Chapter 2: Prince Charming
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Warily, I bore the weight of your eyes, the golden orbs that hinted at what lay beneath the surface. You take my hand gently now, and meet my eyes with warmth. But all the while, my heart shivers at your touch…almost as if it knows…that you will someday break it…
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Byakuya stood quietly as Torio set the kenseiken in his hair, then turned him to view himself in the mirror. It had been some time since he had been dressed so ceremonially, in the finest kimono, white with pale green (the color of the ginpaku kazahana no uzuginu) ivy curling all around, the body beneath it ritually bathed to remove all impurity, the skin made soft and glowing.
"You look perfect," Torio said, admiring the noble briefly.
He noted the sad look in the noble's eyes and bit his lip, trying to think of something to lighten his mood. Unfortunately, nothing came to mind, so he swallowed hard and tried to change the subject.
"The escort just arrived. They are ready whenever you are, sir."
"Arigato, Torio."
The youth turned and walked to the door, then stopped and waited. Byakuya gazed into the mirror, his eyes carefully avoiding the shihakushou and taichou's haori that hung nearby. He turned away and silently followed his attendant out into the gardens, where his entourage waited.
He sighed softly, wondering why it took so many to accompany him into the spirit realm. He could understand the presence of the royal guardsmen. After all, Byakuya would be made a royal family member, a prince by marriage…a step up in status even from being the leader of the greatest of the four noble houses. But with this being only his introduction to the royal family, he didn't see the need for the presence of the entire Kuchiki council of elders, all of their attendants, and a scattering of family members and even more attendants. He sighed softly as they lined up around him, then stepped forward, starting the procession to the first division.
He wondered, as he left the manor courtyard and walked out onto the streets that were lined with shinigamis and denizens of the Rukon who had received invitations to attend the viewing of the soon-to-be prince as he left his home, if anyone had considered that having him leave so publicly would tempt someone of baser intent to try to abuse the opening of the royal senkaimon. Though it was sure to be fastidiously guarded, it seemed somewhat frivolous to tempt fate so. But then, the royal family likely wanted to offer the populace a way to feel connected. They gazed intently at him as he passed, their voices sounding awed and excited.
"He's more beautiful than the princess!"
"Look at that lovely kimono!"
"I heard he was a taichou. I can feel his reiatsu from here!"
He caught his breath at the word 'was' and felt his feet stop for a moment. His entourage stopped as well as Byakuya realized suddenly that he was standing in front of the sixth division office. He looked out of the corner of an eye and both felt and saw the lovely red brown eyes that watched from the doorway. The eyes tried to look happy for him, but even not looking directly, Byakuya could feel the shared pain. And it was that shared emotion that enabled him to lift his head a bit higher, calm his reiatsu and walk on, not looking back…because to look back would be too much for both. Beneath the beautiful clothes and clean-washed body, he wanted to tear free of it all, to run to Renji and feel himself being swept away to where no one would find him. But the heavy reality was…that even if he broke ranks and ran now, he would only doom himself to death. For to disobey a royal order of marriage, was punishable by death. And anyone who assisted him in fleeing would be executed as well. He might have been more tempted to run if he would only doom himself, but where Renji was concerned, he would take no chances. No matter that Renji could not be his lover, he was still dear to the noble, and Byakuya knew to just what lengths he would go to protect his fukutaichou and friend.
He rounded the corner and started up the next street, feeling his emotions settle as Renji's reiatsu faded and slowly disappeared. By the time he reached the first division, he had fallen into a deeply calm and seemingly tranquil state. It was the way he brought down the level of his emotions, making them more manageable during such times. It was something he had used often in the wake of Hisana's death and now it helped him to gather himself and step forward into the first division, placing his life in the Seireitei at his back and facing the future quietly and with hope that he would come to some level of contentment.
"Kuchiki Byakuya," said Soutaichou, bowing his head slightly, "The way to the palace is opened. May good fortune follow you."
"And you as well," the noble replied, nodding.
He stepped forward into the royal senkaimon, with the guards, family and attendants all around, passed through the precipice world without event, and into the spirit realm. As the senkaimon closed behind them, they found themselves in a stunningly beautiful garden that could only belong to the spirit king. The king's personal guard met them in the gardens and sent family and attendants to be placed in their suites, while Byakuya was turned and led directly into the throne room. King Tatsuo sat calmly on his throne, gazing down at Byakuya as he entered and knelt, bowing his head respectfully.
"Rise, Kuchiki Byakuya," he said in a welcoming voice, "We are glad that you have come."
Byakuya rose and stood quietly, looking up at the king and waiting. Tatsuo left his throne and stepped closer, studying Byakuya as he approached. Then he smiled.
