Author's Note:
Okay, here we are with Chapter 8! I hope you're all excited for some Kurosaki family time, and uncomfortable conversations, lol. From here on out, things will start changing in Karin and Toshiro's relationship, and I hope you all enjoy the ride :-D
I would like to thank SailorStar9 and Phany9634 once again for the reviews, and for being consistent readers of this story! I greatly appreciate it, and look forward to hearing your thoughts as True North progresses :-)
I would also like to give a shoutout, and thank you, to all of the other people who read, follow, and favorite my stories. It really does warm my heart, and encourage me to keep writing when I know that others are enjoying the material I produce!
Alright, here we go! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. All credit goes to Tite Kubo.
One month later…
The month Karin spent in the harvest fields was one of the best months she'd had in recent memory. She'd been exhausted at the end of every day, but the results had been well worth it. She'd learned a lot about the land, how to properly care for it in all phases of the growing cycle, and she'd gotten to know the people very well. Mostly, though, she'd enjoyed being able to spend every day with the man who unknowingly held her heart in his hands. They'd made sure to eat lunch together every day, and talked about everything and nothing; merely enjoying each other's company as the days blended together in the summer heat.
Some days, either during lunch, or when they returned home, Toshiro would help her with her sketching; while other days, she would either give him archery lessons, or help him with affairs of the kingdom when they returned to the castle in order to lighten his workload. Oftentimes, she would ask him about the history of his kingdom, and family. He told her more about the dragons, how they came to work together with the royal family throughout the centuries, and how every crown prince was handed down the responsibility of earning the dragons' trust in order keep the partnership alive. When she'd asked him about times in Orora's history where the dragons had aided the royal family with major problems, he'd explained some of the wars his kingdom had been a part of over the course of their history; how the dragons were called upon to assist them on the battlefield, and how, if it weren't for their aid, Orora wouldn't exist today.
In return, she told him about how Karakura was founded, how they had managed to grow so vigorously while only being in existence for a fraction of the time that the ancient thirteen kingdoms had been, and the many revolutionary movements they'd had to handle, so that massive violence and bloodshed didn't overtake the kingdom. Given that Karakura was such a large kingdom, dealing with revolutionaries was a common problem; one that Ichigo had put her in charge of taking care of once she became a general. It had taken a toll on her mental state at the beginning, as she'd needed to execute many people, but she'd realized later on that her brother had done that in order to prepare her for what the battlefield would be like. Ultimately, she'd been grateful for the preparation, but she also knew that the experience had left some scars on her, as well; something that Toshiro was all too familiar with.
Even though she knew that every kingdom had to deal with such problems, Karin had been interested to learn that Toshiro's own parents had needed to deal with one such uprising themselves: The North Star, as they had been called. He'd told her that, while his father had never given him any details about the campaign, Jion had eventually needed to execute every single member of the organization due to their classification as terrorists. They supported anarchy, and they had incredibly violent, bloodthirsty methods to achieve their goals; believing that living without laws would be far better than the 'oppressive' system of government that they currently lived under, and that everyone who didn't support the execution of the royal family should be considered a loyalist, a traitor to the cause, and that they should be executed themselves. They had no concept of compassion, peace, or justice; believing that simply killing anyone they deemed a traitor was a better way to govern than allowing an accused person to go through a court system.
Toshiro's father had always disliked violence, but it was that incident that had made Jion detest it; having not wanted to have to kill so many people, but not having a choice because of the severe threat they posed. That was why Toshiro had been given the family sword at such a young age, and why his father couldn't train him; hence, why they summoned Aizen to train the two siblings in the first place.
Spending so much time with him, and learning so much more about his kingdom, had been the highlight of Karin's harvest experience; but now, the harvest was starting to wrap up, and it was time for her to leave for her visit to Karakura. She wasn't surprised to find herself in a state of conflicting emotions; both sad that she would be parted from Orora – more specifically, Toshiro – for an extended period of time, and excited to see her family again. 'I can't believe it, but I'm actually sadder to leave than I am excited to see everyone' she thought dejectedly, as she checked over her saddlebag, canisters of water, and strapped her bow and quiver full of arrows to her back; her new Damascus steel sword sheathed in the scabbard attached to the leather belt around her waist. It was about a half an hour before dawn, and she and Toshiro were heading out together; he to the fields, and she to start her journey south. She'd made sure to say goodbye to everyone else after dinner the previous night, and promised a crying Ryu that she would be back in time for Christmas, which had pacified the child.
