Author's Note:
Hi everyone! Here we go with chapter 5! My goodness, we're officially one-third of the way through this story! I hope you've enjoyed it thus far, and that you enjoy this installment as well! In this chapter, Karin returns to Orora with Izuru, and Ichigo and Toshiro have a little chat ;-)
Thank you to SailorStar9 for the review! Yes, very smitten, and oh so blind, lol. It's a mixed bag of influences, honestly. Subtle hints, and nudges in the right direction from various people ;-D You'll see as things progress :-)
Alright, on with the show!
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. All credit goes to Tite Kubo.
Five days later...
It took five days of non-stop travel for Karin and Izuru to arrive back in Orora. Fortunately, the weather had been mild, due to it being July, so they hadn't hit any delays; and as soon as the carriage came to a stop outside the castle doors, Ryu came running out to hug the two of them. "Daddy! Karin!" he cried, as his father got out of the carriage, crouched down, and gave the ecstatic little boy a hug; being mindful of his arm.
Karin got out, and hugged the little boy, as well, while Momo made her way over to them; giving her husband a loving kiss. "Thank God you're back home in one piece." she said; immense relief on her face as she cupped his cheek, and stroked it with her thumb in a tender caress.
Izuru smiled affectionately down at her, and gently kissed her forehead. "It's thanks to Karin that I'm still in one piece. She saved my arm."
Momo's smile widened as she nodded, looked from her husband to the Karakura princess, walked over to her, and gave the young woman a grateful hug. "Thank you so much, Karin; you saved my husband's arm, and very possibly his life. We owe you more than we could ever repay." she said, as she released the raven-haired princess; gratitude and affection radiating out of every part of her, and unshed tears in her eyes.
Shaking her head in reply, Karin smiled warmly back at the older woman. "You don't owe me anything, Momo; I'm just happy that I was there, and could help." she replied; transferring her gaze from the Ororan princess, to the castle, as her facial features softened. "I have to say, it's good to be back. I've missed this place."
At that moment, Rangiku emerged from the castle, as well, with a large satchel slung over her shoulder. She walked up to Karin and Izuru, gave them each a hug, and threw her bag into the carriage that had just dropped the two royals off; turning back to them afterwards with a sad smile on her face. "It's good to have you two home, safe and sound. I wish I could stay, and visit, but I'm afraid I have to head straight out. I've learned over the years that it's never a good idea to ignore the king…even though I still do, most of the time." she said; a playful smirk replacing her sad smile, as everyone else chuckled.
Karin had really missed the busty blonde during her time away, and she was sad that Rangiku wouldn't be able to stay for a day or two to catch up; but she also didn't want Toshiro to have to manage without a general, either. So, nodding, she gave the blonde a sad smile of her own. "I'm sorry you can't stay, too, Rangiku; It would have been fun to catch up. Get over to the others, do what you need to do, and come back as quickly as possible, okay? Oh, and I don't want to see any injuries when you two return home, you understand? Tell Toshiro I'll kill him if he gets himself hurt while I'm gone." the Karakura princess said; her sad expression being replaced with a sarcastic smirk, but a level of worry in her voice that had Rangiku's curiosity spiking.
The busty blonde chuckled in reply, and nodded her head. "I'll be sure to pass along the message, Karin. Is there anything else either of you would like me to tell him?" she asked; glancing at Karin with a sly look that unsettled the raven-haired woman slightly.
Standing next to the Karakura princess, Momo nodded her head excitedly in reply. "Tell Shiro that we're all looking forward to having him home, and that Ryu really misses him. Oh, and tell him that his people wish him good luck on the battlefield, and safe travels back to the kingdom. They're looking forward to seeing him in the fields with them for the harvest."
Rangiku smiled, and nodded in reply; before looking back to the southern princess. "Anything else from you, Karin?" she asked; waiting patiently.
Karin was silent for a moment as she thought, before adopting a soft smile. "Tell him to be careful, to not do anything reckless, and that I'll provide updates every week on how the kingdom is doing." she said; a grateful look on her face.
