Chapter 3

"He's what?" exclaimed Masaki, her eyes wide with surprise.

"He'll be here this afternoon to start arranging your wedding. Why are you so surprised? You knew when you got back from your travels that things would start to progress," her Mom said. She was carefully pouring herself a cup of tea as she spoke to her daughter. There had never been a great fondness between them. She wasn't the type of mother you could run to when you were upset or talk to when you needed someone to listen and lend advice.

Masaki looked at her mother with a growing sense of disappointment. She had woken up this morning with a happy glow surrounding her from the previous evening. The smile that had been planted on her face all morning was now crumbling in the wake of her mothers' statement. Her betrothed was coming this afternoon along with his family to start organizing their wedding.

She knew she should feel guilty for what she had done but she couldn't summon the emotion. It had been an incredible night and she would never forget it but reality was quickly banging on her door and it was time to leave her short lived fantasy.

Masaki didn't bother to reply to her mother and instead, stood up and left the dinning room to search out her brother. She found him out back, sitting beneath a large tree with his bow resting on his lap. She took a seat beside him and they sat in silence for a while, both lost in their own thoughts till Ryuken spoke up.

"Mom told me he was coming today," said Ryuken, finally breaking the silence.

Masaki sighed and turned her head up to stare at the encroaching clouds in the sky. "I knew it had to happen some day."

"He might not be so bad. Maybe you'll like him," Ryuken suggested hopefully.

Masaki turned her face and smiled at her brother. "Speaking of… How are things going with you and Ayden? You were out late last night," she teased and winked at her younger brother.

"We uh… we just talked."

"Sure…," said Masaki with a cheeky grin. "Well, at least one of us got a good match."

"It's a bit early to be saying that. You haven't even seen your betrothed since you were a kid. Maybe he's changed. Just because he was a spoiled brat as a kid doesn't mean he will be when he's grown up," said Ryuken encouragingly.

"We'll see soon I guess," she said and tried not to let her thoughts wander back to Isshin.

"But… what difference does it make?" complained Isshin while his father glared at him.

"It's bad enough that you spend your days down there but I'm not going to allow you to spend all your free time there. You are a member of the royal family. You have certain duties that need to be seen to and that includes being present at tonight's dinner."

Isshin gritted his teeth but didn't respond. As much as he wanted to leave and see Masaki again, he knew he couldn't get out of this engagement. The family that was coming over was one of the most powerful families in the Quincy lines. It would be a great insult if he wasn't there.

"I'll be there," he said, squaring his shoulders and heading out of the large room.

"Well, our hopes for him changing came true," muttered Ryuken as he and Masaki made their way to the back of the house where their father was.

"I think I would have preferred a spoiled brat than what he's like now," Masaki commented, disappointment clearly written on her face. "How can I marry someone like that?" She remembered the mans chilly gaze, the way his eyes made her entire body shiver with freight. Sure, most women would probably find him very handsome. He had long hair which was so light in color that it almost looked silver and he was tall and thin, his body toned from hours and hours of practice and battle. But there was something eerie about him. His cool demeanor commanded attention but it was harsh and cruel.

Two weeks… they were supposed to be married in two weeks.

Ryuken turned to his sister and put a comforting arm around her shoulders.

Soken watched his two children walk into the room and he tried not to let them see the sorrow he was feeling. His daughter deserved better than a cold, power hungry husband but it was already set. He had no control over such things. It was his wife's family that controlled the wealth.

Their marriage had also been arranged. His wife's family was extremely wealthy but had never possessed great Quincy abilities. That was what he had brought to the marriage and their match had worked. Ryuken's abilities surpassed his own and Masaki's abilities were even more unbelievably impressive. But yet… his wife's family wanted more. They wanted wealth and power to match the Soul King himself. He knew how some of the families felt. They wanted a King of their own to rule beside the Soul King, some even so far as to wanting to supplant the King. Soken had no such ambition which was why he was so torn with what he should do.

It was clear that his daughter didn't care for the man she was to marry. He'd had to live with a loveless marriage himself for over twenty years… could he let his daughter go through that as well, just for the sake of more power?

"What's wrong with you three?" a chilling voice broke through his thoughts, making him turn his head in the direction of his wife who was walking through the door behind Ryuken and Masaki.

"Mother, I can't marry…," Masaki started to protest but was cut short.

