Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, Tite Kubo does.
Note: So, so, so sorry for the ultra-long wait! My boyfriend is on holiday and there were two parties to organize and one thing led to another and I didn't find the time nor the motivation to write this next and last chapter. Yes, it really is the final chapter of White Camellia. Thanks to everyone who has stayed with me, thanks for sharing your thoughts and opinions and enjoying my story. It was a lot of fun. Now, before I begin to ramble, enjoy!
Chapter 41:
"But dear, you absolutely cannot go without the tsunokakushi!"
"I am very sorry mother, but I absolutely will not look ridiculous."
"But it symbolizes that you are going to be a gentle and obedient wife", said Ayasi, a hint of pleading in her soft voice.
Shihana turned fully around to look at her mother and gave her a very gentle gaze. "It is my life, mother. And I do not think that the first duty of a wife is to be obedient towards her husband. Believe it or not, I am sure Renji would not want such a woman. What was understood for you is not necessary thus for me. I will make my own decisions. And if I say I will not wear the tsunokakushi and I will not wear a wig you just have to go with it. I am sure you can make me pretty without it."
Ayasi nodded and although her eyes looked a bit sad, she smiled at her daughter and started to comb her black hair.
"Just like her to say 'I think we will not need any rehearsals'! What am I gonna do? I have no clue what to do at the ceremony!"
"Calm down, man", said Ichigo and patted his friend's shoulder. "Rukia promised to be here in time. And stop running around in circles, you're making me wanna whack you around that stupid head of yours."
Renji took a few deep breaths and then managed to stop walking back and forth in the spacious room that was Rukia's living room.
He slumped down in an armchair and covered his face in his hands.
"Hey, Ichigo", Renji mumbled.
"What is it?", asked the orange-haired man.
"If I scram now, are you gonna fight off taichou for me?"
"Sure thing", grinned Ichigo. "But I won't be able to fight off Shihana so your head's still gonna come off."
Renji sighed, but then both looked up when the door opened and Rukia came into the room.
Renji recovered after a moment of shock and gave Rukia a stupid little grin and a wink.
"You look fabulous!", he said and nudged Ichigo. "Right, Strawberry-head?"
There was no reaction.
Rukia looked a bit puzzled. Renji waved a hand in front of his friend's face.
"Great, Rukia. Now that you've made my best man into a ridiculous looking statue, what are we gonna do next?"
Rukia rolled her eyes and gave Ichigo a smack around the head with her fan that made his head spin.
"W-what was that for?", he protested.
"No offence", said Renji, "but you looked a bit on the stupid side just now."
"Now hurry and compliment her dress", he added in a hushed whisper.
Ichigo took another look at the small woman. She had always been Rukia the shinigami to him. She had burst into his life, steadfast and amazingly strong and stubborn. He had known that the Kuchiki family was some kind of special, that they were nobility and Rukia part of it. But he had never noticed this dignity and air of grace around her.
She wore a kimono of a deep and royal blue adorned with countless star-like pure white blossoms. Her hair was done in a complicated knot, held up with a chiselled silver clasp and a decorated with a single white camellia.
To him she looked like a princess from ancient times.
There was a hint of annoyance in her grey eyes right now.
"Ehm, you look...fabulous!" Ichigo finally said.
"Stupid!", hissed Renji from between his teeth, "that's what I said only moments ago."
"I mean, I never expected...", the look grew even colder, "no, no, I wanted to say, compared to your normal self your just a whole new person!"
She looked positively murderous now.
Renji carefully placed a calming hand on her small shoulder.
"Don't listen to anything he says, he speaks with madness.", he said to Rukia "You have charmed him so completely that he lost the little wit he had to begin with. And now please can we forget your stupid bickering and explain to me the ceremony BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE SLIGHTEST CLUE!"
It was a bright and clear spring day, so the ceremony took place in the marvellous garden of Kuchiki manor.
White chairs stood carefully aligned facing the house shrine.
Faces turned and gave encouraging smiles when Renji walked down the aisle with Ichigo who was still a bit mad at him.
Renji glanced at the calm face of the priest and swallowed hard. His hands were shaking, his reiatsu threatened to go completely out of control. Damn, he had faced the worst enemies, but he had never been so scared in his entire life, not even during his fight with taichou...
Without turning he searched for Byakuya's presence in the crowd. He sat in the first row on the right side. He could feel his cool and collected look in his back. It soothed him and he finally managed to stop shaking.
Renji took a deep breath.
Then a whisper went through the crowd. Everyone turned.
And Shihana walked towards him, her parents and a beaming Rukia in her wake.
She wore the pure white uchikake that had been handed down generations of the Kuchiki household. It consisted of three layers of silken kimono, the outer layer was of a heavy brocade with patterns of cranes and flowers woven into the material and embroidered with the Kuchiki seal in silver thread.