Rangiku smiled warmly back at her, before nodding one more time, climbing into the carriage, and waving goodbye to them as the driver started back down the long and winding castle road; the busty blonde disappearing out of sight.
Looking to Momo once the carriage was gone, Karin raised a curious eyebrow. "Toshiro helps the farmers with the harvest? I didn't think that was something that royalty did; and he doesn't exactly strike me as a farm boy." she said; amusement clear in her voice.
Momo chuckled, and nodded her head. "It's true that Shiro doesn't really look like the farmer type, but he's helped with the harvest every year since he was five. Since the entire village relies on their gleanings for the majority of their bread in the winter, Shiro goes to help reap the wheat fields; that way, other young boys who would normally have to work the scythes can help their families glean, instead. Besides, he just likes to spend time with his people; as you've seen during your time here." the Ororan princess replied, as an affectionate smile appeared on her face.
And Karin had seen it, too. During her two months in Orora before her departure to the battlefield, she'd seen Toshiro make daily trips into the villages, and town, to check in with his people, teach swordsmanship classes with his higher-ranked military leaders (which, she'd been surprised to learn, had been a requirement for every citizen eight years and older in the kingdom after the start of the war), and take a look at needed repairs to streets and public buildings. He was a far more active king in his kingdom's daily life than her father was, and she admired that about him; not that her father didn't care just as much for his people as Toshiro did for the people of Orora, but Karakura was very large in both population and land, whereas Orora was large in land only. While Karakura boasted over 300,000 people, not including its soldiers; Orora had only 50,000 people, not including its soldiers, but including the several tenant farmers that resided on the lands of the two noble families in the kingdom: the Kiras, and the Shibas. Given the harsh environmental conditions of Orora, not many people chose to live in the northern hemisphere; and the real reason why it was considered one of the most formidable kingdoms among the thirteen was a combination of the deadly weather conditions, the mountainous terrain, and the professionally trained population in swordsmanship and warfare by their own king. Orora was basically a natural fortress, with very little opportunity for invasion or attack due to the geographical challenges.
'Toshiro, you continue to impress' Karin thought, as an affectionate smile unconsciously made its way onto her face. "Well, I wasn't expecting that, but you're right, Momo; he does love his people. So, how has everything been here while I've been gone?" she asked; smirking as Momo's face lit up with excitement, and she began telling the Karakura princess about everything that had happened during her time away, as the two women made their way back inside the castle with Ryu and Izuru.
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Karin spent the next three hours hearing all about the massive seven-foot snow storm they'd received just a few weeks after she and Toshiro had both left, the spring thaw and planting; and Hyorinmaru's mate, Taiga, giving birth to another baby.
She enjoyed hearing about the events she'd missed during her time away, and gave her own report on how the war effort was going when Momo asked her for an update. She told the older woman of the long campaign to defend Chujitsuna's borders, and drive Aizen's army out of the land completely; even expanding their controlled area into Hueco Mundo territory. Afterwards, she recalled how the last two months of fighting to capture the weapon's cache, and neighboring town, had been going so far; telling funny stories of the men and their antics, as well as her pranks on, and jabs at, Toshiro.
Momo had laughed, and enjoyed the stories; soaking up every detail, and committing everything to memory. In truth, she missed her stoic little brother dreadfully, but she knew that he was where he need to be at the moment; so, she forced herself to wait patiently for his return, however much her heart ached to have her family back together again. The house just wasn't the same without him, and they were all feeling his absence keenly. She was glad that at least Karin was back now to fill some of the void, and she was very glad to have her husband back home, as well. She'd been counting down the days to his return, until she got the message informing her that he was on his way home because of an injury. While she'd been anxious for him about his arm, she'd never felt more relieved, or excited to see him than when he'd gotten out of the carriage just a few hours ago. 'Now, all we need is for Toshiro and Rangiku to come back, and the whole family will be together again' the Ororan princess thought wistfully, as she listened to more of Karin's stories; a contented smile on her face.
