She trailed through the hallways slowly, not bothering to make conversation. Behind her, Karin and Ichigo said nothing, and Rukia was thankful. Not only was she worried for what Hisana wanted to speak with them about, she was mortified at what had transpired between her and the prince. Never had another soul dared to get so close to her. Never had she allowed them to do so before, and yet this prince was burning down the walls she had built. The worst of all was that he had another, and thought that she did as well. It was entirely embarrassing, and never before had she lacked such control towards a person. Kuchikis are control. Her brother's mantra curled through her thoughts for just a moment, before another voice joined, calming hands brushing down her psyche. Relax. You will be standing before a group of Highborn, make sure you are all dressed properly. Her sister's words were obviously a reflection of her brother's wishes, and Rukia wondered if he was speaking through her.
Regardless, the realization caused Rukia to stop suddenly, and she turned to the two Seelie. They were looking at her, wide eyed, but said nothing. She looked at them both, dressed down as could be, and frowned.
"There are going to be Highborn in the room, so we need to be dressed appropriately…do you mind?" she waved a hand towards them and both shook their heads mutely. She looked to Karin first, and knew immediately what to give the girl. Waving a hand towards her, her previous clothes were replaced with a kimono made of silk, and had a matching obi the color of gunmetal. Its outermost layer was a stark white in comparison, and when she turned, the hem of it had a deep orange tiger that was snarling. Her short black hair was slicked back and away from her face, and on her feet, known to only the two of them, she still wore a pair of flat black boots. She looked to Rukia in surprise, before brushing her hands down the kimono. She could feel the girl's excitement for the garment, though her face barely changed. It was in her eyes, however, Rukia could see it there, and her gratitude.
Turning to Ichigo, she thought long and hard about him. He was staring at her with wide eyes, and she could feel apprehension curling from him. She smirked slightly, and flicked her fingers towards him. His outfit didn't change much, because he did not seem like the type of man to dress traditionally like they were prone to, but still, he wore black fitted slacks, a matching button-down, and tie. He seemed surprised at her choice, but pleased he wasn't dressed in a pair of hakama and Rukia scoffed out a laugh. Raising an eyebrow at her, he smirked. Before she could even remember how awkward she felt earlier she rolled her eyes, earning a laugh from him. It was just natural, she supposed, she couldn't help but be drawn to him, to light up around him, regardless of attraction.
Karin cleared her throat, and Rukia felt a flush coming on, so she turned away, continuing to walk towards the throne room, as her previous outfit disappeared in a burst of shimmering snow, replaced by a navy, off-the-shoulder furisode that had almost floor-length sleeves. Its under-layer was a silver-threaded white that caused it to reflect the light, and her obi matched it, with navy embroidery. Along all of its hems: collar, sleeves and floor, were tiny, white, embroidered eastern dragons curling around one another. The final piece was on top of her head and instead of the ice diadem along the back of her hair, a delicate crown of steel branch antlers was present, atop of her chin-length hair.
XxXxXx
Her magick washing over him was surprising. He had felt Unseelie magick nearly all his life from his father, and it had always been brutal, cold, and unyielding. The hime however, despite the fury he knew she contained, felt nothing at all like his father. Her magick was chilling, with the intent of keeping another out. It did nothing to diminish his own heat, only wrapped itself over him like a lover, caressing his very essence. It fell upon him like protection, and he couldn't help but wonder if she knew she was guarding him against other Unseelie. All of those thoughts, however, ran from his mind when she transformed, looking like Selene. The crown atop her head was the most surprising thing, and it reminded him of what Shirayuki had told him about her being the reincarnated goddess, Skadi.
Despite knowing that she was taken by another, he couldn't help but admit to seeing how Tsukuyomi chose her. She was breathtaking in a way that was painful, and he knew he shouldn't admit to it, but if it were her, he would beg absolution from her on his knees for how he felt. There was no logical reason for how he felt, he had to be insane for even thinking of wanting her, but want her he did. It didn't matter that she had another, it didn't matter that another wanted him. For Amaterasu's sake, he barely knew her, she could be planning to murder him, and yet none of it mattered. He was inexplicably drawn to her and if it shattered him, so be it, but he would at least admit it to himself. A nudging drew him out of his thoughts, and he blinked, only to see the great doors to the throne room.