Her hair was done in a high topknot, one strand still framing her pale face on the right side. The knot was held up by a hairpin that displayed the Kuchiki seal set in pearls and shimmering white stones. An arrangement of three small white Camellia flowers was attached to the left side of her hair.
As soon as she saw Renji a smile lit up in her face. She had forbidden to cover up his facial tattoos. With his standard high ponytail and the formal black ceremonial robes he looked very much like the first time she had seen him in the dusty streets of Rukongai.
When black dots began to dance before his eyes, Renji noticed he had held his breath. With panic he realized that he had forgotten every single thing Rukia had told him about the ceremony.
Strangely, he didn't care. All he cared about was that this most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes upon was smiling at him like there wasn't anything else in the world.
The ceremony passed in a haze. Renji took and downed the three times three cups of the san-san kudo. His hands were perfectly steady when he took the wedding ring and put it on Shihana's slender finger and received his own in exchange.
When he eventually looked down into her face it seemed to him that a ghost of anguish and fear passed through her grey eyes for a moment.
Shihana looked up into the beloved face of the man that would finally be hers. A pang of fear seared through her and the memories of this face splashed with blood flashed up behind her inner eye. She fought the image back and tried to ignore the distant laughter echoing in her head.
Renji's face came back to focus, gently smiling and a hint of worry behind his eyes.
He decided to squash that fear once and for all and kissed her.
Renji and Shihana walked arm in arm into the grand salon, followed by a throng of happily chatting marriage guests.
Inside, tables were set with expensive porcelain and an overwhelming assortment of fruit, mild and spicy dishes, cake and sweets was presented by the side. But in the middle of the room stood a man-high cake in the most curious form.
"Is that...", began Shihana shocked.
"The legendary Seaweed ambassador! I did not know Nii-sama had one made. What a great piece of art!", exclaimed Rukia, her eyes gleaming.
Ichigo shot both Renji and Shihana a warning look.
"Ah, yes, it is quite an extraordinary surprise", said Shihana after a moment. Then she suddenly remembered something. "Oh, we should be at the photo shooting right now. Please everyone, follow us back into the garden!"
When the steps grew fainter, someone sighed silently in the sweet-smelling cave of the ambassador's belly.
'She said to jump out wearing only a pair of red swimming trunks. But she did not say I had to do it with anyone watching', thought Byakuya.
For the last time, just to be sure, he tried to sense any traces of reiatsu in the room. No, they were all outside, doing photos. He was out in a flash.
And turned to the sound of wolf whistles.
There they were: the complete Shinigami women's association, Kurosaki and his mortal friends, the freshly married couple and even Rukia, a half-amused, half-guilty expression on her face. In their midst stood the demon cat in a very tight, very red dress, holding up a device that looked a bit like a chameleon with an antenna glued to its back and grinning from ear to ear.
"I have to thank Kisuke for this wonderful reiatsu blocker", she said. "And Bya-bo, make a dashing pose, it's for the ladies!"
Only then did Byakuya realize in his shock that there was the soft clicking of photos being made.
A moment later, he stood behind Nanao Ise, who had frozen immediately.
"You will hand me this device right now, lieutenant", Byakuya said, his voice cold and brittle like a knife made of ice. "Or you will..."
"Get some extra cake", cut in Shihana and gave Byakuya a sharp look. "No threatening my guests, Byakuya-san. We all had our fun and you might want to dress before the family comes back to the room, ne? And by the way, I can see now that you are the second-best looking man in Seireitei." She winked at him and gave him her sweetest smile.
With an attempt to regain a part of his lost grace, Byakuya bowed his head politely and left through a side door, his back straight.
"You really don't want to ask now who the best-looking man in Seireitei is in my opinion, do you, Renji?" smiled Shihana.
"I guess I'll trust your good taste there", gave the red-head back and kissed her again.
The next hours were spent with the shaking of many hands and many polite bows of thanks for gifts and congratulations.
The food was exquisite and the sake, wine and freshly brewed tea of the best quality.
It was already late in the evening when Shihana found time to open some of the many presents.
"There is another present for you, Shihana-sama", said a servant and gave her a neatly wrapped simple white parcel.
Shihana took it and searched for a sender. There was none. Shrugging, she carefully peeled off the paper and opened the box within.
Inside lay a single bright red camellia.
But when Shihana gently touched the petals, she realized that it had been a white flower, dyed red with blood.
When she recovered from her shock, she noticed there was a note hidden underneath the flower.
With shaking hands, she retrieved it. It, too, was stained, but the handwritten words were still clearly visible.
"Who trusts the traitor?
Gin"
Shihana was filled with horror when she understood the cruel truth behind the words.
An undetectable treason...how could she ever be free of doubt?
End
Did you like the end? I always hate it if it gets to cheesy so I decided to give it a cruel little twist. And yes, there might be still room for a sequel, but only if you and I are up to it. Thank you again all and everyone for reading my story, it was a pleasure!