Finally, after the women had talked for several more hours, and gotten caught up, Momo excused herself; going to find Ryu, and put him to bed.
As the dark-haired princess walked away, Karin decided to make her way to the medical wing; where she'd told Izuru to go, and rest, when they'd arrived. She was pleased to find him in a bed, and being monitored by several of the castle doctors; all of whom had now been taught her special herb mixes for effective remedies.
Satisfied that he was being properly cared for, she made her way to the back of the castle; wandering until she came across Toshiro's study. There was a large dragon head inside the signature four-pointed star carved on the door, and it was adorned with silver filigree, like the embellishments on his bedroom door. She'd never been in there before, and her curiosity got the better of her as she quietly opened the ebony door; creeping into the room, and closing it behind her.
Looking around, she took it all in. A large mahogany desk, and a chair upholstered with a rich green velvet, stood in the center of the room; with a lamp, and several sheets of paper sitting on the polished surface. On the walls were various paintings, and sketches, of the Hitsugaya family; as well as sketches of Momo, Izuru, and Ryu. A beautiful painting of Hyorinmaru hung above the fireplace on the left side of the room, and an impressive view of the looming mountain range in the distance could be seen out of the windows on the right, above a small sofa. There were several book shelves filled with books of all different kinds of subjects, and topics, a globe, a map, and a telescope, pressed up against the walls; and Karin took her time to look at everything closely. She examined all of the books, and gradually made her way over to the papers on Toshiro's desk. Looking through them, she found several beautiful sketches of intricate filigree for various types of metalwork; as well as sword and shield designs, sketches of improved armor for the soldiers, and various scenes of everyday life ranging from a day spent harvesting in the fields, to Izuru and Ryu having mock sword fights with sticks.
A warm smile made its way onto her face as she looked through picture after picture; all of them bearing Toshiro's signature. 'Is there anything he's not good at? Well, besides socializing with anyone outside of his kingdom' she thought sarcastically, as she slowly made her way to the end of the pile of papers.
The last picture, specifically, caught her attention, and she studied it closely. On the piece of paper was a young Toshiro and Momo being chased around the castle by their father; all of them smiling, and laughing, while the queen and Jushiro watched in the background with amused smiles on their faces.
Karin felt a sudden surge of sadness hit her as she looked at the carefully-drawn family scene, and her mind started wandering back to the assassination of her own mother; thinking about how the event had changed her, and her siblings, forever. 'I wonder what he would have been like if his parents had lived…' she thought, as memories of her last eight months with the stoic king came flooding back to her mind. Their personalities were vastly different in many ways, but the two of them were actually very much alike, as well; both hiding their mental, physical, and emotional scars from view. They put up barriers around themselves to prevent any lasting attachment; therefore, protecting themselves from more hurt. While Karin was far more outgoing than Toshiro was, neither of them trusted easily, or let their guards down without good reason. They both hid their past traumas from the world, but wore the shadows of them in their eyes. They were like two sides of the same coin, and she found that oddly comforting in many ways.
Fighting side-by-side for the last six months, she had gotten to know him better than anyone else in her life; and they had shared many evening patrols, and night shifts guarding the camps, talking about their pasts, interests, and different life experiences. He had shared details about his parents, and family life; as well as his life-long friendship with his dragon. He'd told her of his people, what it was like ruling a kingdom from such a young age; and how he'd become one of the best swordsmen in the world through countless hours of lessons, and grueling practice on his own. He'd even shared details about his own personal demons, which had surprised her, at first; though, she found that she could relate to many of them in some way, or another. The majority came from the murder of his parents; the scars that event had left on him, and his wanting to avenge their deaths in his earlier years. Wanting to reciprocate, she had told him that she could sympathize in many ways, as she had wanted to avenge her mother's death, as well, when she was younger, but had never been able to find Masaki's assassin. In the end, they both agreed that they'd thankfully been spared the darkness that came with killing out of vengeance, instead of seeking justice.
