Chapter Forty-One: Mirrors and Butterflies

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us.

-Marianne Williamson

The last couple days of the pairs visit to Kagome's family went as smooth as they really could. Byakuya was somewhat frustrated that Kagome had still decided to return with him after everything he'd done to show her other options. Her grandfather had continued to toss things along with the slurs about him being a 'pedophile in a suit' and other colorful insults. Though her mom was pretty laid back about it, she wanted Kagome to do what would make her happy, even if she didn't completely like it she knew that he cared about her.

Souta just seemed happy that he knew how to wield a sword. Kagome thought he was a dork for it but she loved him anyway, it was her brother after all. It was sad when it was time to go but she knew she'd see them again so she didn't cry. She was used to having weeks or months between seeing her loved ones. This wouldn't be much different from when she transversed the well.

It was back to all pomp and circumstance when they'd returned to the beautiful estate where Byakuya lived in soul society. Kagome was back to wearing a kimono and getting up far earlier than she would like and he was dealing with lots of paperwork as she sat in the gardens trying not to fall asleep over the studies he'd assigned her.

She rubbed her face tiredly and covered her mouth to sheild a yawn. "Man I miss vacation already. How does he expect me to remember all these different titles after just a few days?"

Later this evening they would have an engagement party with his extended family and other nobles. Though normally it would be a year and a day after such an event they were only a week and a day away from the wedding. Kagome blushed as she thought about it. If they didn't find and resolve the issue with the person named Aizen she would by marrying Byakuya.

Though her heart fluttered it was only for a moment. "He's just being forced to marry you Kagome. Don't forget that important detail..."

She couldn't forget his kind compliment, gift, or the kisses that they'd shared on the train. "Is it all just a coincidence?"

After letting out a sigh she did her best to concentrate on the etiquette book but even that didn't last long. She could hear screaming coming from another area of the estate and as it was the most noise the place had made sense she set the building on fire she'd decided to check it out.

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"Shut the hell up Renji!" Rukia was yelling at the laughing Lt to her brother. She had been forced to return to soul society for the weeks events involving her brother's wedding. She didn't want to be there but given her adopted status there was no way she could avoid attending.

And that involved her being dressed for the occasion.

She must have pissed off the woman that ordered kimono's for the rest of the house when she'd first arrived though cause she was in a horrible orange thing with green vines. Her hair had been pulled tightly back and into a small bun with nasty weed looking hair-pieces shoved in painfully. Her face hadn't been painted yet. That would come last, but Abarai had visited to see her in her deformed state and it was pissing her off. He always seemed to show up and mock her when she least wanted it.

He dodged a second hairpin aimed at his face and laughed a little more. "Come on Rukia, you look like the fruit...thats suppose to be good right?"

That was it, despite the protests from the women helping her she hopping out to start bending his arm painfully. "Dammit Renji you nosy..."

Kagome approaching nervously made her drop the still chuckling soul reaper and smile nervously at the woman she recognized from Kurosaki's class back in his city. "Hey...um...Kagome?"

The high school girl nodded slowly, glancing between the two. She was staring stupidly at Rukia in surprise, she hadn't expected to see her here. Were most of the students at her new high school secretly supernatural beings from another world?

"I guess I should be off. Have fun...maybe someone there will be color blind and dance with you." Renji waved as he held his side, bursting into more laughter upon beginning to wander away from them.

Rukia grit her teeth, glaring after him for a moment before smiling to try to calm down the mortal that hadn't taken another step closer. "Sorry about that. Guess we were being sort of loud. So how are you?"

She didn't really know too much of how to speak with the nervous looking girl but she remembered things the kids at the high school had asked her whenever they seemed to be trying to make her fit in.

"I'm...okay..." Kagome was staring back with the same dumb expression. "Um...Rukia, what are -you- doing here?"

"He didn't tell her? Rukia blinked a little. "Well less she knew easier it would have been to resist things. My poor brother..."

"I'm Byakuya's sister." Rukia just said it, it seemed the easiest thing. Frowning a little at the dirty looks the people that were suppose to helping her dress were sending her. "I was recalled for his...your wedding preparations this week."

"Oh." Kagome was confused again. She never really thought him as a sibling sort of person, it was surprising to see that he did have one. "He never said anything..."

"Don't take it personally." Rukia said as comforting as she could be with people watching. "I didn't realize how close he was to you when you both were at the school either. He didn't mention the engagement."

"We weren't engaged then..." Kagome resisted the urge to sigh. "He didn't have any reason to mention me.

"I guess I'll see you later." Rukia offered her best 'please feel better' smile, which was a lot like any of her falsely cheery grins. "I should let them finish my make up. They'll probably want to start on yours soon."

"Yeah." Kagome nodded an agreement and headed away, back toward her own rooms.

It was a splash of cold water, an instant reminder that there was still so incredibly much she didn't know about Byakuya at all. And in a little over a week she was expected to walk down the isle to him, to something that was forced and unknown.

She held her hand over her chest as she sped up her steps, fear over what was going to happen had finally sunk it's fangs into her heart. It was a effort to keep herself from bursting into worried tears. She couldn't cry, not when she had to wear make up so often that took such an intense course of application.