"I know you have many questions, not the least of which is when you shall be presented to my son. He will be joining us soon, actually, but before he does, I wish to speak with you privately."
The remaining guards and attendants bowed and left the room. Tatsuo faced Byakuya, his eyes flickering softly with golden power.
"Byakuya," the king went on as soon as they were alone, "I am afraid that there is more to this invitation than a simple marriage. You have been selected for my son based on many criterion…but the most important is this…Tohma is a passionate man. He is of very high spirits, stubborn, and has been somewhat difficult to manage. You may have heard that he was engaged to be married to Princess Aika."
"Yes," Byakuya said quietly, "and I also was saddened to hear that the princess died, shortly before their nuptials were supposed to take place."
"Yes," said the king, nodding, "As much as she was spirited herself, Aika's passing came too soon and wore heavily on Prince Tohma's heart. For a time, we did not seek to send him into marriage. He seemed to improve after several years and again we arranged a marriage, this time to the Shihoin Prince Naoki. And you may also know that Prince Tohma withdrew from the marriage after Naoki was found to have been concealing a lover, who was executed along with Naoki for that crime. The prince was left very bitter by both experiences, and it seemed to result in troublemaking and poor behavior, here in the spirit realm. As a result, we searched for a noble of proper quality…and one outside the spirit realm with the means to house and protect a member of the royal family. In addition, we sought someone of proper moral judgment…someone who made it a priority to embrace obedience to the king's laws. We wanted someone who might have experienced loss as Tohma has, so that he would feel understood…and we asked our son to choose among the list of possibilities that we offered him. Prince Tohma was very taken with you and is pleased at this marriage. We are heartened in that we thought we would have to struggle with him after what happened with the last two marriages. With him having some choice and being that he did, in the end, choose you, we believe that this marriage will be successful. But we wanted you to understand the circumstances before meeting him."
"I understand, my lord," Byakuya said, blinking slowly as his mind absorbed the barrage of information.
"But now that you know, you must meet Prince Tohma."
As though on cue, the door opened and a tall, slender man entered the room. Like the king, he had pale, glowing skin, jet black hair that had been slicked back and was tamed by a jewel encrusted circlet he wore. His almond shaped, golden eyes also matched those of the king, and they surveyed Byakuya closely as he stepped forward and stopped, facing the noble. Byakuya started to kneel, but was stopped by the prince.
"It's not necessary," he said quickly, "We are alone. But it is good that you are aware of the rules and that you respect them."
He extended a hand in greeting and took hold of Byakuya's.
"Welcome to the spirit realm, Byakuya."
"Arigato, my lord."
"Come, let me have a look at you," the prince said, moving closer and coaxing the noble into a slow turn.
He nodded appreciatively.
"You truly are as beautiful as your image," said Tohma, smiling, "I look forward to getting to know you. I understand you enjoy walking in your garden…moongazing? Is that right?"
Byakuya nodded.
"Hai, my lord."
"Please, Byakuya, we are going to be married. Call me Tohma when we are alone and save the formality for when others are present."
"Very well then…Tohma," Byakuya said, watching as the prince smiled and nodded.
"Well," said King Tatsuo, "I imagine that Byakuya will want to settle in and see his grandfather. He should spend as much time as possible with him while the two of you are here."
"While we are…here, my lord?" Byakuya queried.
"Ah…" said the king, "In my haste, I forgot to explain. Byakuya, it is not our intent to steal away all that you have and bring you to live here. You are a clan leader and a taichou. We will not interfere with those things that are such an attractive part of who you are."
"So," Byakuya said slowly, "Prince Tohma and I are to live…"
"In the Seireitei," said the prince, looking pleased at the prospect, "At Kuchiki Manor."
"I feel that it will be good to give Tohma exposure to the lands outside our realm. I want him to study life as it is in the three worlds and to understand the people…so as better to serve their needs. For as royals, we must cultivate our people. We enjoy many pleasantries and comforts here in the spirit realm, but it is important to realize that not all folk share in that good fortune."
"My father has informed me of your actions to improve life in the lower Rukon. You honor the memory of your wife through your clan's humanitarian acts in the region where she lived. Very commendable. I shall have to accompany you there at some point."
"You will be a most welcome sight there, my lord. It heartens them to know that despite the suffering they endure on a daily basis, they have not been forgotten."
"Again, a very commendable viewpoint," said Tohma.
He turned to his father.
"I have asked Ginrei to join us for dinner, but if you have no other requests of us, I would like to share a walk in the gardens with my intended."
Tatsuo nodded.
"It is good that the two of you get to know each other. Enjoy your walk."
Tohma turned to Byakuya, smiling.
"Come…we can exchange information as we walk."