In return, she'd told him about her mother, her mother's death, and how it had changed their family permanently. She'd told him about her resolution after Masaki died never to cry again, so as not to worry, or burden, her sister, father, and brother; and she'd shared details about how she started her career as a soldier. She told him about how she rose through the ranks thanks to her stubbornness, blood, sweat, and grueling hard work; and came to be her brother's second-in-command in the military by the age of fifteen, as well as how she'd started her specialized archery unit. She'd told him about how she always felt closest to her mother when wielding her bow; which is why she preferred archery to swordsmanship, and made it her specialized skill. She'd talked of happier times, back before she, Yuzu, and Ichigo had been tainted by the reality of death, and the harshness the world actually had in store. She'd told him of her twin, and sister-in-law; their kind and caring personalities, and how they had taught her everything she knew about medicine.
Realistically, they knew almost everything there was to know about each other now, and they'd formed a friendship that they were sure would last a lifetime. She couldn't really explain it, but there was just something that drew them to each other, and made them feel like they could drop their defensive barriers for the first time in their lives. She wasn't sure if it was because they were both strong personalities, and born leaders, or something else; but she felt comfortable, and safe, with him. She trusted him completely, and he was the only person who's power she would willing put herself under.
Putting the pictures back onto the desk, a soft smile formed on her face. "I promise, Toshiro, I won't let you down while you're gone." she said to herself; making her way back out of the study, and to her own room, as she formulated in her mind her daily schedule for the next two months.
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Six weeks later…
His time in the barren desert landscape without the sarcastic remarks, and bright smile, of Karin had made Toshiro's life rather dull. Matsumoto made up for it to some degree with her uncanny ability to infuriate him, but he'd missed the fiery raven-haired princess that knew how to push all of his buttons in the most annoying, but strangely intriguing ways possible. 'Huh, that's something I never thought I'd say ten months ago' he thought sarcastically, as he made his way over to Ichigo to discuss next steps in their push further westward.
He and his army had met up with the Karakura prince two weeks ago, and their combined forces had managed to punch a large hole in Aizen's army; thus, allowing them to begin an aggressive push further into Hueco Mundo. Currently, they were in a bit of a holding pattern until king Renji and queen Rukia joined them with an additional two-thousand men from their kingdom of Odoru yuki. King Kurotsuchi of Rika was also sending hundreds of his most recent grenade model; and queen Sui-feng of Suterusu had deployed some of her elite warriors, the Onmitsukido, to infiltrate Aizen's ranks, and report any weaknesses in their defenses.
So far, things had been looking better for the allied kingdoms than they had in years, and Toshiro was hoping that would remain the status quo…though, he knew enough of war to not be so foolish as to think that this pattern would continue to hold indefinitely. Ultimately, every experienced warrior knew that no plan ever survived contact with the enemy; no matter how well thought out, or executed, it was. It was how one adapted to the changes of battle that determined the outcome. So far, it appeared as though they had managed to outmaneuver Aizen; but both Toshiro, and Ichigo, had a sinking feeling that something wasn't right. Aizen was too smart of a man to let himself be this overwhelmed by the enemy; so, they thought it safe to assume that he had a counter-strategy in place that they simply hadn't figured out yet. They were being cautious, but taking their victories where they could get them; just hoping that they weren't playing into Aizen's hands along the way.
Finding the strawberry discussing changes to guards on the night shift with Rangiku, Toshiro came to a stop next to them; greeting them both with a nod of his head, before he spoke. "So, how do we handle next steps? We're slowly making our way towards Aizen's palace in Las Noches, and you know that his defenses will be strongest there. It's going to be a delicate balancing act of how many men we leave behind to protect the captured land and bases, and how many we bring with us into Las Noches. What are your thoughts, Ichigo?" he asked, as the orange-haired crown prince thought for a moment; putting a hand on his chin, and assessing all of the available options.