"You can and you will. This marriage has been arranged for over fifteen years. It will benefit both families greatly," their mother said icily.

"Why must she? We're already wealthy enough. What more do you need?" Soken argued.

"There is no such thing as wealthy enough. Anyway, I thought you guys understood what we are trying to accomplish," she said and strode out of the room, mumbling about ungrateful children.

Masaki turned tear filled eyes towards her father and threw her arms around him, sobbing into his chest. "I love you Dad."

"I love you too Masaki. We'll figure something out."

Isshin glared across the dinning room table at the man who dared to act so arrogantly in front of his father. It hadn't taken long for him to develop an intense dislike for the man. Every fiber of his being told him that something wasn't right. He seemed dangerous. The way his eyes stared so emotionlessly at his surroundings was unnerving to Isshin.

For a tense moment, the man with silver blonde hair looked at him, their gazes locking as if readying for battle. Isshin fisted his hands beneath the table, his jaw clenching as he fought back the rising anger within him. This man was up to something.

He was relieved when dinner was over and the family left soon after. He needed to talk to Ryuken.

Ayden took a seat in the same place as the night before beside the pond. She could hardly contain the giddiness inside of her. Last night had been a fantasy that she almost couldn't believe happened. She'd had a hard time sleeping last night and all throughout the day she'd been in a dream world. The moment she had been able to escape her family, she'd fled, heading to the place Ryuken had asked her to meet him the night before.

She waited several minutes, trying to calm the nerves in her stomach. It had to be after eight by now but still no sign of him. She glanced around the area, trying to see any sign of someone approaching but saw nothing. Overhead, the sky was starless, clouds covering the entire sky. She hoped it wouldn't start raining soon.

After a few more minutes she decided to leave. She tried to ignore the growing ache in her chest. She should have known that last night was too good to be true. Her throat started to constrict as she fought back the sobs that threatened to overtake her body. She wouldn't let herself cry over this. She hated crying. Her eyes were glued to the path beneath her feet, her hair whipping into her face from the increasing wind. She ignored the strands that clung to her eyelashes and lips, wanting to get home as quickly as possible.

The first few drops of rain hit her face and she hurried her pace. How could she have been so stupid? Just because they were supposed to be married didn't mean he would care for her. What a grand illusion that had been on her part. She'd had a crush on him even before their marriage had been arranged and now she'd foolishly allowed herself to believe that he might harbor some of the same feelings for her that she had for him.

Stupid, STUPID Ayden!

She turned down another path, the rain starting to come down harder now and soaking her through. Strands of her black hair clung to her face and neck, her shirt sticking to her body like a second skin.

"Ayden!" a voice called from behind her and she could hear what sounded like someone running towards her.

"Ayden! Wait up!" the familiar voice said and she stopped abruptly to turn and see if it was really him.

"Isshin?" she questioned as she squinted in the rain to see the approaching figure.

"Yea… hey. Ryuken is at the pond looking for you. I think I made him late but I'm glad I ran into you here. I want to ask you a favor."

Ryuken was looking for her? He really had wanted to see her. Ayden felt her belly heat up and she couldn't contain the smile that spread over her face. "Sure, what do you need?" she answered and wrapped her arms across her chest, remembering the state of her clothing.

"I was hoping you would come with me back to the Ishida's. It wouldn't have been very appropriate for me to stay after Ryuken left to meet you but I really want to see Masaki. If you came with me we could all sorta… hang out together for a little while."

"Well uh, I'm not really dressed for visiting right now," she said, pulling at the drenched fabric that still clung to her.

"Eh, who cares? I'm sure Masaki will have something you can change in to. It's not like I'm in any better shape and unfortunately, I don't think anything of Ryuken's is going to fit me," he said and laughed.

Ayden chuckled as well and nodded.

They walked briskly back down the path, ducking their heads in the strong gusting wind and rain. When they approached the pond, silhouetted on the other side was Ryuken, seeming to be staring at the pond motionlessly.

"Let me go get him. I'll be right back," Ayden said and disappeared down the side path that led around the small pond.

She quietly approached Ryuken, his back turned towards her. She wind and rain was so loud that he probably couldn't hear her steps on the soggy grass until she was right behind him and he turned abruptly when he felt something touch the center of his back.

"Ayden!" he exclaimed in surprise. "I thought you were…"

"I was but Isshin found me and asked me to come back with him," she answered, suddenly self-conscious. Her shirt still clung indecently to her skin and her hair was a mess of wet strands streaming down her face.