Taking the reins of their horses, Toshiro looked over at her; the depression in his eyes hidden from others by his stoic façade, but seen by her. "I'll see you as far as the border gates." he said; watching as she nodded wordlessly. A moment of silence passed as stormy dark grey met bright turquoise, and Karin walked up to him; wrapping her arms around his neck, and hugging him tightly. "I'll miss everyone…especially you, Toshiro. Thank you for this, and I'll see you all soon. Make sure to be careful, and stay safe while I'm gone." she said; her voice uncharacteristically soft, as she gently nuzzled her face into his neck.
Much to her surprise, the young king gently wrapped his arms around her waist without any hesitation, and he gave her a small squeeze in response; holding her closer to him than normal. "We'll miss you too, Karin…I'll miss you. Stay safe travelling, and send us a message when you get to Karakura, so we know you made it there in one piece. We'll look forward to having you back in a couple of months." he replied; closing his eyes, and relishing the feeling of her in his arms. Lord knows, he didn't get many opportunities like this, so he was going to enjoy it while he could.
Karin gave him one more squeeze in response, before releasing him, and stepping away completely; nodding to him in reply, and mounting her horse. Toshiro mounted his horse, as well, and the two made their way out of the entry courtyard; passing by the citizens as they lined up on the side of the road to wave the Karakura princess off, before finally reaching the border. With one final nod to each other, and shared small smiles, Karin exited through the gates as Toshiro turned his horse around; the two going their separate ways.
When she had gotten far enough down the road, Karin looked back at the place she'd come to love; watching as Orora grew more and more distant the further south she travelled. 'Two months, and then I'll be back. Make sure to take care of yourself until then, Toshiro' she thought, as she righted herself in her saddle, and put Kiseki into a gallop; determined to reach Karakura as quickly as she could.
EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F
By only sleeping for three to four hours a day, Karin had managed to get to Karakura in just under three weeks; though both she and her mount were exhausted by the time they arrived. Her family had been ecstatic to see her; with Yuzu almost tackling her as soon as her boots touched solid ground, while a very pregnant Orihime waddled over to her with Ichigo and Isshin in tow to give her a big welcome home hug. They'd marveled at her new horse, and Ichigo had given her a funny look when she'd explained that Toshiro had gifted Kiseki to her in repayment for her help with looking after his kingdom while he was away.
That look also appeared on her father's face, as well, when they saw her new sword, and asked her about it. She'd told them about the special metal unique to Orora, and how she'd begged Toshiro for one of her own; with him finally relenting in order to shut her up, and forging it for her himself, since she'd never worked with Damascus steel before. She'd watched her father and brother share a glance after her explanation, and she immediately knew they were in on some kind of secret that they clearly hadn't shared with anyone else. She wanted to know what it was, but during the first two weeks of her visit, she'd been unable to pry any information out of them. They'd remained suspiciously tight-lipped, and evasive, whenever she brought it up; so, instead, she'd contented herself with telling them all about her various experiences over the last several months away. Everyone enjoyed her stories of both her time on the battlefield, as well as her time with Toshiro and his family, and she described the people and castle to them in as much detail as she could; with Yuzu and Orihime listening intently, and Yuzu exclaiming that she wanted to pay a visit to Orora in the near future to see everything, and meet everyone, herself.
In turn, they'd told Karin of all the Karakura happenings since she'd left, how everyone was doing, and what new strange contraptions Kisuke was inventing for the army. Urahara even stopped by to say hello to her while she was home, and he took the opportunity to tease her about finally getting to grow up a little bit without her brother looming over her shoulder. She'd laughed at that, but Ichigo had found it less amusing. Kisuke had asked about her travels, and how she was liking her new life up north; and Karin spent plenty of time telling him, Ururu, and Jinta all about her time with Toshiro and his family. The nobleman had listened closely, and a knowing smirk made its way onto his face the longer Karin talked; with the raven-haired princess finally threatening to smack the smirk off his face if he didn't stop looking at her like he'd just caught her with her hand in the cookie jar. He'd merely laughed in response, and said that he was happy she seemed to be enjoying the company so much; a slight innuendo in his voice that had Karin glaring at him, while trying to suppress the embarrassed blush on her face.