After about a minute's pause, the young prince spoke. "Well, it depends on what we decide are our priorities. The way I see it, we have two options: the first being that we can head straight for Las Noches, and attack with the full force of our armies, including all of the rulers and their generals. That would deal a decisive win, and be the quickest way of ending the war; but it runs the risk of leaving our kingdoms vulnerable with the absence of their sovereigns, and highest-ranking military leaders, while a good chunk of Hueco Mundo is still in enemy hands. If, somehow, Aizen managed to turn the tables on us, and escape through the lands still under his control, he would effectively have all of our kingdoms at his mercy if we were all stuck out here, and unable to get back. The second option is that we continue to expand our controlled territory across Hueco Mundo, quash the majority of his army, and drive the remainder of them back to Las Noches so we can deliver the finishing blow with the full weight of our armies from all sides. That option would take several more months, but it leaves the advantage of being able to continue alternating sovereigns and generals on the battlefield, and keep our kingdoms relatively more secure. Besides, we still have five Espada to worry about. No one's been able to locate them; and, according to the Onmitsukido, they aren't in Las Noches. That's not a good sign, so I'd personally lean more towards option two for the time being. Until the Espada are neutralized entirely, it's simply too dangerous to leave our kingdoms with weakened defenses. Not only that, I still have a feeling that we're overlooking something important in regards to Aizen's overall strategy. While the past ten months of progress haven't been easy victories by any means, I find it hard to believe that a man who's planned the takeover of the most powerful kingdoms in the world for over twenty years is unintentionally losing so much ground. Something's not right, and I think it would be best if we continued to err on the side of caution; at least for now." he finished; looking to his two companions, and waiting to hear their responses.
Toshiro nodded in reply, and crossed his arms over his chest. "I agree with that assessment. At the moment, there are just too many cards in play, and too many unknowns, to act rashly. Sometimes, a good defense is more important than a powerful offense."
Ichigo and Rangiku agreed, and the three of them began plans to start expanding their controlled land further north. While Toshiro, Karin, Izuru, Kenpachi, Ikkaku, and their armies had managed to take a swath of northern land in Hueco Mundo, there was still far more land in the north that had yet to be secured than in the south. Given that Orora's terrain was virtually impassible from Hueco Mundo territory outside of the Dragon's Pass, the allied kingdoms had focused more of their manpower further south to ensure the security of Karakura, Iyashi, Haiburiddo, and Sakkaku. Now that that had been achieved, and the land of Hueco Mundo that abutted the southern kingdoms was strongly secured thanks to the combined efforts of Isshin, Isane, Lisa, and Shinji, it was time to start pressing further north.
After three hours of planning, they finalized their next moves; and Toshiro and Ichigo took up their places as guards for the night shift, while the majority of the others went to bed.
Sitting by the campfire, with their family swords resting on the crates beside them, the two men remained in silence for a few minutes before Ichigo looked over at the white-haired king. "I've been meaning to ask, but haven't really gotten the chance to yet; how's my sister doing back in Orora? I'm assuming she's still sending you weekly updates on how things are going?" Ichigo asked; watching with interest as a small smile made its way onto Toshiro's usually-scowling face.
The man's cerulean gaze never left the dancing flames of the fire, as he poked absent-mindedly at the hot coals with a stick; responding in a tone that was markedly softer than Ichigo was used to hearing from him. "She's doing well. She's been visiting the villages, and town, every day; and continuing in my place as a swordsmanship instructor. She said she's been making regular rounds along the border as well; and, so far, everything's been fine."
At that point, Toshiro looked over to his orange-haired companion, and offered a smirk. "She says hello, by the way; and asked me to tell you not to do anything stupid, or she'll come back down here, and beat you senseless."
Ichigo let out a loud laugh, and a huge smile adorned his face as he met Toshiro's gaze. "That definitely sounds like my sister. I'm glad she's doing well." he replied, before a more melancholy smile replaced his vibrant one, and he turned his gaze to the fire. "She'd punch me if she heard me say this, but I've missed her these past ten and a half months. I guess I've been so used to always having my sisters around, that I've never really had to cope with being without them; and I've definitely felt the loss of the extra support on the battlefield that she and her archers provided. I know Yuzu, Orihime, Dad, and Todoroku Kaze miss her, too; Yuzu, especially. We've all had a difficult time adjusting to her being gone, but they'll be happy to hear she's enjoying herself." he said; his voice sounding uncharacteristically dejected, as he watched the dancing flames before him.