Ryuken drank in the sight of the girl in front of him. He couldn't believe how sexy she looked standing there. As much as she tried to cover herself, he could still make out the outline of her curves in the darkness and he felt his body responding. He mentally shook his head and held a hand out to Ayden. "Here, let's go."

They nearly ran back to where Isshin waited for them but didn't bother to stop as they made their way to Ryuken's house. They burst through the entrance, Isshin close behind and headed towards a room in the back of the house.

"Masaki?" he said, knocking lightly on the closed door.

A few seconds later, Masaki opened the door and stared wide-eyed at the threesome standing in the hallway. "What happened to you guys?" she asked.

"We got caught in the rain. Can Ayden borrow some clothes?" Ryuken asked.

"Yea, of course," she answered and stepped back to allow Ayden inside.

"We'll be in my room," Ryuken said and started walking down the hallway.

Isshin closed the door behind him after they walked into Ryuken's large room.

"I know what you did," said Ryuken as he opened the door to his closet and pulled out a neatly hung white button up shirt and black pants, then dug through a drawer to find a white undershirt. He tossed a black t-shirt and sweat pants to Isshin who held up the t-shirt by the shoulders, a grin spreading over his face.

"What did I do?" Isshin asked, feigning innocence and chuckling. "This should be interesting." He lifted the soaking wet shirt over his head and threw it in a heap in the center of Ryuken's room.

Ryuken glared at Isshin until the black haired man bent over and picked up the soggy mess and placed it in the hamper in the corner of the room.

"I know you persuaded Ayden to come back here so that you could spend time with Masaki," said Ryuken, lifting his own shirt over his head and wiping himself down with a small towel. He watched Isshin struggle into his shirt, trying not to laugh at how ridiculous he looked.

Isshin turned frustrated eyes towards Ryuken who shrugged and said, "It's not my fault you're built like a bear." He might as well not be wearing a shirt it was so tight and he held the sweat pants in his hand and frowned.

"I'll just have to deal with wet pants I guess."

A few minutes later, a knock sounded on the door and the girls walked inside. Masaki laughed openly at Isshin who made fun of his own predicament by flexing for the girls, eliciting another round of laughter. Ryuken rolled his eyes and took a seat on the carpeted floor, his back resting against the side of his bed. Ayden took a seat beside him, careful not to get too close.

"Do you have any cards?" Isshin asked, not bothering to wait for an answer before he started pulling drawers out of a nearby desk and searching through it.

"Yes, they're right here," he answered with a scowl while pulling out a pack from his nightstand drawer. "Now stop going through my stuff."

Isshin took a seat a few feet in front of Ryuken and beside Masaki on the floor.

"What are we playing?" Masaki asked.

"Strip poker?" suggested Isshin with a wicked grin.

The two women laughed and Ryuken glared at his friend. "I'm not playing strip poker with my sister… or you for that matter." He started shuffling the deck and asked, "How about rummy?"

They all nodded in agreement and Ryuken passed out the cards. They played several hands, each enjoying themselves till Isshin said, "I'm thirsty. Anyone wanna go get a drink with me?"

Masaki immediately volunteered and they didn't wait for anyone else to answer before they quickly left the room.

Ryuken ran a hand through his still slightly damp hair and sighed. Well this was a bit awkward. "Uh, so did you have a good day today?"

"Yea it was ok," she answered and repeated the question to him.

"Well, not really to be honest." He thought back to his lunch with Masaki's betrothed and then the conversation he'd had with Isshin. Nope, definitely not a good day. "But it's better now," he added with a smile and started shuffling the cards again.

Ayden peaked over her cards to look at Ryuken. Her legs were folded beneath her and she could feel her right foot starting to fall asleep so she tried to adjust her position and managed to somehow kick the deck of cards that were on the ground across the floor.

"Oh no, I'm so sorry!" she cried and got on her hands and knees to start picking up the cards strewn all over the floor.

Ryuken laughed politely and got up to help her. "If you didn't wanna play you could have just said so instead of kicking the cards all over the place."

Ayden lifted her head sharply and looked at him with wide eyes. "No, no… it was an accident," she pleaded and then laughed nervously when she saw him smiling at her.

"It was a joke. Sorry, I'm not always good at jokes," Ryuken said and shuffled across the floor to hand Ayden the cards he'd picked up.