She'd enjoyed catching up with Jinta, and Ururu; and jokingly questioned the red-head on when he was finally going to grow a spine, and ask Yuzu to marry him. Jinta had blushed a heavy red, and started spluttering about how you couldn't rush something like that; but he did ask her if he had her permission to ask Yuzu when he felt the time was right. Karin had dropped the teasing as soon as the words left his mouth, and smiled back at him; nodding, and giving her approval for whenever he chose to ask for her sister's hand. In truth, she rather liked the brash boy, even though he could be a bit of a hot-head at times. They'd all grown up together, and he clearly adored Yuzu; with her twin also having doted on the read-head from the time they were kids. So, she was confident that the union would be a happy one, and she was rather pleased that he'd thought to ask her permission, as well as Ichigo's and Isshin's, before speaking with Yuzu. It was a testament to how highly he thought of their entire family, and how much he knew Yuzu valued her twin's opinions and approval. The two women were as close as close could be, and he understood how much Karin meant to Yuzu. That in and of itself gave the raven-haired princess a peace of mind, knowing that they would one day be gaining a brother-in-law who valued the family for who they were, and not their position or money. All Karin wanted for Yuzu was love, and a happy future with a man who would take good care of her. The dark-haired twin knew that Jinta would give her both, so she was happy for them.
Outside of catching up with old friends, Karin spent a portion of every day with Todoroku Kaze; happy to see her beloved pet again. The tiger had been thrilled to have her mistress back, and wouldn't leave Karin's side, no matter where the young princess went. It was only with the greatest reluctance that she would obey her mom when Karin told her to go back to her den, and she would be waiting at the door every time the raven-haired princess came outside to visit. Knowing that she would need to leave Todoroku Kaze behind when she returned was one of the few griefs Karin did have about going back to Orora; but it also made her feel better knowing that the tiger was here to help protect the grounds, and her family, if needed. She loved her pet dearly, but she knew that this was where Todoroku Kaze belonged; and she also knew that she could always come back for visits whenever she wanted to see her beloved animal again.
Ichigo brought her to see the soldiers that she knew who were home from the front on leave; all of whom had been overjoyed to see their general back. She'd enjoyed catching up with everyone, and had fun training, and sparring, with them again; but the highlight of the visit had most definitely been the night that her nephew Kazui was born. It amazed her how much of a nervous wreck her brother was during Orihime's labor; though, she wasn't unsympathetic. Hearing her sister-in-law screaming in pain for hours hadn't been easy for her, either, and she wondered for a moment why any woman would put herself through it. Deep down, though, she knew that even she wanted a family one day, so she figured it was merely one of the usual trade-offs one had to make in life. Her thoughts to herself from when she was trying to earn Toshiro's trust all those months ago had come back to her mind: 'Nothing good comes to you unless you work for it', and she'd thought they were just as true now as they had been back then. The joy of having a family only came through the pains of childbirth, but the ultimate gains were well worth the temporary hardship.
For it being Orihime's first baby, it was a relatively short labor; taking about fifteen hours from start to finish, and as soon as they had heard the first cries of a baby, Ichigo had practically flown into his wife's room. Isshin and Karin had followed a few minutes later, in order to give the new family some time alone together, even though the young princess was dying to see her new nephew.
The baby had the same spiky orange hair as his father, but clearly possessed Orihime's facial features, and eyes. While Yuzu and the nurses tended to the new mother, Kazui was passed from his mother's arms into his father's; Ichigo staring down at the small bundle of cloth with wide-eyed wonder, and holding the baby as if he were carrying the most precious treasure in the entire world. Orihime looked exhausted, but she was smiling from ear to ear as she watched her husband gently run a finger over Kazui's soft tuft of orange hair.
