Author's Note:

What's going on, everyone?! Good to be back with you all for chapter 7! What can I expect from this installment, you ask? Well, here it is!

- The slow-burn romance between our two lovebirds continues to smolder

- Toshiro tells Karin more about his past

- We finally get a look into Karin's thoughts and emotions over these past several months

SailorStar9: Indeed, quite smitten, but not necessarily as blind as we thought ;-)

I hope you all enjoy! Don't forget to leave a review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. All credit goes to Tite Kubo.

The maid woke Karin up at four the next morning; telling her it was time to get up if she still wished to help in the harvest fields. Groggily, the young Kurosaki groaned in disapproval, before getting out of bed, and laying out her clothes. Even though the early September nights were starting to turn chilly, the sun was still very hot during the day; so, she dressed in a white half-sleeve linen shirt tucked into a light green ankle-length linen skirt, accompanied by a brown leather corset with brown lacing. She put on her usual brown boots, and did her hair in a side braid; checking herself in the full-length mirror, before making her way out of her bedroom.

When she got downstairs, Toshiro was already at the open castle doors; ready to leave. He had on a white undershirt, with a teal sleeveless tunic overtop that fell to his mid-thigh; brown pants that were tucked into his black boots, and a black leather belt around his waist. All of the clothing items were well-worn, and had clearly seen many years of hard labor already, which made her think back to his appearance during their six months on the battlefield together. When he was fighting alongside his men, no one would ever be able to tell that he was a king unless they saw the crown that usually sat atop his head. To the random passerby, he looked like any other average soldier; with torn and tattered garments, and dirty boots. She found it refreshing that, unlike a few other royals she knew (cough, Byakuya Kuchiki, cough), he didn't seem to care about remaining more well-dressed than others in order to show his status. He was honestly and truly a very humble man, and that was one of the things she admired most about him. 'Just one of many, really' she thought, as she descended the last few stairs, and her boots hit the ebony floor of the foyer.

Hearing footsteps behind him, Toshiro turned around, and saw Karin standing at the bottom of the staircase; looking her up and down, before giving a nod in approval. "Good; you should stay cool enough in those clothes. I have to say, though; I'm not used to seeing you in anything other than leggings during the day." he replied; smirking at her as she gave him a teasing smile in return. "Believe it or not, I do have some feminine traits. Besides, a skirt will be much cooler than pants in the long run, and it's not like I'll have to kick anyone. It's you men I feel sorry for." she replied; putting her hands on her hips, and giving him a triumphant look.

Toshiro shook his head amusedly, before motioning for her to come closer; an excited glint in his eyes that she hadn't seen before. Curious, she complied, and walked over to him; stopping dead in her tracks when he looked outside, and she followed his gaze. There, standing next to his own horse, was a beautiful dark bay mare that boasted a four-pointed white star on her forehead; already tacked up with a side saddle, and waiting for her.

Karin looked from the horse, to Toshiro, and back again; her visible shock bringing a humorous look to the sovereign's face. "Toshiro…is she for me?" the raven-haired princess asked in disbelief.

When the young king nodded in reply, Karin felt her eyes widen even more. "Why? She's gorgeous, but that's too generous of you; I can tell she's a very valuable animal." she said; trying to think what she had done to deserve such an amazing gift.

Standing next to her, Toshiro watched her closely, and his smile grew. He knew she loved animals, especially her horses; and after her own horse was killed on the battlefield several months back, she'd been devastated. She'd raised him from a colt, just like she'd raised Todoroku Kaze, and it had grieved her to lose not only her mode of transportation, but a friend she'd nurtured, and cared for, for years.

The young king looked from her, to the horse, and started walking towards the bay; gesturing for her to follow. Karin complied wordlessly, and walked with him until he took the reins of the gorgeous animal from the stable boy, and handed them to her. "After everything you've done for me, and the kingdom, over the last several months, this was the least I could do. I know you've missed your horse since he was killed in Kenka, and you can't very well go without one. I know you had a special bond with Kuro, and I know Kiseki could never replace him; but I hope you'll accept her as a token of my gratitude. She's six years old now, and fully broken in. I actually bred, and trained her, myself. She's a good mare, with lots of spirit; even a little flirtatious, so you two should get along well." he said; smirking at Karin as she lightly punched his arm, and gave him a playful smirk of her own.