"It would have been good if I wasn't so nervous around you," she said, not daring to pick her eyes up from the floor.

"Nervous?" Ryuken questioned in surprise. He watched her nod her head and he asked, "Why do I make you nervous?"

Ayden bit her lip as she searched for an answer. 'Because you are drop dead gorgeous,' she wanted to say but of course didn't dare. Even though she still wouldn't look up from the ground she knew he was right in front of her, kneeling on the ground like she was. "I.. I'm not sure," she answered.

"Well is it good nervous or bad nervous?" he asked, moving a few inches closer to her.

"Good nervous," she answered quickly, aware that he had moved closer. The feeling her body had had the night before started to invade her and she felt her pulse begin to quicken.

"I'm sorry I make you nervous. Is there anything I can do to make you less nervous?" he asked as he raised his hand to her chin and lifted her face up so that she was gazing into his eyes.

"N… Not that I can t-think of," she stammered, unable to tear her eyes from his face which was slowly moving towards hers.

Ryuken trailed his fingers up from her chin and across her cheek. "Let me know if you think of something," he whispered just inches from her lips and released her, moving back to where he had been sitting before they had moved to pick up the cards.

Ayden's breath whooshed out from her lungs, unaware that she had been holding it and stared dumbfounded at the ground where Ryuken had just been. She'd have to be stupid to not know what he had just done and the knowledge made her smile mischievously. She didn't know if she could pull it off but some of her nerves had flitted away after that encounter. Yes, she could play this game with him.

"It's a bit warm in here now that I'm mostly dry," she said and lifted the baggy shirt that Masaki had lent her over her head so that she was only wearing a light pink tank top and white khaki shorts. She scooted across the floor and took her seat to resume the game and after she picked up her cards, she caught Ryuken looking at her chest which she knew was held to advantage in the sheer top.

Ryuken cleared his throat and said, "Yea, you're right." He started unbuttoning his white shirt and pulled it out from his pants, shrugging it off his shoulders and laying it out on the floor beside him.

Ayden tried to hide the smile that crept across her face by shielding her mouth with the cards in her hands and quickly took her turn. Ryuken's white undershirt fit snuggly and Ayden couldn't help but admire the lines of his shoulders and pecs.

"Have you thought of anything yet that I can do to lessen your nerves?" he asked, laying down a group of cards.

"Nope. Nothing has come to mind," she answered, laying down a set of her own. She unclasped the watch around her wrist and slid it over her hand, rubbing the skin beneath where a few indentations marred her skin.

"Mind if I put this on your table?" she asked, holding up the silver watch.

Ryuken nodded and expected her to stand up to put it down on the table across the room but instead she leaned towards him and reached behind him to put it down on the bedside table. Her arm was raised just above his shoulder and her body was a mere inch from his as she leaned over him.

"Don't let me forget it's there," she whispered before she sat back down.

Ryuken's body was pulsing with excitement as he sat there and took his turn. He wasn't sure how much longer he was going to be able to play this little game between them before he tackled her to the ground but he sure as heck would try to prolong it as long as he could. He was enjoying it immensely.

"I'll be right back," he said and quickly stood up and jogged out of the room. He was back less than a minute later with an apple in his hand and took his seat once again.

He took a large bite and looked up at Ayden after he swallowed the mouthful. "Sorry. There was only one. Would you like a bite?" he offered, holding the juicy fruit out towards her with a devilish grin.

Ayden nodded and reached for the apple, only to have it jerked away from her at the last second. She looked at him questioningly and when he held it out to her again, she reached for it and huffed when he pulled it away again.

"Ryuken?" she said, a look of confusion on her face.

"Come and get it," he said and held the fruit back out to her.

This time she leaned forward with her hands resting on the floor and crept closer to the apple with her mouth. She stared up at him as she got closer and when she reached the apple she took a large bite and smiled as she backed away.

"Mmm," she said and licked her lips where some juice had fallen. She couldn't believe she had just done that. She was pretty much at her limit when it came to sexual teasing but she loved how it made her feel. There was something incredibly intoxicating about knowing someone found you attractive and she fed off of this to try to continue just a little bit longer.

She picked up a card from the deck and squealed with delight as she laid down three of a kind and discarded her last card. "I win!" she exclaimed and smiled over at Ryuken.