Toshiro observed the crown prince intently as he listened; waging a silent war in his head between his own desires, and what he knew was the right thing to do, before he opened his mouth to speak. "Would you like me to send her back to Karakura for a short visit?" he asked; hoping his voice didn't sound as reluctant to say the words, as he felt speaking them.
Immediately, Ichigo's head snapped up, and he stared at Toshiro in shock; clearly not expecting the offer. "Are you being serious? I'll be honest, I'm grateful for the offer, and we'd love to see her; but she's needed elsewhere until this war is won. I know how much of a help she's been to you since she got to Orora, so I couldn't ask you to let her leave for so long."
The white-haired king shook his head in reply; finding Ichigo's gaze with his own. "She's your sister, Ichigo; you have a right to see her. Besides, she's saved my skin more times than I can count over the course of the last eight months; she deserves some time off. I'll at least ask her if she'd like to go back for a visit. If she says yes, she goes; if she doesn't, she stays. Does that sound fair?" he asked; watching as the strawberry nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah, that sounds fair. Thank you, Toshiro; I'm grateful." Ichigo said; offering the white-haired man a warm smile.
The young king nodded in reply, before turning his attention back to the dying fire; watching the hot coals smolder, and glow, against the blackened sand beneath them. Even though he'd regretted the offer to let Karin leave him, and Orora, as soon as the words had left his mouth, he knew he needed to do it…he just really didn't want to. 'I'm being selfish; it's not like she belongs to me, or my kingdom…unfortunately for me, but not for her' he thought, as his past losses of loved ones re-appeared in his mind. He tried to shut the traumatizing memories back out again, but he knew they served as his reminder that he was a liability to anyone who took an interest in him. Karin was already risking her safety enough by being his friend; how much more danger would she be in if he asked her for more than that? 'Too much' was the unsatisfactory answer that rang through his head, as if to mock him. This was the first time he'd ever wanted something…or someone…so badly, but he couldn't bring himself to ask her to put herself in any more danger than she was in already.
As much as he wanted to change it, the fact remained that she was still a Kurosaki, and they were still her family; they had far more right to her time, and attention, than he did. 'Ugh…why does my life have to be so damn complicated' he thought dejectedly. Unfortunately for him, he was in a no-win situation at the moment.
And, that bad luck was about to continue for the young king, as his companion by the fire was neither blind, nor as dense as most people thought.
Ichigo, sensing something off about the young royal sitting beside him, studied his companion carefully; watching as Toshiro seemed to lose himself in thought, and the crown prince just barely detecting a longing look in the younger man's eyes that he'd grown very accustomed to seeing directed at his sisters, and even his wife, on occasion. 'Ah, now I understand' he thought, as he observed the ice king for a few more moments; studying him closely.
With his suspicions now raised, and defenses up, Ichigo decided to pry a little, as he turned his own gaze back to the fire. "Have you enjoyed having Karin in Orora, and has she enjoyed her time with you, your family, and your people? I know she isn't always to everyone's taste…kind of like me, and Dad." he said; slight humor in his voice as he glanced over at the stoic king, and watched Toshiro's face carefully as the young man responded. "I think she has, yes. At least, that's what she's told me. We've really enjoyed having her, and my nephew, and sister, love her. It's true that her personality is very different from mine, but we're surprisingly similar, too; and it was those similarities that kept us from killing each other in the beginning. She's become a good friend...my best friend, really; even though we do get on each other's nerves, sometimes." he replied; a small smirk unconsciously making its way onto his face, as his eyes softened unintentionally.
The crown prince merely nodded, and absorbed the information, as he kept his gaze on the white-haired king; pressing on with his mission. "Well, I'm glad she's fitting in nicely. Normally, Karin and I are the odd ones out in any other setting than either a training area, or tavern. We're a bit more uncouth than most of the gentry." he said; slight humor in his voice, as he let a few moments of silence pass between them, before speaking again. "This may sound strange, but I'm just curious…if she decides to return to Karakura for a visit, will you miss her while she's gone?" he asked; watching with great interest as the young king's body suddenly tensed up.