On both doors was a dragon, each curving towards one another, and beyond them were sakuras. He realized, belatedly, that they were a representation of the Lord and Lady, and couldn't help but wonder what the hime would eventually be represented as. Just as soon as he wondered, it came to him, those stag antlers arching proud and strong from her crown. He glanced over to her, and instead met Karin's gaze, who had already been watching him, and he wondered how much she already knew. His sister was more perceptive than she let on, and he knew it was from his father. Yuzu and she were twins, and yet, however the magick from his parents was given to them, it seemed as if each daughter were each race with just a drop from the other.
As if she could hear his thoughts, she only smirked at him. When a lilting voice commanded Enter, both Seelie took a deep breath, and braced themselves.
XxXxXx
When they entered, the room was full of Highborn, each with a pair of guards shadowing behind them. It was obvious to Rukia that the Seelie were still considered a threat in their minds, regardless of the fact that their hime stood side by side with them. Glancing to her sister, it was clear that Hisana brought everyone here in order to speak of the alliance. Once more, Rukia looked around the room. In their lands, there were 6 other clans of Highborn beneath the royal family. Beyond that were the lowborn fae, a term Rukia detested, but had no power to speak of in their world just yet.
The 6 heads of the other clans were currently here, with Toshirou's father being the one she spied first. Despite her cousin's shorter height, his father held no such reservations, easily towering over nearly everyone there. He had long, teal colored hair that matched his son's turquoise eyes, while his own eyes were a pale silver to almost match his son's white hair. They were tanner than most Unseelie, which was the only indicator of their similarities, but Rukia knew it was because Toshirou took after his mother. She had passed after childbirth, something Toshirou's father thankfully didn't blame him for, but it caused Toshirou to take after his father in his quiet and cold personality.
The three of them waited by the doors, until Hisana bid the group to take their places, and for them to come forward. She smiled to her sister from afar, but Rukia knew it only amused Hisana that the Highborn had to stand and wait to speak unless directed. They both disliked the clans' urges to open their mouths constantly and feel above others. Closest to her sister stood Hyorinmaru Daiguren, while two other clan heads stood next to him, and the final three across from them on either side of the walkway. Beyond them, their families or close companions and guards stood quietly, watching Rukia step forward with Karin and Ichigo. Rukia made eye contact with each head, the ends both holding women; the woman on the left went by the name of Soi-fon, and she collaborated with Renji when it came to their soldiers. Meeting Rukia's eyes, she inclined her head.
On the right, stood Unohana Retsu, their renowned healer, whom Rukia admittedly admired. The woman smiled to her, and bowed slightly. Rukia returned the gesture and inclined her head to the woman. Next to her was a white-haired man by the name of Juushirou Ukitake, one of their historians and Rukia's teacher and mentor. He smiled pleasantly at her, and she was overjoyed to see him. He had an illness that landed him in Unohana's office quite regularly, and Rukia was glad to see him up and about. Across from Ukitake stood his long-time friend, and Rukia's weapons instructor, Shunsei Kyoraku. Despite his rather lax and casual appearance, and carefree attitude, he was one of the best, if not the best fighter she had ever had the opportunity to see and know. A pink, floral kimono was tossed along his shoulders, but he dressed in a black hakama, with a straw hat, of all things, casually placed atop his head.
Rukia always wondered at his clothing choice, and now that she had seen the Seelie lands, she couldn't help but wonder if he traveled there regularly…or perhaps, he too was Seelie. It wasn't something that came up often in conversation, and admittedly, Rukia had no clue how many Seelie actually considered the North lands their home and vice versa. Kyoraku was watching her closely, and she immediately shut a wall down on her thoughts, but once they passed by him, she had realized that he was watching the Seelie Prince…not her. Glancing over her shoulder to Ichigo, he had not gave more than a cursory glance to the people here, instead, more focused on Karin or herself. At the same time she looked to him, he moved his gaze to her, his eyes cold in a way she hadn't expected from the prince made of flame. She bit down on the flush trying to raise up at being caught watching him, but he gave her a small grin that she knew definitely had her flushing. Her sister must've noticed, because a tinkling laughter swirled through her thoughts, shattering her mental shields without effort. Turning her gaze away and back to her sister, they had finally reached the final set of clan heads: her uncle and Shirayuki.
As one of the few Yukionna to have built a close relationship with the Unseelie, and the current head of the Yukionna in the Northern territory, Shirayuki was given a place on council, much to some of the Highborn's annoyance. Shirayuki cared not for it either way. She had given her word for their alliance, and whether they made her a clan head or not, didn't matter to her, but it did for Rukia, and only at her request did her brother and sister make it so. When Ichigo saw the Yukionna, Rukia could feel his surprise hit against her back so hotly and without warning that she nearly stumbled. Wanting to turn on the prince, but knowing she couldn't, Rukia could only fantasize his death at her hands if he embarrassed her during this entire fiasco.
