Chapter 19: Remembrance
"How are you feeling now, Renji?" Yoruichi asked softly, checking the redhead's bandages carefully.
"I told you I would be all right," he said in a low, angry voice, "and still you dragged me along…and we deserted Byakuya, as though he meant nothing!"
"That isn't true," said Ichigo with equal fury, "You know as well as the rest of us do that we couldn't do a damned thing for Byakuya…and we all felt horrible about leaving. But we know that Aizen took him to Hueco Mundo. Renji…we thought Las Noches was destroyed and it's still hidden. How in the hell are we supposed to find it?"
"I don't know," Renji snapped, "but I know I'm not sitting here and waiting around anymore. He's out there. I can feel his thoughts sometimes. His mind is pretty damned muddled, but that's probably because Aizen's keeping him under some kind of control."
"Renji," said Kisuke in a soft voice, "if you focus a bit, do you think you can give us a directional focus on him?"
Renji frowned thoughtfully.
"I don't know. I haven't really learned all of what I can do now that we've soul bonded. But, I'll give it a try."
The redhead closed his eyes and reached out to brush Byakuya's mind.
"I do feel like I can sense direction," Renji told them, "but we'd really need to be in Hueco Mundo for me to know for sure. I think I…"
He stopped suddenly, his eyes widening with distress as images rose unbidden in his mind. He tried to loosen the link, then to break off, but Byakuya's mind latched desperately on to his and Renji felt himself drawn into what the noble was seeing as his knees gave way and concerned voices rose up around him.
"You look absolutely amazing in that outfit, Byakuya," Aizen said, touching his face appreciatively, "I knew you would, but I am nearly speechless."
Byakuya blinked slowly, trying to clear the fog in his mind. He looked down at the custom designed Arrancar uniform he had been dressed in and then back at Aizen.
"Sousuke," he said softly, "could I return to my room? I feel…odd…"
"Nonsense," Aizen replied, taking his hand and leading him out of the room and down the hallway, "You are merely overwhelmed at what we are about to do. Do not worry, you will return to our room very soon, and we will be celebrating our nuptials."
"Sousuke…I cannot marry you. Even if I wanted to…to marry without the blessing and presence of the elders…of my family…It's not allowed."
"I know I needn't remind you," Aizen said reprovingly, "but none of those rules apply to us. They will bless our union quickly enough when we arrive in the Seireitei with our child."
"But…you do not know if I will even be able to bear your child. What if we are not successful?"
"Byakuya…you worry too greatly about things you need not concern yourself with. We will be married and we will have a child together."
He brought a hand to the noble's face.
"We may have as many children as you like, Byakuya. I think I would like to have a large family."
"You are not seeing reality," Byakuya whispered, putting a hand on his forehead and closing his eyes for a moment, "You have decided these things will happen, but there is no telling whether or not this birth will even be possible…and even if it is possible, I feel the strain on my body, the growing weakness. You should not have attempted this process without giving my body time to grow strong again."
Aizen stepped closer and stopped him, bringing both hands to his face and focusing for a moment. Byakuya's eyes fluttered and he sagged against Aizen, his expression easing.
"There, you see," Aizen told him, brushing the long strands of hair from his eyes, "I told you that if you allowed me to calm you, all would be well. And it will now, Byakuya. You will see."
He curled an arm around the noble's waist and brought Byakuya's head down onto his shoulder as they continued to the throne room. The chaplain waited inside and Gin and Tousen stood ready as witnesses to their union. Aizen released the noble and the two walked forward, stopping when they reached the chaplain.
"We are ready now," Aizen told the man.
The chaplain nodded.
"We are gathered here today to witness the union of Aizen Sousuke and Kuchiki Byakuya in the bonds of holy matrimony. Marriage is a sacred joining, which should only be entered into with the greatest of love and commitment. I must ask…do you, Aizen Sousuke and you, Kuchiki Byakuya, acknowledge that you enter this union of your own free will?"
Aizen turned his head to meet the noble's eyes warningly. Even half stunned by Aizen's powers, Byakuya took his meaning.
"We do," they said together.
"Very well, then. Have either of you any words to say as you prepare to begin this journey together?"
Aizen laughed softly.
"We are very eager to be wed and begin our celebration. Please, continue."
"Have you the rings?" the chaplain asked.
Gin smirked and handed the rings to Aizen, who took one and handed the other to Byakuya. He slipped the ring he held onto the noble's ring finger and repeated the chaplain's words as they were spoken. He stood, smiling smugly as Byakuya did the same.
"And now, do you, Aizen Sousuke, take Kuchiki Byakuya to be your lawfully wedded spouse, to have and to hold from this day forward? For richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, will you love, honor and cherish him for all of the days of your lives?"