Turning her attention back to the animal, she walked up to the horse's face, and gently patted Kiseki's forehead; watching as the mare's eyes closed with the soothing motion. Karin's smirk turned into an affectionate smile, then, and she looked back at Toshiro; who was now smiling softly at her, and the animal. Before she had time to second-guess herself, Karin walked up to the young king, and found his gaze with her own. "Thank you, Toshiro; she's beautiful." the raven-haired princess said, as she rose onto her toes, and kissed him lightly on the cheek. When she pulled away just a second later, she was greeted by the site of a wide-eyed, and blushing Toshiro; clearly flustered, taken off-guard, and unable to formulate a proper response. So, to take the edge off, Karin shot him a sly smile; throwing the reins over Kiseki's head, and rushing over to the horse's side. "I'll race you to the fields!" she said excitedly, as she pulled herself onto the animal's back, and took off down the road.

Jolting out of his stunned stupor, Toshiro quickly regained his bearings, and took the reins of his own horse from the stable boy; climbing onto the animal's back in a hurry. "Hang on, Karin; that's not fair!" he hollered after her as he, too, took off at a gallop down the road.

From the doorway of the castle, Momo smiled warmly as she watched the pair disappear into the horizon. 'I think you've finally found your other half, Shiro' she thought happily, before turning around, closing the castle doors, and going back to bed.

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When the two royals got to the fields, most of the villagers were already there; handing out scythes to the able-bodied adult men, while the women strapped cloth pouches onto themselves, the girls, and the young boys.

Toshiro and Karin dismounted, tied their horses to a nearby hitching post, and Toshiro greeted the men, while Karin walked over to the women; grabbing a cloth pouch of her own, and tying it around her waist.

The reapers started at four-thirty, and they didn't stop for lunch until around one in the afternoon. By that time, the still-hot September sun had been beating down on them for hours, and everyone was red-faced, and tired. The men's tunics had long-since been taken off, and most of them were now shirtless, as well. Toshiro was one of the few who didn't remove his shirt, even though it was soaked through with sweat; and Karin had a feeling it was because of the scar on his back. She couldn't say that she blamed him, but it did make her sad to know that he'd been concealing it from everyone for most of his life. 'He shouldn't be afraid to let people see it; it just proves that he's a fighter, and doesn't give up' she thought, as she looked at the fields from her resting spot hidden in the nearby woodline.

She watched in amusement as one of the older farmers handed the king a bucket of water, and Toshiro dumped the entire thing over his head; soaking himself in the process, as he shook out his now-drenched hair. His white locks were hanging over his forehead and eyes, but he did what he could to push them back so only his usual fringe was resting just above his left eye. Grabbing a water flask, he managed to find Karin's gaze from where she was sitting under one of the trees along the edge of the woods, and made his way over to her; sitting down, and enjoying the cool of the deep shade.

She looked over at him amusedly, and gave him a teasing smirk "I thought you hated the warm weather?" she said; watching as he took a sip from the flask in his hands, before smirking back at her. "I do. This is the one time of year where I make an exception."

Chuckling, Karin grabbed a strip of cloth that she had tucked into her corset, and scooched closer to him. "I'm glad you can lay your animosity towards summer aside for the harvest. Now, hold still; I can tell you've been wiping the sweat off of your face with those filthy hands of yours; your skin is two shades darker than it should be." she said, as she wet the cloth, and gently cleaned off the large dirt smudges along his forehead and neck.

Toshiro tried to ignore how her touch made him feel like he was on fire, and he hoped she didn't notice the goosebumps that followed in the wake of her fingertips as they brushed against his skin. He took another swig of water, and closed his eyes; breathing deeply, and trying to keep himself in check. He thanked God that Ichigo wasn't there, or he was sure he'd be scalped on the spot. "There, now you don't look like you haven't bathed in a month, anymore." Karin said sarcastically, as she tucked the now-dirty cloth back into her corset; smiling warmly at him.