When the two raven-haired Kurosakis finally joined the new family, Isshin cried, and exclaimed how proud he was of his son and daughter-in-law; bouncing up and down excitedly as he begged Ichigo to let him hold his grandson, and going on about how Masaki would be so thrilled. It took a while, but Ichigo gradually relented in order to shut Isshin up; letting his father hold the baby for a few minutes, before having him pass Kazui to Karin.
Having never held a baby before, and not being used to handling fragile things, the fear on her face must have been evident, because her brother smirked at her, and told her not to worry; she would be fine, and she wouldn't hurt him.
Hesitantly, she reached out, and Isshin laid the baby in her arms; Karin instinctively holding the little one close as she unconsciously swayed back and forth, and gently bobbed up and down. The baby looked up at her with large dark orange eyes, and she found herself smiling softly down at him. In the back of her mind, she pictured herself holding a baby with her raven-black hair, and Toshiro's bright turquoise eyes, and she felt her smile grow. 'I guess I'm more feminine than I thought; even a warrior wants more than just a career, and the thrill of the fight. It looks like family is ingrained in all of us' she thought, as she stared lovingly down at her nephew.
After she'd held the baby for a little while, she passed him to Yuzu, who cooed and fawned over him from the moment Kazui was placed in her arms; and after that, Orihime took the baby back to feed him while everyone aside from Yuzu and the nurses left the new mother to rest.
EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F
Once Kazui arrived, the rest of Karin's visit had been largely occupied with helping her brother and sister-in-law out during the day, and alternating night shifts with her sister, and father, so Ichigo and Orihime could get some much-needed sleep. She'd soaked up every second she got to spend with her new nephew, and found very quickly that she had more maternal instincts than she originally supposed she would have; which she was relieved to discover, as she knew that babies could sense unease, and she didn't want Kazui to be upset by her own lack of confidence in the care-giving aspects of being an aunt.
The entirety of her visit flew by, and, before she knew it, it was her last night in Karakura before starting her journey north. They were all in the drawing room; sitting and chatting, and Yuzu was close to tears at the thought of her sister once again leaving home.
Karin gave her a sly smile, and put a reassuring hand on her twin's shoulder. "Don't worry, Yu; I'm sure I'll be back before too long for your wedding." she said; watching as her sister blushed a deep red. "Karin, you know that Jinta hasn't even proposed to me yet! What makes you think that will happen anytime soon?" she said; waving her hands in the air frantically, and causing her twin to chuckle at her flustered state.
The sly smile on the raven-haired Kurosaki's face morphed into a knowing smirk, as she eyed her sister carefully. "Oh please, he's been fidgety the entire month I've been here; I'm sure he was probably just waiting until after Kazui's birth to ask you. If he doesn't propose to you in the next month, and you're not married by the spring, then I'm going to have to beat him until he man's up enough to ask you. The kid's infatuated with you, Yuzu, so I'm sure it won't be long now."
Standing next to his sister, Ichigo chuckled, and agreed with her; while Isshin started tearing up, and threw his hands in the air dramatically. "My beloved daughter will soon be taken away from me! Oh, Masaki, how shall I-!" Smack! the Kurosaki patriarch was cut off by both Ichigo, and Karin, as they slugged him in the face; sending him backwards over a chair, and spread out on the floor in a dazed heap. "Shut the hell up, old man!" the siblings shouted in unison, before looking to each other, nodding, and fist bumping.
As Isshin struggled to get back up, Yuzu and Orihime chuckled lightly from their spot on the couch beside the fire; with Karin and Ichigo looking back at them, and throwing them triumphant smirks, before Karin glanced at the clock, and noticed the time. Knowing that she would be getting up very early to get on the road, she told everyone that she was retiring for the evening; with Yuzu and Orihime saying the same, and getting up to leave, as well.
As the women said their goodbyes to each other, Ichigo looked to Isshin, who nodded; and the crown prince put a hand on his sister's shoulder. "Karin, Dad and I would like a word with you before you go up, if you're okay with that?" he asked; Karin nodding in reply, before hugging her teary-eyed sisters, and walking back over to her father and brother. Giving them a curious look, she crossed her arms over her chest. "What did you want to talk about?" she asked; a no-nonsense look on her face.
