Guys the second to last bleach chapter has been released. I'm distressed I can't believe that it's finally ending. I'm not ready for this, despite my queen making status. All of my children are super cute and I was freaking out the whole chapter and in two weeks when the final chapter releases I'm sure I'm going to be a sobbing mess so at least enjoy this.

The next time she met with the Seelie siblings, it was to an empty throne room, save for her brother, sister, and Renji. Hitsugaya was still currently being healed, and Shirayuki had taken it upon herself to check on him. The yukionna had promised to tell Rukia everything that was going on, and ran down the hallway before Rukia could ask her to stay. She tried not to think about why one of her closest companions was currently avoiding her, and instead focused on the clipped words of her brother as she slipped into the back of the room.

"-avoided telling us that it was the solstice for your people, and put the Unseelie Hime at risk." She could almost feel the Seelie Prince wince. He at least had the decency to look sheepish, rubbing at the back of his neck. Hisana was watching him rather closely, and if she concentrated, Rukia could feel the glamour of her sister's magick at work. Whereas Rukia was biting winds, her sister was a balming cool, the epitome of comfort. Her brother however, was their ruler for a reason. He was the pinnacle of levelheaded, cool, but there was a fire underneath, a temper hidden for good reason. He was who taught her to hide her own emotions, to be just like him. She supposed she had him to thank for her abilities, for how dangerous a threat she had become.

She felt Renji move to stand beside her, before she saw him. Glancing over to him, she saw the question in his eyes, but she merely shook her head, before he brushed his hand against hers. He pushed worry towards her, along with curiosity, and she crossed her arms before she could pick up something more. They had been friends for so long, and were comfortable with one another, but she couldn't understand why she felt so annoyed with him pushing his emotions onto her like this. Maybe it was the fact of where they were, or maybe because of who was there…she flinched instantaneously when she sensed how harshly Renji's shock and annoyance flared out. He was never one for dramatics, never one to overreact, and it overwhelmed her.

Clenching her jaw to prevent herself from yelling in surprise, she swung her gaze up to his own, and could see him want to take a step away from her. He widened his eyes, trying to plead with her, and she felt sorrow try to drown her. It only caused her gaze to chill further, and she could feel the room cool several degrees. This time he did take a step away, ultimately causing attention to fall to them.

"Rukia?" it was her sister's voice, and she let out a harsh breath, not aware that she had been holding it. Meeting matching violet eyes, she could feel her sister's cool prodding, trying to relax her as she continued to speak. "We need your account of the night of the Summer Solstice." Nodding her head, and bowing slightly, Rukia stepped forward, to stand next to Karin. Surprisingly, she felt worry slightly emanating from the girl. She brushed her hand against her arm, hoping she could push the feeling of calm towards the girl. She wasn't sure how her ability worked fully, but when the air spiked in surprise, she knew it had just then.

"Of course. Only several minutes after I had entered the gala, Shirayuki and I had become split up. When I scanned the room for her, Toshirou had materialized in-between us, collapsed and covered in wounds. He warned us to run, and the room broke into chaos. 6 tengus appeared from a shattered window, and I stepped from where I was with the others to confront them before the Seelie Ouji could stop me. I disarmed 3, and wounded a fourth, allowing them to escape as warning." Hisana nodded her head, staring at her with a critical eye.

"They were sent as a warning no doubt. That you are not safe anywhere else? Or that the Seelie should be wary of what could come? After all, there are no such precautions against demons with them like we have here." Rukia said nothing, only nodded, but was surprised at Karin speaking.

"We have no war with these Tengus. There has been peace for nearly 500 years. Why would they choose to act against us now?" Rukia turned towards the girl, seeing the determination in her eyes.

"Perhaps they are aware of the strength of your brother." It was a casual statement from Hisana, but Rukia knew that her sister was hinting to them of what she could sense. "Enough to turn the war, especially if they think that the Seelie and Unseelie are allying with one another. Just imagine, the boy king and the reincarnated goddess. Any demon would be foolish not to try to stop it before an alliance could brew." Or something more, was whispered into Rukia's mind, and she glared at her sister from the corner of her eye.