He smiled back, and thanked her, before a companionable silence fell over them; each merely enjoying the other's presence as they watched the children run around, and play amongst the newly-cut wheat. The sun was out in full force, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky; by all accounts, it was a perfect day to start the month-long harvesting process. They couldn't have asked for better weather.

Several moments of silence passed between the two before Karin decided to speak. "Was it your father that got you interested in helping with the harvest?" she asked; looking at him with curiosity in her eyes. Given how active his family was in their kingdom, she figured that Jion had most likely gotten his children interested in helping with things like this; but she wanted to ask the question, anyway.

To her surprise, Toshiro shook his head in reply; looking out at the people in the field. "No, it was actually a friend of mine from many years ago. He was the son of one of the tenant farmers." he said; a far-off look in his eyes, and a melancholy frown on his face.

Karin was hesitant to ask; but ultimately, her curiosity got the better of her. "You said was…what happened to him? Did you two have a falling out, or something?" she asked; watching as his face sobered even more.

Toshiro shook his head in reply; looking back at her, and finding her gaze with his own. "No, we didn't fall out…he disappeared. His name was Sojiro Kusaka, and he was three years older than me. I used to play with him all of the time when we were kids, and he was the only real friend I ever had. He would bring me to the fields, and I'd help him and his family with the harvest. After his parents died when their house burned down, just a year before I lost my own parents, he joined the military; and, a year after the assassination of my parents, I ended up serving under him for a time when I first enlisted. I rose through the ranks quickly, and eventually became his commanding officer; before my uncle died, and I was crowned king. Just before Jushiro's death, Sojiro and I were on the battlefield together at Kenka; helping Zaraki fend off another wave of Aizen's soldiers. The battle was long, and bloody, and we lost a lot of men. The last time I saw Sojiro, he had taken off in pursuit of one of the Fraccion: the soldiers who serve directly under, and are chosen by, the Espada. He never returned, and I never found his body. I can only assume that he was killed, and they destroyed his corpse; otherwise, I would have found him years ago." the young king said; the same shadows appearing under his eyes that Karin had seen the night he told her about his past.

The pair remained in silence for a moment; Karin probing his turquoise eyes with her own, before moving closer to him, and wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight hug. "I'm so sorry, Toshiro." she said; feeling him tense up for a moment, before relaxing, and hugging her back. If they hadn't been concealed by the shade and shrubs of the forest, she was sure there would be an uproar from his citizens about this. Nothing was more entertaining for people than scandal and rumors, and this definitely would have prompted some unwanted commentary. At the castle, she could get away with physical contact like this easily, because everybody knew her personality; but, in public, it was a different story, so she was thankful for the privacy their concealed resting place provided.

Both of them remained in silence for a moment, before Toshiro spoke in a low, quiet voice. "I appreciate it, Karin, but I don't want your sympathy…just promise me you won't end up like him, and the others I've lost." he said; holding her as close as he dared without risking the loss of his own self-control.

Karin nodded her head in reply, and released him; finding his gaze with her own, and adopting a serious look. "I already promised you once, Toshiro, but I'll promise you again that I won't end up like them. You have my word."

The white-haired king nodded in reply; bright turquoise meeting stormy dark grey, before they heard the announcement from the harvest leader that it was time to get back to work. Rising from their spot in the shade, the pair made their way back to their posts, got back to work with everyone else, and by the time the day was done, they were both completely exhausted; handing off their horses to the stable boy when they got back to the castle, and saying goodnight, before heading straight to their rooms to bathe.

Karin lounged in the bath for an hour; enjoying the heat as it soothed her sore muscles. Even though she was incredibly fit from her many years of training and fighting, she hadn't realized just how hard farming was until today. 'Man, this feels good…' she thought languidly, as she watched the mirror that hung on the bathroom wall cloud up with steam. Closing her eyes, she let her mind wander back to the events of the day; how much fun she'd had, how much she'd learned about a new way of life that was so different from her own, and how very nice it had been to see a smiling Toshiro soaked through with water, and sweat; working alongside his people, and looking genuinely happy.