Pushing it from her thoughts, Rukia bowed to her sister, hearing Karin and Ichigo follow after her.
"Rise." Rukia could hear the smile in her sister's voice and stood with a dry look directed to her. Matching eyes flickered in amusement before trailing around the room. "I want to thank you all for coming to this meeting. I know some of you are curious as to what is going on, especially seeing the Seelie hime and ouji here." Hisana didn't stop smiling to everyone, but she didn't stand to speak to them either. Rukia knew it was for them to understand their place; Hisana did not have to stand and speak to them, and she only smiled because she was a kind woman. Rukia wondered how her sister would broach the topic of their alliance to this obviously unsuspecting crowd, and was not disappointed when her sister merely reclined into her chair, an elbow delicately placed on its arm. "We have decided to ally with them against the youkai that have started to raise up."
There was an immediate outcry from the room's occupants, though the clan heads stayed silent. Shirayuki already knew of this, and her uncle merely watched Hisana closely, wariness pouring off of him at this turn of events. Ukitake and Kyoraku took it in stride, although slight surprise was definitely seeping from them. Anger and shock obviously came from Soi Fon, which Rukia thought to be expected, considering her mentor had fought in the millennial war that had ended before Rukia's birth. She felt nothing from Unohana, knowing that the woman was more than capable of avoiding her fledgling abilities.
Beyond them, their guests and families continued to murmur, some even going so far as to accuse the Seelie of tricking them and allying themselves with demons. Rukia could feel Ichigo tense, though he stood on the other side of Karin. Her sister seemed to notice the spike in the boy king as well, because in the time it took to blink, Hisana had lifted her hand, her eyes white.
"Silence."A chill descended through the room, ripping through accusations, as Unseelie tried to defend against their Queen's abilities to no avail. She shattered through mental shields, causing any Unseelie trying to spark dissent to fall silent, to their horror. It only fueled their terror when, as their Queen stood, all but the clan heads, Rukia, Ichigo, and Karin were forced to kneel. Rukia couldn't pull her gaze from her sister, knowing she had done this so something worse wouldn't have happened with Ichigo, and to set an example. "We welcomed the Seelie Prince and Princesses into our lands, and we have created an alliance. You will obey our laws as our ancestors have done before us." The words were law, and Rukia could feel it wash over her skin. No one moved, no one breathed a word of anything, as Hisana's now-violet gaze searched over the crowd, her magic weaving through everyone.
When it seemed she was satisfied, she moved to sit back down, calm once more, as though she hadn't reacted earlier. With a casual flick of her wrist, the others stood, albeit cautiously, not willing to risk the Unseelie Queen's wrath again.
XxXxXx
Rukia stood next to her sister as most of the Highborn trailed out of the throne room without making direct eye contact with their queen and heir. Ichigo and his sister lingered by with Shirayuki and Unohana, no doubt speaking of Yuzu's condition. As curious as she was, Rukia forced herself to stay with Hisana as the other Unseelie slyly glanced between them to the Seelie Prince and Princess. Already, Rukia could imagine them gossiping about what an alliance could mean, especially with both heirs being of age.
To be honest, it has passed majority of their minds at one point or another today. Rukia glanced sidelong at her sister who only gave her a serene smile.
"Such an invasion." Rukia murmured, adopting the same look. Amusement flashed from her sister, before her voice did. They practically shouted it to me, such nosy beings. Rukia nearly snorted at the irony. Her sister, not one to be shown up, stood and tugged lightly on Rukia's furisode sleeve before descending the few stairs towards Shirayuki and the others.
XxXxXx
He could sense her as soon as she moved. For some reason his body was finely tuned to her, and whether it be because he was exposed to her magic, or their auras had been around one another long enough, he wasn't sure. He could feel the cold within the room nipping at his face in announcement; she's coming, she's coming, she's here. Shirayuki was giving him an odd look that had him worried whether or not she had noticed the air as well, but the look was wiped away when the Unseelie hime reached them.
"Ah, Rukia! I had been wondering where you were since I left you this morning." The hime had sent the yukionna a dry look that lidded her eyes in a way that sent heat of all things into his abdomen. Clenching a fist in order to get himself under control, he glanced away, only to make eye contact with the Unseelie Queen of all people. She was watching him with a lifted brow, a grin placed on her face. Before he could react, she had moved towards him, a small, cold hand pressed into his forearm.
"Come, Kurosaki-Ouji, I would like to talk to you."