The two Kurosaki men glanced at each other, shared the same look they had when she'd explained about her new horse and sword, and focused back on her; gesturing for her to sit down with them. Karin complied, and took a seat opposite them; holding their gazes with her own, as her curiosity rose.
All was quiet for a moment, before Isshin spoke. "We wanted to make sure that you really have been enjoying your time in Orora with Toshiro, and his family. I'm assuming that you're happy, and you like it there; otherwise, you would have said something long ago." he said; a slightly humorous, but still serious, smile on his face.
Nodding in reply, Karin gave them a suspicious look. "I thought I already made this clear, but yes; I've enjoyed it very much. It took a while to get used to the almost perpetually cold weather, but I've actually grown quite fond of it now. The kingdom is beautiful, especially during the winter, and all of the people are very friendly and welcoming." she said, before thinking back on her time at the castle; an affectionate smile unconsciously making its way onto her face as her eyes adopted a far-off look, and she let her thoughts run loose. "Rangiku is a ton of fun to be around, and we get along really well. Izuru is a quiet man, but a kind one; and I've been able to get some good conversations out of him. Momo reminds me a lot of Yuzu, and she's like a sister to me now. She's sweet, kind, caring, and she loves her family very much. Little Ryu is super sweet, and enthusiastic. He definitely has his mother's personality, and he idolizes Toshiro. He always has a smile on his face, and he's eager to learn anything and everything that he can."
She paused for a moment, then; lost in thought, as her smile grew slightly, and her mind wandered to all of her time spent with her young king over the last several months. "Toshiro's really surprised me. When I first met him as a kid, he seemed like an arrogant, entitled, spoiled brat who looked down on everyone else that didn't meet his standards; and I have to admit that I still thought that about him during our journey back to Orora. Even after a month of being there, he still seemed cold, and distant, to me…but then, some things happened, and I actually started paying closer attention. He's saved my life on numerous occasions at the expense of his own safety, and he's a very caring, kind, and gentle person who loves his family and people. We've talked a lot, and he's told me things about his past that explain his hard outer shell. He's gone through a lot during the course of his life, which is why he's so stoic and indifferent; but there's a good man behind those protective barriers. I'm not really sure how it happened, but I went from wanting to kill him, to being his best friend. We get along really well, and we're very similar in a lot of ways. I know him better than I know myself, really, and he's one of the best men I've ever met." she finished, as she looked back at her brother, and father; seeing them staring at her intently with resigned expressions on their faces.
Not a moment later, she came back to herself, and internally started panicking. 'Oh, bloody hell, did I really just say all of that out loud?! Dammit!' she thought; her face feeling suddenly warm under the watchful eyes of the two men.
Ichigo and Isshin looked from her, to each other, nodded, and turned back to her; Isshin pulling out an envelope from inside his breast pocket, and handing it to her. Karin took it, and looked at it quizzically; It was addressed to Toshiro, and had the royal seal of Karakura on it.
Looking back at her father, Karin saw his eyes soften with understanding. "We've been waiting for the right time to broach this with you, Karin, and we thought talking to you just before your journey back would be best. Now, I'm going to let Ichigo speak first, and I'll come back in when he's finished." Isshin said; looking to his son, and giving him a nod to continue.
Ichigo nodded in reply, and looked back at his sister; giving her a sad smile. "I know what's coming, Karin; but I can't lie, and tell you that I won't miss my second-in-command. Orora's gain will very much be our loss." he said; watching his sister's facial expressions go from confused, to shocked, to embarrassed, as she shook her head in reply. "What the hell are you talking about, Ichi? You're not losing me. Toshiro and I are just friends; he's never once said anything to me about anything more than that." she said, as she glared at him defensively; really not wanting to talk to her brother and father, of all people, about her 'entanglement' with the northern ruler.
"That's because I told him not to."
Karin froze, and stared wide-eyed at her brother; the shock on her face clearly evident. "W-what…did you just say?" she asked; not trusting herself to be able to vocalize anything beyond that.