'Ugh, stop it, Karin!' she thought suddenly; opening her eyes, and sitting up in the bath. Sighing dejectedly, she looked at her reflection in the clouded mirror next to her, and frowned; knowing it was useless to scold herself at this point, but stubbornly keeping it up, anyway. 'No matter how much you want it, it's not going to happen. You need to get over it' was what she'd told herself time and time again, to no avail.

She'd known from the first time she'd met Toshiro that she was attracted to him, despite his cold attitude towards her. For the first couple of months, she'd chalked it up to hormones, and lust; choosing to ignore it in the belief that it would go away with enough time. It was only after she'd met Hyorinmaru, and Toshiro had saved her life by having his dragon shield her from the grenade instead of himself, that she'd started to see the real man behind the icy mask; and she acknowledged to herself the crush she had on him. When he'd confided in her that night about his past, she'd felt like she'd received a priceless treasure, and she relished having a friend in someone who seemed to understand her in a way that no one else ever had.

During their time on the battlefield was when she started to realize those feelings ran deeper than she'd given them credit for, as she found her affection for the white-haired king grow with every night they sat under the stars, and talked; or every time they saved each other's skins in a fight.

The past two months without him was when she'd made the rather startling discovery that she hated being away from him, and was desperate to have him back home. She anxiously awaited every one of his reports from the front lines; giving her the reassurance that he was alright, and that they were making steady progress. While he was gone, she'd thought about the time they'd spent together, alone under the stars, talking about their lives, and sharing secrets that only the closest of friends would share with each other. She'd thought about the small smile that graced his lips whenever he was happy, but trying not to show it; the smirk that would appear on his face when he was either being sarcastic, or when she did or said something that amused him; the soft, snow-white hair that she'd thought about running her fingers through on more than one occasion; his bright turquoise eyes that had the ability to pull her in, and captivate her to the point where she couldn't see anything else; how he wielded his weapon with power, ferocity, and confidence that she'd only ever seen from Ichigo…and, most importantly, she'd thought about the kind, loving, strong, brave, and honorable man that he really was; the man he kept hidden behind protective barriers of indifference, and stoicism.

She'd known for a while now that she'd fallen in love with him, but it had taken being without him for her to finally accept it. He was her better half, and she knew it; hell, she'd be the first one to say it. She'd felt incomplete without him by her side, and she hadn't known what to do with that until he'd dismounted in front of the castle gates. She'd been so excited to see him back, safe and sound, that she'd tackled him to the ground without a second thought; not even caring how it would look to everyone else…and after kissing him on the cheek in thanks for his giving her Kiseki, she'd dreamed the rest of the day about what it would feel like to kiss him properly. She wanted more from him than friendship, but she didn't know how to tell him that without potentially destroying the unique friendship they'd painstakingly built. 'Damn…I never thought I'd turn into a lovelorn damsel, like in Yuzu's fairytales' Karin thought, as she hugged her knees to her chest; wondering how she'd fallen so hard, so fast, or where her tough-as-nails personality had gone.

After sitting in silence for a while with her thoughts, she got out of the bath, and got dressed in her red silk nightgown, and thick brown fur robe. Even though it was still technically summer, and the daytime temperatures were quite warm, the nighttime temperatures in Orora were starting to get chilly again. She needed a walk to clear her head, and she didn't want to freeze.

Leaving her bedroom, she resisted the temptation to walk the short distance to Toshiro's room, and try to talk with him; choosing instead to head over to the small library at the back of the castle, which was next to the king's study. She'd gone there often in her two months alone in order to relax after a long day of tasks, and she thought she might be able to find a good book to take her mind off of everything.

As she made her way through the castle, she stopped at various places to look around. Everything looked so much different in the dead of night; so much quieter. With the staff all in bed, the house seemed void of life. 'It would almost be kind of creepy, if this place wasn't so beautiful' she thought, as she finally approached the small library; noticing a light glowing softly from behind the closed door of Toshiro's study.

Curious, she made her way over, and silently opened the door; smiling softly at the sight before her. There, resting on the mahogany desk in the center of the room, which was covered with official paperwork, and various other documents, was a head of snow-white hair; arms resting on either side, on top of the desk, and a lamp slowly burning nearby.