"Good thing we didn't wager anything," he said and tossed the remaining cards in his hand to the floor.

"I wish we had," said Ayden while she picked up the cards and started piling them neatly and sliding them inside the box.

"Oh… and what would you have wagered for?" he asked, sitting back and leaning his head against the side of the bed.

"Umm… I don't know." She tried to think of something clever to say but her brain came up with nothing.

"You don't seem very nervous any more," Ryuken commented and stood up. "Do you mind if I turn the light off and just use the lamp?"

Ayden shook her head and watched him walk across the room to switch off the light. The room was immediately cast in shadows from the lamp on the far side of the room and somehow everything seemed suddenly way more intimate. All the confidence she'd gained during their game vanished with the lights and she started fidgeting nervously as he came back to sit beside her.

Ryuken took off his glasses and placed them on the table beside Ayden's watch.

"Can I see them?" she asked.

"My glasses?"

"Yea."

He grabbed the glasses from the table and handed them over to her. She put them on and turned to face him, blinking rapidly to adjust her vision. "How do I look?" she asked.

They were a little large for her face but she looked incredibly cute wearing them and he commented so as he leaned forward and placed a quick kiss to her lips. He took his glasses off of her and placed them back on the table without breaking eye contact with her and then leaned forward again and pressed his lips to hers. He tried to keep it slow and gentle but the urgency that had been growing inside wouldn't let him. His tongue slipped between her lips and she made the sweetest noise. He needed more.

His hands moved to her body, grabbing her waist and pulling her to him. She sat on his lap, her legs straddling his and wrapped her arms around his neck, not breaking the kiss. His hands were all over her body, sliding up her back and then down her bare legs. She was warm and soft in all the right places and his groin tightened with need when she started wiggling against him. He could feel her hands sifting through his hair, tightening their grasp when he pushed her hips more firmly against his own.

"Ryuken," she gasped, breaking her mouth away from his when she felt the hardness between her thighs.

Ryuken released his hold on her hips, trying to remember she was innocent. Hell, who was he kidding? He was innocent too… but he certainly wasn't feeling like it at the moment.

"Sorry," he breathed and kissed her again. Her hands moved down from the back of his head to his neck, the tips of her fingers tracing tiny circles as they went.

She couldn't believe this was happening. What did he say sorry for? Her heart was beating so loudly in her chest that she would swear he could hear it. Her fingers itched to explore more of his body but did she dare? She wanted to run her hands over the broad expanse of his shoulders and chest, trace every muscular indentation her fingers could reach. A funny heat seemed to be building low in her belly and she remembered the way her body had reacted when he'd pressed his own hips against that spot. She'd been startled at first by the lancing heat that coursed through her body, the movement only slightly fulfilling a need that was growing within her.

"C… can you… do it… again, please?" she asked, resting her forehead against his.

Ryuken leaned back to try to look into her face. 'Do what?' he wondered and voiced the same question.

A blush flooded her already warm cheeks as she searched for the words to tell him what she wanted. Why was it so hard to just say it? She decided it was easier to show him so she pressed down with her hips, rubbing over his groin and arching her neck backwards as the same pleasure surged up and down her spine. It was easy to forget what she was doing when such amazing pleasure was surging through her body.

Ryuken was erotically shocked when Ayden moved over him, her warmth pressing against his and sending licks of charged lightning through his body. 'Was she really asking for that?' he wondered. 'Did she even know what she was asking for?'

His fingers dug into the tender flesh of her hips as she pushed himself up against her once again and watched her throw her head back and moan from the contact. The sound was almost more titillating than the action and his growing erection became painful inside his pants.

He captured her lips in another searing kiss, sliding his tongue along…

The sound of the door knob turning jolted Ryuken out of his lust filled haze but he only had time to pull his mouth away before the door was flung open and Isshin walked in, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw the position the couple was in.

"Whoa… sorry buddy," said Isshin as he quickly closed the door and left the two alone.

Ryuken sighed and gathered Ayden's body close to his, wrapping his arms around her and resting his forehead against hers. "Sorry about that," he said and lifted his head to look in her eyes.

Ayden was blushing furiously and bit her lower lip as she looked back at him. "I should probably get going anyway," she answered and started lifting herself off of his lap. It felt cold and hollow without his body against hers and she shivered when she stood up.

"I'll walk you home," he said and picked up the shirt she'd been wearing earlier and held it out to her.

"Thanks."