As the women chatted with her with animation about wishing they could attend such events she had to force herself to stay calm, to stay resolved...she had to put on a good showing for Byakuya so that he wouldn't be dishonored after months of study.

But each stroke of makeup felt like another bar, each extra piece of jewelry another chain of the shackles. She was being put in a magnificent cell, but all at once she was beginning to realize that it was still was still a prison.

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Byakuya hadn't had to follow any extra dress for the ceremony, his slightly augmented uniform for his captain position was one of the most distinguished forms of dress in the soul society. His robes were a little nicer than the ones that he wore day to day, but only because they had almost no wear on them at all. He'd dawned new ones just for the event, as he would on the day of his wedding.

He was standing near the shrine to Hisana, it would be the last time he was allowed to visit it. Most of it would be moved to a graveyard for the noble families and the rest would be taken down. With a new wife entering his household it was expected that the shrine for his old one would be taken away.

It wasn't that he wasn't aware that it had been coming, it was that he still hated it. The gentle expression in her face as her picture stared back at him haunted him. "Will she hate me for this? Have I betrayed everyone who ever had faith in me by accepting Kagome's proclamation that she wished to protect me? In my selfish nature will I destroy the one person that reached out to help me with no hope of gaining anything in return?"

"The only one other than Hisana...they are so similar and yet such opposites at the same time. As if one was the reflection of another, close but never the same." He sighed lightly, closing the doors and moving to escape the face of his young love. He almost hoped his sword would offer him some better advice but she remained silent at his side. "I have to try to discover a way out of this in the weeks time..."

The train of thought paused as he left the room and saw Kagome.

Her long hair hand been pulled up and left to fall in ebony waves, cerulean blue bell flowers worked into the pretty style. Though normally her hair would be completely put up they'd left two small strands that had been curled just in front of her ears. It made her face appear younger somehow...more doll like than the image the thick makeup already gave off. Her kimono matched exactly the azure in her hair but also had black patterns of dragons worked in with a few flicks of gentle blue here and there for the creatures claws and eyes. A lovely silver cloak with fur only at it's end and hood was settled at her back but the hood would have messed up her hair so it wasn't in place.

She smelled like an apple orchid, it wasn't as if was a scent he was unfamiliar with but he had paused in surprise when he took her in. Her staring at the ground is what got him to compose himself and offer his arm. He wasn't aware of all her newfound fears or that she was fighting nausea as they began to walk toward the carriage.

"You look lovely." Though the compliment just made her stomach do more jumping jacks.

"Th...thank you." She stuttered, glad she hadn't eaten sense breakfast. With the sun going down at least there was nothing in her belly to toss. "Where are we going?"

"There is an area near the Central 46 chambers where royal events in the Seireitei take place. It is as close to the center as a celebratory place could be built and still offer the best security." Byakuya explained after they'd climbed into the carriage. It was moving and Kagome only half-listened.

"Why does it vaguely feel like my life is passing me by?" She pondered darkly as she looked out the window and watched the scenery moving.

"What is wrong?" Byakuya didn't have the best empathy between them but neither was he a fool, he knew her well enough that not being littered with questions meant there was something the matter.

"Hmm?" She smiled a little nervously. "I'm sorry, I'm just worried I'll mess up. Will there be a lot of people?"

"I believe about seventy not including servants." He answered honestly. "About a third of the people expected to attend the service."

"Over two-hundred people are going to be at the wedding?" She blinked, it seemed like far too much...but at the same time that was without her being able to invite anyone. It was almost a slap in the face...they expected her to marry him...but her own friends and family wouldn't be able to attend?

He had nodded, taking her shock and subsequent quiet to still mean her concern over the number. "It is not important."

"I...I want to make a condition...for agreeing to marry you I mean..." Kagome felt nervous even as her voice shook as she said it. But if this really happened she'd never have the chance to do it again. "I want them to let me have the time and effort to invite my friends and family."

"That would be very unsafe Kagome." He was still trying to figure out what she was thinking at this sudden change of position. "Even if they decided to agree, which I doubt, it would be amazingly unsecured compared to here."

"I don't care." She frowned a little, her resolve for her new decision in place firmly in just that small moment. "If they won't let me have this one thing then I won't agree to marry you. I'm not telling them no, I'm just giving them a circumstance."

Byakuya blinked at her, the carriage was already pulling up to the party...

End Chapter

Heh, yay for women who always change their damn minds. Gotta add to the drama somehow you know. And right before they have to go to the engagement party. I do love's making Kagome difficult. This fiction is hard to work on for whatever reason lately. I -will- finish it though, I'm determined!

-Aura

To my reviewers:

Ayjah - of course, he's the only character that could get away with throwing a plate of food at Byakuya.

Lovelywitch - We'll get some of Souta's thoughts sooner or later.

Fuyumi - Yeah I was happy with my cradle robber comments.

Stefni - I'm pondering a couple people to train Kagome but I'm not completely sure who (if anyone) will do it yet.

Other folk - Yeah I will be trying to put some Byakuya/Kagome together moments in soon but I had to do some other stuff with the plot dang it! Lol. Keep reading.

P.S. BATMAN!