'He never stops working, does he?' Karin thought, as she made her way into the room, and walked over to Toshiro's side; seeing his eyes closed, and his breathing steady. 'He's fast asleep' she thought again, as she looked at his peaceful face. She'd never seen him calmer, and more at ease; and she stood there watching him for a few minutes, as a loving smile made its way onto her face.

After a small debate in her head on whether or not to wake him up, she decided to leave him be; knowing that if she woke him in order to get him to go to bed, he'd most likely just start working again. Looking around, but seeing no blankets in sight, Karin removed her fur robe, and draped it over him; being careful not to disturb him. Afterwards, she put another three logs in the fireplace, and walked back over to her sleeping companion. Feeling bold, she reached out, and gently ran her hand through his hair; savoring the feel of the silky strands as they slid through her fingers, and indulging in the thought of what it would be like to run her fingers through his hair as often as she wished.

Crouching down, Karin took one more look at his sleeping face, before she leaned in, and gently kissed his cheek. "Sleep well, my love. I'll see you in the morning." she whispered softly, before getting back up, putting out the lamp, and making her way back to her own room; her book forgotten, but a contented expression on her face.

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When Toshiro woke up the next morning at four, he was surprised to find the fireplace still warm, and a fur robe draped over his shoulders. He didn't recognize it, and he immediately wondered who'd found him last night. He'd been up far later than any of the servants would usually stay awake, and everyone at the castle knew that his study was virtually off-limits to everyone, apart from princess Momo, prince Izuru, prince Ryu, General Matsumoto, and princess Karin. Since he kept quite a bit of sensitive information in the room, only those select few were permitted to enter; and, out of the list of people whom he allowed to use the room, he couldn't think of a single person who would have been up that late. 'I can ask Momo; she might know, or it might have even been her' he thought, as he got up out of his chair, put more wood in the fireplace, and made his way back to his own room to change for the day.

When he got back downstairs, he was greeted by the sight of his sister with his and Karin's lunches in-hand; giving her a small, but grateful smile as he took the packages from her. "Thanks, Momo." he said; watching her smile, and nod in return, before turning to leave. Not wanting to wait until later to ask her, Toshiro spoke again. "Actually, I need to ask you something before you go."

The young mother turned around with a curious expression on her face. "What is it, Shiro?" she asked; waiting for him to continue, as he pressed on. "Was it you that found me asleep in the study last night, put that fur robe over me, and put more wood in the fire? If it was, then thank you. I would have frozen if you hadn't." he replied; watching as his sister's facial expression went from confusion, to understanding, to a sly smirk that he wasn't entirely comfortable with. "Was it dark brown, floor-length, very fluffy, and thick?" she asked, and Toshiro nodded in reply. "Yeah, that fits the description. So it was yours?" he asked; watching quizzically as Momo shook her head in response. "No, it wasn't me. Sorry, Shiro, but I was sound asleep at that point. I've learned over the years that you stay up working on matters of the kingdom far too late at night during the harvest season, since you're gone all day."

Toshiro looked at her with a confused expression. "Then who was it? I'm assuming Izuru, since you know what the robe looks like; or maybe one of the castle staff?" he asked, just as Karin started making her way down the stairs. "I'm sorry I'm late! I overslept! Are we ready to go?" she asked, as he nodded his head in reply to her, before looking back at his sister.

The knowing smile Momo was giving him sank in a moment later, and his eyes widened ever so slightly as he looked from Momo, to Karin, and back again; his sister merely giving him a nod in reply.

Karin rushed down the last few sets of stairs, past Toshiro, and out to Kiseki; mounting, and turning to leave. "Come on, Toshiro, or we won't get there before they start!" she hollered, before taking off at a gallop down the road.

The young king merely watched her go for a moment; an affectionate smile on his face that Momo hadn't seen the like of since she was a child, and it made her smile in turn. After a minute or so, her brother made his way over to his white horse, mounted, and took off after the raven-haired princess; leaving his sister standing at the castle doors. 'He looks at her the same way Dad looked at Mom. It's rather sweet that he doesn't even realize how far gone he is' Momo thought happily; a soft expression on her face as she withdrew back to hers, and Izuru's, room. 'I'm happy for you, Shiro; I really am'