Toshiro turned his head back to the carrot-top, then; locking his gaze with Ichigo's. "That's none of your business, Kurosaki. Why are you asking?" he said; the defensiveness in his voice, and eyes, making the crown prince smirk. 'I knew it. He even called me by my last name, so that tells me this is a touchy subject' Ichigo thought, as he held the ruler's gaze for a few moments; studying him closely, before looking back at the fire once again. "Take it easy, Toshiro; I was just curious. You're not known for your social skills, so I'm glad that you've found a friend in her." he replied; letting another moment of silence pass between them before he spoke again. "I warn you, though; don't play with her, or there will be consequences." he finished; his voice taking on a slightly harder, and more intimidating tone.
Toshiro glared at the young ruler-to-be; his anger building with each passing second. "What the hell are you talking about, Kurosaki?" he asked challengingly, with a hard edge to his voice that made Ichigo's hackles go up.
The Karakura prince glared back at the sovereign, and pointed the stick that he'd been using to poke the fire with at Toshiro's face. "I know that look, Toshiro; I can't tell you how many times I've seen it directed at both of my sisters, and even my own wife, over the years. I know exactly what you want from her, and I'll only say this one more time: play with her, and there will be consequences. Don't lead her on, and make damn sure you keep your hands to yourself." he said; issuing a silent challenge to the young king, and watching with great interest as Toshiro's icy mask started to crack.
As the Karakura prince saw a multitude of emotions flash in the young ruler's eyes, despite his stoic face, Ichigo couldn't tell, for a minute, which emotion Toshiro was feeling the most intensely. He caught glimpses of anger, resentment, defensiveness, hurt, shock, discomfort, hesitancy, embarrassment, and extreme irritation; finding himself oddly amused watching the man whom he'd grown used to seeing as the living epitome of calm and collected suddenly start to collapse, and lose his famous composure that everyone associated him with. 'He's pissed off that I figured it out, because he wasn't prepared to talk about this with me yet. If I know him, he'll probably deny everything, so he can get out of the conversation' Ichigo thought somewhat humorously; waiting patiently as Toshiro gradually regained his composure, and glared at him intensely.
"You're wrong, Kurosaki; that's not how it is."
'Yup, there it is' the crown prince thought smugly; a self-satisfied look on his face, as he leveled a hard stare at the young man before him. "Listen, Toshiro; I may not be the most intuitive person in the world when it comes to emotions, but I recognize desire when I see it; no matter how well-hidden it is. Besides; she's my sister, and brothers have an ability to tell when a man is interested in their sister. I have nothing against you, personally; you're a decent guy, you've kept your word of keeping Karin as safe as possible, and she seems to be happy, and thriving; but I won't stand by, and watch her heart be played with, you hear me? I don't know what your relationship with her is like, or if she's even interested in you, but I have a duty to protect her until she marries. I can tell you're not even sure, yet, what your intentions are with her, so you damn well better figure that out first before you do anything else, understand?" he finished; the intensity of his stare matched equally by the stare of the turquoise eyes looking back at him.
All was quiet for a moment, before Toshiro got up, grabbed his sword, strapped it around his shoulders with his chain and clasp, and nodded to the crown prince. "I'd never do anything to hurt her, Ichigo; you should know that by now. She understands me better than most people can, and I'd give my life's blood to keep her safe. She's my best friend, and I give you my word that's how it will stay…at least for now." he said, as he turned, and walked off into the night to go and check the southern edge of the camp; desperate to get away from the conversation, and hoping that the strawberry hadn't noticed the embarrassed flush on his face. 'Damn you, Ichigo…' he thought frustratedly, as he disappeared into the distance; leaving the crown prince alone by the fire.
Ichigo watched the white-haired man go, and a small smirk made its way onto his face. 'I'm glad we understand each other, Toshiro…now, let's see what you do with it'