Byakuya took his place alongside the prince and left the throne room, returning to the gardens, where his group had first arrived. Tohma looked around, then turned him down a small path that led off across a lovely field of wildflowers and up a hillside dotted with sakura trees. Petals danced in the air around them, and despite Byakuya's remaining sadness, he couldn't help but be uplifted by the loveliness of the area. He could feel Tohma's eyes on him from time to time, but decided that it was only natural that he should take such an interest in his future spouse. They came to the top of a small rise and Tohma motioned for him to sit beneath one of the sakura trees, overlooking a huge, green meadow filled with deer, who drank from the gurgling brook that meandered along through the area. Byakuya lowered himself to the grass, settling among the petals, with more floating down from overhead. Tohma sat beside him, studying him carefully.
"Byakuya," he said, blinking slowly, "Now that we are away from the others, I must ask you. It seems there is a heaviness of heart about you. Something troubles you. I sensed it right away, and I thought that we should speak of it before moving forward. I am pleased to have chosen you, of course, but I would know if your choosing has had poor effects."
Byakuya thought briefly of Renji, but with an effort, pushed the thought away.
"I am content with my choosing, Tohma," he answered, "however, the…suddenness of my choosing left me with many questions. I am relieved to know that we will be returning to the Seireitei to live. It eases my mind in that I will be able to continue in my positions as taichou and clan leader."
"Yes…it is important for you to maintain your other titles, I think. You have a respectable place in our society, which will benefit both of us in how we are perceived as a royal couple. You will probably suspect, as well you should that life at court is rife with politics. I am certain your clan has its own idiosyncrasies, ne?"
"Yes, of course," Byakuya agreed.
The prince went on, but Byakuya only half-listened, focusing enough to answer properly, but letting his eyes roam over the fields, up into the blue sky and off into the distance. He became aware of the prince moving closer and looked up at him. Tohma stopped talking and reached a hand out to touch his face. Byakuya held still, an odd, unsettled feeling passing over him. He wasn't sure why, but even though the touch, itself was gentle, he felt a sense of something not being quite right. There was a coldness beneath the prince's warm reiatsu, something he had felt from the moment Tohma had entered the room. The coldness seemed to travel through the man's hands and into the pit of Byakuya's stomach. He wondered at the feeling. Prince Tohma had done nothing to make him feel uncomfortable, had in fact, been very accommodating. The king too, had been friendly and kind to him. So what, he wondered, was this feeling of disquiet? This odd coldness that hung somewhere between them, there, but quiet and for the moment, dormant. A soft shiver went through him, and he realized that the prince had slipped an arm around him and was moving to kiss him. A sudden tension moved through him and the prince stopped and studied him for a moment.
"Is something wrong?" he asked.
And there, just beneath the simple words, was that unexpected sense of something not being right.
"My apologies, Tohma," he said quickly, "I am…simply tired from my journey here. The many preparations and the procession through the Seireitei took their toll, I think."
"Ah…and you will rest," the prince said, looking around them.
Byakuya felt a privacy shield rising around them and the sense of warning inside him increased. His heart raced softly as the prince turned and looked into his eyes.
"You will have plenty of rest after we share dinner with my family. But I think that now that we have established we are compatible enough on the surface, that we explore other levels of compatibility as well, ne?"
"Wh-what do you mean?" Byakuya asked, a shiver going through him.
"I think you know what I mean," the prince said, taking hold of him and fastening his mouth on the noble's.
Byakuya tensed, but did nothing to stop the prince as the other's lips took his. The kiss was rough and hungry, but stopped short of being forceful. Byakuya forced his body to relax, telling himself that, of course, the prince would want to know that he was marrying someone compatible with him this way. It was just that there were very strict rules of courtship…
The kiss ended and Byakuya found himself looking into Tohma's eyes. He felt a chill as he encountered a growing aggressiveness to them. The expression on his face suggested emotion somewhat controlled, but the hands that held Byakuya in place had tightened almost painfully.
"M-my lord," Byakuya said, conjuring the most calm voice he could manage, "I do not mean to be rude, but as you know, there are strict rules guiding our courtship. We tread on them already by being beneath a privacy shield…"
The prince smiled, but the smile stopped short of his eyes.
"Come now, Byakuya. You must know that no one actually bothers with that, as long as we are discreet. And think of it this way. This way, we have a sense of how well we function together sexually. I know you had a wife…and she was your only lover. That means that you have never been taken by a man. So, how are we to know if you will understand how to please me? If we are to spend a lifetime together, shouldn't we establish first that you are capable of pleasing me?"
"My lord…"
The prince's hands wrapped around his face, tightening uncomfortably, but stopping short of inflicting pain.