"And that's what we have here? An alliance?" it was said with a slight bite from the prince as he looked between Byakuya and Hisana. The two said nothing for a moment, just glanced at one another, and Rukia could see how strong their mating bond was. Capable of having access to ones thoughts and feelings, to feel as though they were one…
…as one, they both spoke.

"Yes."
"Yes."

Rukia looked to them wide-eyed. She couldn't help but take a step forward.

"If we draw a line in the sand, they will renew their efforts to attack. We are officially declaring war. What will the Seelie do? It is open lands, nothing to defend from aerial attacks." She could sense the heat wafting off of Ichigo come closer as he stepped towards her.

"My people can defend themselves. We will prepare for war. We will accept an alliance. I can protect them." Rukia went to say something further, knowing he felt insulted at her questions, and turned her gaze onto the burning prince to get a read on him, but Byakuya stood, commanding everyone's gaze.

"You would do well to make sure Kurosaki. Write your father. Ready yourselves for war."

XxXxXx

After Byakuya had dismissed them, Rukia led Yuzu and Karin to the healers den, where Yuzu would meet with Unohana and they could figure out whatever illness the hime had. Rukia hadn't noticed anything visibly wrong with the girl, but she wasn't a healer for a reason. The girl was positively cheerful regardless, and thanked Rukia for everything she was doing for her. The hime took a step back, shaking her head, denying her praise.

"Anyone would have done the same Yuzu. You just get stronger for your brother." They had left the girl in Unohana's capable hands and Rukia led Karin around the manor. She brought her to her room first, allowing the girl to change into a pair of black wool trousers and a cotton grey kimono top, while Rukia shifted into a long navy skirt, slitted on both sides to reveal fitted trousers in a charcoal grey. Her kimono was a matching grey that had black embroidery along its sleeves, matching her black flat boots. The darker twin took one look at Rukia before speaking.

"So that Renji guy in love with you or what?" the hime's eyes widened, not at all expecting the girl to have said that, and stared at her, dumbfounded for a minute. When it was clear the younger girl was not going to change the subject, Rukia cleared her throat. She continued to walk, leading her towards the library, and lowered her voice.

"I have known Renji for…many years. We have been childhood friends, companions, warriors-in-arms…but never lovers." It didn't exactly answer the girl's question, and Rukia knew it, but she couldn't fully answer, lest she answer her unspoken fears. Glancing to the girl, she saw that she was unsatisfied, and went to continue speaking, but Karin spoke first.

"You don't love him like that…do you?" Rukia shook her head, not able to speak. "But…you think he does?" she stopped walking then, turning to face Karin fully, and grabbed her wrist gently. She couldn't speak the words, but maybe…

XxXxXx

When the Unseelie hime grabbed her, she had to admit that it surprised her. She wasn't afraid of the hime, she had seen too much kindness from her to ever be so, but she had to admit she was curious of what the woman would say. She could see the way the red-haired fae looked at the girl, as if he were drowning and she were the air. All of a sudden, she felt an overwhelming surety rush her, and just like earlier in the room with the Unseelie Lord and Lady, she knew it were not her own. Her eyes widened, and she met wide violet orbs.

"You can push emotions to another person?" the hime was so surprised, it seemed like she barely heard the girl, but slowly, surely, she nodded. Karin was amazed at what she could be capable of doing, and it seemed that Rukia was having the same thoughts. Another thought was coming back to her though, now that she realized what the hime had told her.

"You know he loves you more than a companion?" it was whispered, not willing to shatter the atmosphere the two had created, but the hime had flinched nonetheless, her gaze shuttering closed. Karin sighed and took that as a yes. She didn't know what to do with the information, especially if she was correct in her previous observations. She had known her brother for all her life, over 80 years, and in that time, she had come to read him exceptionally well, and not once had she before seen the reactions from him that she was seeing now. She hadn't known how to explain the emotion or thoughts that he was feeling before, but after seeing Renji, now she was sure.

XxXxXx

Seeing Toshirou of all people in the library was the last thing she expected. Karin didn't react much beyond her normal scope of disinterest or indifference, just walked off to search through their books. Rukia, however, could not stop staring at her cousin, who was leaning against one of the tables, looking at her like he could read her every thought. She wondered if he could, since he had taken an oath for her. He raised an eyebrow at her, and Rukia scowled at him, annoyed that he already ruined the moment of happiness at seeing him.