"I will," said Aizen, looking into Byakuya's glazed eyes.
"And do you, Kuchiki Byakuya, take Aizen Sousuke to be your lawfully wedded spouse, to have and to hold from this day forward? For richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, will you love, honor and obey him for all of the days of your lives?"
Byakuya froze, trembling.
"Byakuya?" Aizen said questioningly.
The noble stood silent, his body shaking visibly.
"Byakuya?" Aizen said again, with warning in his voice.
"I…" he managed finally, "I…"
"Byakuya," said Aizen, "for her…"
He shook harder and tried to force the words out, but none would come.
"I won't give you any more chances, Byakuya…"
"I…I…" he said, a tear sliding down his face.
Aizen opened his mouth to speak.
"I will," Byakuya said, sinking to his knees.
Aizen smiled and looked up at the chaplain.
"My fiancé is overcome with emotion."
He pulled Byakuya to his feet and held him steady.
"Then by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you joined in marriage and bonded by love, now and for as long as you both shall live. Please exchange a kiss as a token of your love."
Aizen fastened his mouth on Byakuya's and kissed him deeply, then pulled away, smiling.
"Thank you," he said quietly, "That will be all. Gin, you will escort Byakuya to my room. I shall be there momentarily."
Gin took the noble's arm and started across the room. Byakuya stepped forward, swaying unsteadily, then paused, placing a hand on his abdomen.
"Sousuke," he gasped, "Sousuke…something is…"
He dropped to the floor at Gin's feet.
XXXXXXXXXX
"Byakuya, can you hear me now?" Aizen said softly, breaking into the noble's scattered thoughts.
"S-sousuke?" he said questioningly, "What happened?"
He was in Aizen's bed, unrestrained, but too weak to even sit up. His stomach ached deep inside and his head spun dangerously.
"It seems that you were right in believing that it was too soon to attempt another pregnancy. I am sorry to tell you that although we were initially successful, your emotional and physical fragility caused you to lose our child."
Byakuya felt an odd, cold feeling inside. There was no way he had wanted to have Aizen's child, but…the child had been his also. And where he had felt the reiatsu forming inside, now there was an odd…heavy…emptiness.
Aizen's hand touched his face and Byakuya became aware of the wetness there.
"Do not worry," his spouse said, brushing his tears away, "we will attempt this again as soon as my physician feels you are well enough. Sleep now."
"But…I did follow through with marrying you…and I did try…" Byakuya said dazedly, "Akane?"
"She is well," Aizen assured her, "and if you continue to please me, I will let you see her."
He placed a hand on the noble's forehead and focused, sending him off to sleep.
"Akane…" Byakuya whispered, "Akane…"
XXXXXXXXXX
He woke some hours later and found himself still unrestrained and curled into Aizen's arms. His spouse looked into his eyes warmly.
"Are you feeling better?" he asked quietly.
Byakuya nodded.
"Would you like something to eat? You really need to eat if you want to grow stronger."
"Yes," Byakuya managed softly.
"Very well, then," Aizen said, smiling, "I will have food brought…and while we wait, we can consummate our marriage.
Byakuya stared at him wordlessly.
"You look surprised," his spouse said, kissing him, "but you shouldn't be. Every married couple is obligated this way on their first night together as marrieds. One would think that you would remember…but you have been overwrought. Relax, Byakuya. Allow me…"
Byakuya closed his eyes and held still as Aizen began a slow crawl down the length of his body, touching and kissing every inch of the exposed, pale flesh. He ignored the touches, the softly spoken words, and even his own body's responses. He was, after a year with Aizen Sousuke, accustomed to being taken at the other's whim.
He focused instead on thoughts of Akane…on what she looked like, how her voice sounded, what it felt like to touch her skin. And as the image grew in his mind, the touches on his body faded away and he could smile at just the thought that she was alive and well…and because he chose to please Aizen, he would see her again.
He felt his body shudder softly as hot seed spilled out onto his skin. Aizen's hands gripped him tightly and heat spread through the inside of his body. He knew what was expected, but couldn't raise himself out of the darkness to speak.
"Byakuya," Aizen said warningly.
He was tired…so tired…and he knew what the other wanted. But try as he might, the word would not reach his lips. The other's hands tightened painfully on his skin. He groaned in pain, but couldn't speak. Something struck his face and he flinched…forcing the word out.
"Sousuke…" he managed nearly deliriously.
The hands on his body loosened and he sighed in relief.
"Go to sleep," Aizen said, his voice low and disapproving, "and when you wake, I will give you another chance to be more accommodating. If you are not…you will be punished."