"I told you to call me, Tohma. Don't distance yourself by calling me that."
Byakuya stared at him silently, uncertain what to do next. Tohma gazed back at him for a long moment, then forced him down onto his back and restrained his hands on either side of his head with kido ropes.
"Tohma…"
The prince leaned over him, sinking his fingers into the noble's hair and curling them until the pain made him catch his breath. The prince's mouth fastened on his more forcefully, his tongue pushing in between Byakuya's lips and forcing his mouth open wide. Tohma's tongue explored him with heavy pressure. His hands released Byakuya's hair and worked quickly to undress them. Byakuya shivered as he felt Tohma's hot skin settle against his.
"You are so beautiful," Tohma panted, rubbing against him, "I can't believe how good your body feels, Byakuya."
Tohma crawled slowly down his body, touching and caressing him, the touches intense and nearly to the point of being painful. He bit down hard on the pale, white throat, sucking heavily and leaving angry red marks behind, then continued down the rest of him, marking his skin everywhere.
Byakuya turned his head, trying to focus on the falling petals, the sky, anything but the sting on his skin and the increasingly painful sexual contact. It was nothing like what he had experienced with Renji. The touches were strong and passionate, but felt empty without the emotion to lift them.
He shivered at the feel of the man's rough hands pushing his thighs open, and closed his eyes. There was a long pause and then Tohma's voice sounded with an iciness that hadn't been there before.
"I want to see your eyes."
Byakuya took a breath and opened his eyes again. The prince stared down at him.
"I want to see them as I take you, because that will tell me…"
"Tell you what?" Byakuya asked softly.
"It will tell me you are with me. I know you don't love me yet…and I know you're trying to distance yourself, but I will break you of that and I will make you see me. And soon, I will be all that you see, Byakuya. I will be all that exists for you. That is how love should be, ne? You will grow to love me…to yearn for me…to be willing to die for me. You will give me all of yourself and keep nothing. Ours will be an all encompassing love, Byakuya…a love you will come to embrace."
Byakuya felt a shock of pain that made him gasp and his body recoil. He felt the prince's fingertips touch his face and felt the weight of the golden eyes observing.
"You wonder, perhaps, why I make this painful?" Tohma said in an oddly gentle voice, "Pain makes an impression, Byakuya. The pain you are experiencing makes it clear to you that you are mine. Don't worry. I won't make it this painful when we are together in the future. I won't need to. Because this will make you understand…"
Tohma's body moved and Byakuya caught his breath sharply. His hands clenched where they were still restrained on either side of his head. Tohma's mouth captured his in a surprisingly gentle kiss.
"Byakuya…Byakuya, my lover…"
Byakuya felt another shock inside as Tohma began thrusting, holding him with tightened fingers and kissing him almost brutally. He tried to keep silent, but a groan of discomfort escaped him and reached Tohma. The sound made the prince's eyes flare and he thrust in harder, digging his fingers into the pale, soft skin.
"You see, Byakuya, I control your pain and I control your pleasure. Watch how quickly I can change what you experience…"
He shifted suddenly, causing a shock of pleasure to rocket through him. Byakuya took a hissing breath in reaction, reeling as Tohma struck the same place a second time and a third. The noble panted heavily now and sweat broke out on his forehead.
"I think you understand now," the prince said quietly.
The hands that held Byakuya loosened and became gentle again. He continued to kiss Byakuya, but the pressure was lighter. Healing power flared from his fingertips and he soothed away the markings he had made.
"We don't want your attendants noticing, after all," he murmured.
He sank warmly into the noble's mouth and pleasured him with one hand as they moved togehter. He touched Byakuya's wrists, releasing his hands. Confused by the sudden change in the prince's behavior, Byakuya simply let his arms encircle Tohma, who smiled down at him and continued to move. He moved faster, making the noble's body quiver and bringing him carefully to the edges of bliss.
"Remember this," the prince whispered as Byakuya's body seized with pleasure, "I can give you pleasure or I can give you pain. Please me, Byakuya, and our love will be intense and fulfilling…fail to please me, and you will know pain unlike any you have ever experienced."
He panted against Byakuya's bare shoulder his blazing heat burned inside the stunned noble. He slowly kissed his way down Byakuya's body, pausing to linger over the soft abdomen, soothing the breathless noble with kisses.
Byakuya laid quietly, his mind trying to make sense of Tohma's behavior. He understood now why his senses had warned him to be wary. There was something unsettling in Tohma's behavior…something ominous. He closed his eyes and tried not to think too much about the fact that the last two times Tohma had been engaged, the unions ended in death before the marriage. He still didn't know the details of why, but he was certain that there was more to those deaths than he was being told. He knew well that as they moved forward, he must tread with very cautious steps.