"You seem well cousin." Her words were clipped, and she was satisfied when he had the decency to thaw out and step towards her.

"As do you. I heard of your encounter with the tengus." Rukia raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yes, my encounter. Now if would be so kind to tell me of yours I would be in a much better mood."

"Perhaps if you saw the Seelie Ouji you would be." She was shocked at his casual mention of the prince who seemed to set her bones on fire, and she took a threatening step towards her cousin.

"What has Shirayuki been telling you?" she demanded, glancing around the library for others. Karin had already made her way up to the second level, three books already slung under one arm, and paid them no mind, but she had an inkling the hime could hear them or knew something. She could sense magick from the girl, seemingly ancient and knowing, and for a girl less than a hundred years old…it had to have come from her father. Toshirou was watching her closely.

"Nothing. Just my own observation. As interesting as this development is, there are more important things to speak of. Like this war that is coming." He took a step towards her, and Rukia clenched her jaw at the chill that descended onto the room. She brushed it off, taking another glance at Karin, but the girl seemed unaffected. Rukia couldn't help but wonder which magick held more weight in her. Toshirou brought her attention back with a hand to her arm. "Do you know what you're doing? Allying yourself with the prince?" She pulled back in surprise.

"It is the least that we owe them. We brought this war to them, going to their lands. We could've sent for Yuzu, but like fools we went on our own! And they attacked there! What could've happened if you hadn't intercepted them? If we all left to go speak to Hisana?" she was getting riled up quickly, and knew she needed to leave the room, needed to get away from her cousin. He could see it in her as well, and he took a step back.

"I apologize Rukia, I was only making certain of your determination." His eyes softened a moment, and Rukia felt bad for biting at him. "We cannot lose you." He shimmered away after a moment, and Rukia let out a sigh, leaning against a table. She looked up to search for Karin, who was leaning against the railing of the second level, 6 books under her chin. The girl was watching her closely, and merely raised an eyebrow. Before Rukia could form an apology or a question or something else, the girl lifted a hand and snapped her fingers, and instantly the room returned to room temperature, not through heat, but by releasing the cold. She picked up her books and made her way to Rukia and the door. As she passed her, she tilted her head towards the older woman.

"In case you were wondering." Shaking her head in wonderment, she followed after the Unseelie Seelie.

XxXxXx

He hated that he kept wondering where the Unseelie hime was, what she was doing, and who she was doing it with. There was no reason for it, they barely knew one another, and yet she was a plague on his thoughts. He found himself outside for the third time in the last hour, and now his feet had brought him to watching Unseelie soldiers training in the bone chilling cold and snow.

Out here in their element, they only wore trousers and kimonos, all in shades of grey and black, with black flat boots that he would see the hime walking in. Leading them was the red-haired fae that found them in the Rukongai, Renji, and Ichigo didn't want to think about why he was relieved to have found the fae here. As if sensing the prince, and to be honest, they probably did, the group Renji was training all turned to face him. As one, they bowed to him, a fist crossed over their chest. When they stood, Renji barked at them to continue training, and made his way towards Ichigo. To the prince's surprise, the male was shirtless, and he saw that the sharp tattoos on his face and neck continued across his chest from shoulder to shoulder, and down his arm, and that a second set trailed along his ribs. He didn't bow, merely inclined his head, and looked the prince over.

Ichigo wasn't wearing the outer coat he traveled in the first time, and instead was dressed in all black like when they had left the Seelie lands. He wore a pair of black leather vambraces as well, with two twin, black daggers tucked into them. If Renji was being honest, the boy king looked like Death himself, but he would never tell him that.

"Are you looking for training, Prince?" his voice was low and rough, at odds with the way he spoke to Rukia earlier, and Ichigo could tell the man didn't care for him. He couldn't help but smirk at the man.

"If you don't mind."

XxXxXx

She allowed Karin to walk around the manor, leading them to wherever her feet took her. She had seen the kitchens, the bathhouse, even Rukia's room, but now she was interested in what was outside. She didn't even put a coat on before opening the main doors to the blowing wind and snow, and then walking outside. Rukia couldn't help but wonder why the hime had even bothered to wear a coat when they left the Seelie lands, although to be fair, the prince had only worn a leather vest and his shirt as well.