Byakuya sank into the darkness, uncaring and only aching to be allowed rest.
XXXXXXXXXX
"Did you enjoy our remembrance?" Aizen asked softly, kissing Byakuya gently on the lips.
The noble shifted in his spouse's arms and blinked to gain clarity. He found himself in Aizen's large, jetted tub, being held close to the other's body. He looked up into Aizen's brown eyes silently.
"You look as overwhelmed as you did that day, Byakuya. Truly, you must learn to relax your mind more. Perhaps if you did, you would not have such trouble conceiving. You are very prone to bouts of disturbing emotion. I do feel this is what holds us back. But perhaps tonight…" he said, lowering a hand to rest on the noble's abdomen.
Byakuya saw his eyes take on an odd glimmer and his heart sank. Realization spread over Aizen's features and his hands tightened painfully on the noble.
"So," he said icily, "it seems that while you were with the mongrel, you took your first opportunity to not only commit adultery, but to have the audacity to conceive his vermin."
"Renji is…"
Aizen struck him hard across the face and fastened his hands around Byakuya's throat.
"Do not say that name in my presence," he hissed.
Byakuya twisted free and climbed out of the hot tub. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around himself, backing away as Aizen followed. He knew they were locked in the room and there was no escape to be had, but he sought the door and tried it anyway, placing his back against it as Aizen closed in on him.
"I should kill you where you stand," Aizen said furiously, "You are nothing more than a whore!"
Byakuya stared back at him in silence, forcing his body to remain calm, his heart to slow.
"If I didn't need you for my plans, I would kill you here and now. But even as filthy as you have made yourself, you are still useful to me. I will not kill you, but I warn you…the punishment you suffer because of this will make you wish that I had killed you."
"What are you going to do?" Byakuya asked softly.
"I cannot kill you," Aizen said unhappily, "and I won't risk tearing that brat out of you. Despite everything, I do still want you to be able to conceive. But…you will pay with pain both physical and emotional. I almost regret what I have in mind to do. But you have necessitated this with your actions. You, my lovely spouse, will very much regret what you have done."
"I won't regret making a child with Renji…and I won't fear you. No hurt you can place on my body can make me regret those things! And now that Akane is with her father, you cannot use her to torment me! Do what you will then!"
Byakuya never saw the first blow before it landed. He managed to block the next few, but fell back, crying out sharply as physical strikes and kido rained down on him from every conceivable direction. He was grabbed roughly, thrown down onto his stomach and restrained.
"So it was as I've always suspected. The brat was his…and you lied to protect her. But I'll tell you now that it will not matter, Byakuya. My plans will still go forward. And you will live to regret your defiance," Aizen hissed ferociously, "I will make you regret it. You will pay first physically…then you will see what true pain is as I bring your life down around you. When I finish with you, you will be just the shell of a man. I will shatter you like glass, Byakuya. But let us begin simply."
Byakuya heard the crack of a whip and pain flashed across his back. Again and again, the whip snapped in the air and stung his skin. He sank down into his mind and tried to feel Renji's presence. The redhead's voice rose up in his mind, sending the pain away.
We know you are in the fortress. We are coming. Just…hang in there and don't get him angry, okay?
"I'm afraid it's too late for that, Renji. He knows about the baby…and about Akane being your daughter."
Is he hurting you?
Byakuya couldn't answer.
Byakuya, are you all right?
"I'll be all right, Renji. He isn't going to kill me…but you need to hide Akane…and Rukia."
They are in hiding. We're going to get you out of there…
"Renji…be careful…be…"
Byakuya?
"What are you doing?" Aizen asked, staring down at the noble's torn and bleeding back, "I know you are doing something! I felt it! Are you somehow in contact with him?"
Byakuya remained silent and still.
"You are…I feel the connection."
Byakuya heard the whip drop to the floor.
"Ask him what he thinks of this…" the other said, climbing onto the bed.
Byakuya caught his breath sharply and shut his mind away from Renji's. He could still feel the redhead's mind reaching out to his, but hoped that he could protect his lover from what he was about to endure. He felt Aizen enter his unprepared body and gasped at the shock of pain, then he forced his mind to shut down so that Renji's presence faded as the heavy thrusting began. He almost cried out loud as Renji's voice broke through his defenses and cracked across his mind.
Don't do that! Don't shut me out. I know what he's doing and yeah, I want to kill him for it…but more than that, I don't want you to think for a minute that you're alone. He can't shut you away like he did before. You aren't alone. Just hang on. We're going to get you out of there!
Byakuya latched on to the strength in his lover's voice and held on for dear life.