustration. "What I don't understand is why, Aizen. Why have you chosen to be a pirate and a villain?"
Aizen's smile was dark. "Suffice it to say that I have my reasons, which will undoubtedly be revealed at a later date."
Kurosaki shook his head. "I suppose it doesn't matter. Anyway, what I'm authorized to say is that King Yamamoto will lift the sentence of death on your head, Aizen, if you agree to return the Lady Inoue to my custody."
Aizen's smirk widened. "Indeed. And are those the only terms?"
There was a pause. Then the orange-haired man said, "There is something else. I received the message by carrier pigeon only yesterday. It seems that Seireitei is being attacked. Several hundred ships, apparently from the western continent across the sea, have entered Seireitei harbor and are engaged in a pitched battle with Seireitei's forces." He met Aizen's eyes. "Did you know this?" he demanded.
Aizen smiled faintly but said nothing.
"The king is appealing to your patriotic duty as Lord of the Fifth Domain. If you agree to return and throw your support to Seireitei in this battle, you will be pardoned for all your crimes. Although you can no longer remain lord of the domain, you will be allowed to return as a private citizen, and will remain free."
Aizen raised his eyebrows. "King Yamamoto is generous," he replied mockingly. "I am to throw all my substantial forces over to his command, to meekly submit to his rule and be stripped of command of my domain." His eyes were cold. "I won't even dignify that farce of a deal with a response."
Kurosaki scowled. "I told them you wouldn't accept that." His eyes flashed. "But the previous offer stands. A promise that you will not be executed if you return the Lady Inoue to us." His eyes met Orihime's once more. "She is of noble birth and deserves her freedom. I appeal to you as a gentleman to release her."
This time Aizen chuckled. "A gentleman? You must surely have realized that I am no longer a gentleman." He threw his head back and his eyes flashed. "I am a pirate king and as such make my own rules. I no longer accept the strictures of Seireitei." He glanced at Orihime. "The lady is mine now and will remain so."
Rage burned in Kurosaki's irises. "You would keep a lady captive against her will?"
"Ah, but is it truly against her will?" Aizen raised his eyebrows, an amused expression on his face. "How do you know she does not stay here of her own free will? How do you even know that she did not come with me willingly?"
A flash of anguish appeared on Kurosaki's face only to vanish in a second. His eyes flicked to Orihime once again. "King Yamamoto insinuated that, but I don't believe it. The Inoues have a strong sense of honor." He took a step forward, and his hand reached out toward Orihime almost as though it were beyond his conscious control. "I know she would never betray Seireitei. Release her to me. It is my duty to protect my intended bride." His eyes, now focused solely on Orihime, were determined.
Orihime felt a thrill course through her body. He was still willing to take her. Despite everything, when surely most nobles would have disdained her after her capture, he was reaching out to her. She felt an odd flutter in her chest. She looked up at him and met his eyes in sudden hope.
Aizen moved to stand between them. He said coldly, "No. She stays with me. I will allow you to leave unharmed, if you sail away and do not disturb us further. Convey my opinion of his terms to the former King of Seireitei." His lips curled in an icy smile as he raised a hand to signal to his men.
"No," Kurosaki said urgently. "Wait. May I speak with the Lady Inoue alone?"
Aizen stopped and raised his brows. "So persistent. I have already told you my terms."
"But surely you will allow me at least one last meeting with my intended bride," insisted Kurosaki.
Aizen looked at Orihime, his glance mild. "Very well. I will allow you ten minutes together." He gestured to his men to withdraw from the deck, leaving space for Orihime and Ichigo to speak together. As he was leaving, he turned back for a moment, amusement flashing in his eyes. "Oh, but one more thing you should know, Lord Ichigo, before you make any rash decisions. The Lady Inoue carries my child."
Orihime gasped. How did he know? Was it even true? She didn't even know herself. She stared at Kurosaki, wondering what he would think of this development.
The orange-haired man didn't even appear to have heard Aizen's words. He was focused exclusively on Orihime. "Lady Inoue," he began, "I'm sorry our first meeting has to be under such terrible circumstances. But I am very pleased to have finally met you. And, um, I want to let you know that I don't give any credence to Aizen's lies. I would, uh, be really happy to take you as my bride." She saw to her amazement that he was blushing under his tan. It only made him look younger and cuter.
Orihime gave him a tentative smile. After all this, he was willing to accept her as wife. Her heart swelled. He was clearly a good man, perhaps one whom she could have come to love under other circumstances. But what would Lord Isshin say when she gave birth to a criminal's child? Surely the Kurosaki family would not accept the dishonor. "Lord Ichigo," she murmured, curtseying, "I am very pleased to meet you under any circumstances, and I am beyond grateful that you have come to rescue me." She swallowed as she met his gentle brown eyes. "However, Lord Aizen has spoken the truth for once about his child, and I would not bring dishonor on the Kurosaki family."
He looked dismayed. Then he shook his head and stepped closer, reaching out to take her hand in his. His hand was calloused, strong, and warm. "Lady Inoue, none of that matters to me. I don't stand on ceremony anyway. Besides, it's obvious he kidnapped you against your will. That will be clear to everybody. I'll defend your honor to everyone no matter what." He scowled. "And I'll make sure it's clear to my idiot dad."
Orihime couldn't help herself. She laughed. She already liked this man, brash, outspoken and good-hearted. As she stood, her hand in his, her head spun. What would happen if she said yes to him, if she agreed that she wanted to go with him? Would Aizen let her go? Would there be more bloodshed? She hesitated, unsure of what to say next. The silence stretched out between them for a long, tense moment.
XxXxXxX
A/N: Although I know exactly where this story will end, I'm a little bit stuck as to where to go from here. So I thought I'd stop here and ask you, my readers, for help, so there's not too lengthy a delay before I post the next chapter.
What should Orihime do?
a. Refuse Ichigo's offer. Aizen will attack him if she tries to go with him; she doesn't want to be the cause of more bloodshed. Besides, she's secretly in love with Aizen even if she doesn't want to admit it.
b. Accept Ichigo's offer. He's offering her a chance to return to her former position in the Seireitei, he can probably defeat Aizen, he seems like a sweet guy, and besides, he's cute.
c. Accept Ichigo's offer. Ichigo has a lot of friends, and it's likely that Kisuke Urahara is lurking around nearby, ready to come to his aid.
d. Negotiate with Aizen. There has to be some way out of this sticky situation.
e. Other [YOUR IDEA HERE]
Any comments are welcome. Thanks!