Karin seemed to hone in on something and Rukia found that she led them towards the training grounds. Her thoughts seemed to have summoned him once more, because she could see a flash of orange hair through the white snow, lunging towards one of her warriors. He moved beautifully, like a warrior-god, a savage dance that allowed him to fight unscathed again and again against her men, despite the fact that at least 4 of them were circling the prince.

On the outskirts of the circle of men, Renji stood with his arms crossed, but once Rukia was several feet away, he turned to her. She could feel his gaze, but couldn't stop looking at the prince deflecting her warriors with only 2 obsidian daggers in his grasp. Granted, the blades were probably as long as her forearm, but it was impressive when her men were fighting with blades and swords, katanas as long as her arm, and sometimes longer. He ducked under a blade, and moved in close to one of her men, only to lift his leg and kick the man in his chest, sending him sprawling beyond the ring of soldiers watching and probably waiting for their turn. She looked at Renji then, an eyebrow raised. The man had the audacity to shrug to her.

"He came, looking for training, and this is what he asked for." Rukia was too distracted in her conversation with Renji to notice, but Karin had been watching her brother since they walked up to the grounds, and she knew he could somehow sense the Unseelie hime. He was still fighting the men, easily dodging them, and with the training she knew he endured, this was child's play to him. He was their father's son after all, and Karin had heard stories, whispered, but true nonetheless, of the Unseelie's savage and unforgiving General in the North Mountains from centuries ago. Ichigo had been trained by him firsthand, once their mother passed, and he had only been in his first century. At nearly 300 years old, the boy king was capable of monstrous ability, and right now he wasn't even touching his magick.

"Enough." The word cut through every man there, shattering any semblance of power and control, and Karin watched as all of the soldiers moved from her brother in the blink of an eye, only to appear behind the Unseelie hime, kneeling to her, brows nearly touching the snow. It wasn't just her birthright as their hime to command them, Karin noticed. It was her ability to silence the wind, to be colder than the chill that seeped into all of their bones. She watched Renji, a man easily almost two feet taller than the hime, drop to both of his knees before her, staring at her, locked in some silent conversation, before he finally bowed his head to her.

Karin was mesmerized. The Unseelie hime was more than what she showed others. She didn't demand control, she commanded it. She was it. She turned to the dark hime then, and her eyes were the palest violet Karin had seen on her. It reminded her of when the hime transformed, and she couldn't help but wonder if that wasn't far off.

XxXxXx

Only belatedly did Rukia remember Karin and Ichigo. She was still so surprised at what Renji had dared to spit at her that she had let her temper slip. He knew he was pushing her, he would be a fool not to, but Rukia was starting to realize that whatever he had seen in the Seelie Prince was worrying him enough to find out her thoughts.

Her gaze moved to the Prince then, after seeing the way Karin stared at her, in slight amazement. He looked at her in no such way. He was watching her as if they were about to do battle, and he was sizing her up, daggers safely back in their sheaths. She forced herself not to flush at his roving gaze, knowing that he didn't see her in that way, not with Orihime waiting for him back in his lands. That caused another annoyance towards Renji for even suggesting her having feelings for the prince. Not only did she just meet him, he had a lover back home, so all her pining would be for naught. She was not the type to go after a taken man, regardless of if he made her feel like she could touch the sun for the first time in a long time.

"Fight me, Rukia." It was a soft spoken demand, but one nonetheless, that came from across the grounds, and Rukia stared at the prince in shock, not only for using her name, but for what he asked of her. He was a formidable opponent, and to ask if front of all of her men almost guaranteed a battle. She saw the slight twist to his lips and knew he had thought of the same thing. She walked towards the ring, her soldiers parting for her, and stood only an arm's length away from the prince.

Up close his eyes were burning gold, and it made her stomach tighten but he only gave her a light smirk. Foolish girl, don't fall for him. That voice was her own, and she repeated it incessantly before the prince bowed to her and took a step away. When he went to release his daggers, she remembered something, a story she had heard once, and it caused her to speak.

"Wait, not your daggers. Fight with the blade strapped to your back." He seemed so shocked that she noticed, but magick was indeed her forte, and she could feel the glamoured blade that wasn't exactly in this plane, strapped down the length of his spine. He hid his blade similar to the way she did hers, due to it actually being an innate Unseelie ability, but his skill was lesser if he had to actually have a place for it on his form. He stared at her for a moment longer, before acquiescing, and reaching behind his head. As he grabbed an invisible hilt and pulled, she watched an arching flame of gold flash into the sky, the heat melting any snow that was falling.

Like his daggers, the blade was a black obsidian, easily as long as the Prince's arm, and a wave of heat surrounded it. Rukia smiled. Her blade was capable of shattering countless blades at just a touch, but she had heard stories of this blade melting ones on the spot. He waved a hand at it, his head cocked, and Rukia only raised an eyebrow to him, wondering how old the boy king really was. He grinned at her then, and she inclined her head before taking a step back. Almost immediately, Ichigo lunged towards her, blade raised high, and she could hear Renji yell out in shock. That was drowned out with the screech of blades colliding, when Rukia only lifted her arm to deflect with a pure white blade that was materializing in her hand against Ichigo's black one. Against them, steam wafted, both trying to claim the other. She tried not to think of that as a metaphor.

"Quick reflexes hime." The honorific threw her off, but when she looked into his eyes, she saw no sign of him messing with her. He was watching her again, and she couldn't hold back her flush this time. He seemed to not notice, which she was thankful for, and instead pressed down on her blade before pulling away.

"No magick ouji?" she watched him blink, going to open his mouth, before closing and opening once more. She lunged forward, disappearing completely from his gaze, before landing above and swiping her blade towards him. He dodged it, rolling away and kneeling just outside of her reach. Her blade was pointed towards his neck, but she was still far enough that he could avoid it. He was watching her closely again.

"I don't think we're ready to fight with magick." It was a loaded response, and Rukia was admittedly curious and slightly offended as to what he meant by that. It seemed her curiosity was her downfall, however, because the next thing she knew, a solid weight was around her waist, and she felt her body go horizontal.

Her blade had disappeared the minute she released it, but she could feel Ichigo's blade laying near them in the snow, hissing at the cold. She opened her eyes, not realizing when she closed them, only to stare up into a tanned face, with bright, amber eyes. He was smirking down at her, and Rukia tried not to think about the fact that his lower body was pressed into hers. "I'm pretty sure I win." The statement was so lighthearted, that Rukia couldn't help but snort and shove at the Prince's shoulder as if she had known him for years. He seemed as equally surprised and pleased at her actions and his smirk turned into a grin. "Ah, so you don't hate me Rukia." He murmured.

"What made you think that I hated you Ichigo?" she raised an eyebrow. Ichigo didn't say anything for a moment, but she watched his gaze flick up, to where she knew Renji probably was.

"It seems your lover hates me." The world fell to a halt at that and Rukia really did try to shove Ichigo off of her. He complied, quickly sitting up and grabbing his blade to re-strap it to his back, and watched Rukia turn a serious face towards him.

"He is not-"

"Alliance or not, never touch the hime like that again." It seemed that Renji had stormed over almost immediately once Ichigo tackled Rukia, and then proceeded to cut her off, his anger and something else blinding him to all but Kurosaki Ichigo. The red-haired fae was positively snarling, and it caused Rukia to stand up and turn to Renji.

"Stand down, Abarai." The voice chilled everyone, and all turned to see Byakuya Kuchiki watching them. Renji flinched, before dropping to a knee, but Rukia could see him shaking with barely restrained fury. Byakuya turned mercurial eyes onto her, and she felt her heart skip a beat. Something was happening. "Rukia, you and the Kurosakis are to go speak to Hisana. We will join you shortly." Rukia bowed and felt completely horrible for forgetting about Karin. She was so wrapped up in the prince that all else fell away. She turned to the girl to apologize but she was already speaking to Ichigo, a smirk on her face as a blush of all things was on his. Her mind had started to race at the cause of it, however Rukia could see the girl saying Orihime's name, and was once again chilled at the thought of how she was acting.

She cleared her throat, and clenched her hands behind her back. The two siblings turned to her then, with Karin content and Ichigo failing to calm his flush, but both nearly smiling.

"Come with me." was all she could find words for, before turning away and willing herself not to look back at them. She didn't see Ichigo's face fall, and she didn't see Karin watch her closely, trying to see something invisible, to hear something others could not.