Ichigo nodded, and held her gaze. "He and I had a little 'talk' a week before he returned to Orora. I'm no fool, Karin; I could see it in his eyes. He may be a master at masking his emotions, but I'm your brother; my instincts are never wrong when it comes to you, and Yuzu. He wants you, and he may even love you; but I couldn't get a clear read on him. I told him that if he hurt you, there would be serious consequences; and that he needed to sort out exactly what you meant to him before he said, or did, anything else. I didn't want you getting sucked in, only to be left heartbroken later on…but I think it was already too late for that, judging by the look on your face a minute ago. You love him, don't you?" he asked; watching as Karin's face adopted a red hue, and she narrowed her eyes at him in an intimidating glare. She was clearly pissed off for various reasons, but he was ready to take it. He'd known this conversation would happen at some point in the not-too-distant future right after he'd spoken with Toshiro; and it couldn't be avoided any longer.
Keeping up her harsh glare, Karin felt her anger flare as she responded. "What the hell, Ichigo?! You're my brother, not my bodyguard; so why on earth do you think you have the right to stick your nose into my private business?!" she yelled; watching as he glared back at her with equal ferocity, and gave her a pointed look. "Because I'm your older brother, and the crown prince of this kingdom. It's my responsibility to see to it that you remain as safe as I can keep you, and that Karakura's reputation isn't tarnished by scandal. I love you, Karin, and I'm going to look out for you; whether you like it, or not." he said, before his facial features softened, and he dropped his scowl in favor of a probing look. "That being said, I have to say that I was happy with how Toshiro handled our conversation, and I'm glad to know he's kept his word. It speaks well of him, and I agree with you: he is a good man. I've watched you over the past month, Karin, and it's obvious that you're not happy here…or, at least, not like you used to be. Your heart's not here, anymore, and I can tell that you want to be back in the north with him; so, I'm going to ask you again: do you love him?" Ichigo asked; the intensity of his stare making the young princess wish she could just melt into the floor, and lock herself in her room until it was time for her to leave. This was not a conversation that she wanted to be having, but she knew that they wouldn't let her go until she answered the question.
The red on Karin's face deepened, but she reluctantly nodded her head in confirmation. "I do; more than you know. I meant it when I said he's the best man I've ever known." she replied; her challenging glare never leaving her face.
Ichigo held her gaze for a moment, before looking to Isshin, and then back to her; a small smile making its way onto his face as he sighed in resignation. "Alright, then. It looks like it's finally time for me to stop with the intimidation tactics, and let other men look after my sisters. I'm sure you want to know what was said during my conversation with him, but I'm asking you to wait it out. What he feels about you should come from him, and not from my own assumptions. Can you do that?" he asked; his steady gaze pleading with her to say yes.
Karin nodded her head, as her own facial features softened a little; Keeping her gaze on her brother for a moment, before looking to her father, who pointed to the envelope in her hands. "When you return to Orora, give that to Toshiro when you see him. This is official communication from one sovereign to another, so I need your assurance of confidentiality, Karin. After that, wait for him. Neither Ichigo, nor I, know definitely what his intentions are towards you, but we're both fairly confident our suspicions are correct. Be patient; he'll talk to you when he's ready, one way or the other." Isshin said; a sad, but loving smile making its way onto his face as he brought his hand up, and gently cupped her cheek. "While we're sad to give you away, know that we do approve of your choice. Toshiro's an honorable man, and I would be very happy to have him in the family. As long as he loves you, and takes good care of you, that's all that matters to us; and if your mother were here, she would say the same thing."
Karin felt tears prickle at the edges of her eyes, as she smiled warmly at her father, and brother; and they returned it with warm smiles of their own. Thinking back to the day that Karin and Yuzu were born, Isshin couldn't believe the day had finally come where he would need to say goodbye to them, and let his little girls go; wondering where all of the years had gone, as he looked at his beautiful, strong, grown-up daughter, who held in her hands the letter that would determine her future.
Promising that she would get it to Toshiro intact, and that she wouldn't ask him about it afterwards, Karin tucked the missive into the ornate belt around her waist, and the three of them got up. She hugged her father and brother goodbye, as a small smile made its way onto her face. "Thank you…both of you. I know I don't say this often enough, but I love you two, and I'll miss you." she said; squeezing them, and holding them close.
The two men hugged her back; not willing to let her go until she pulled away from them. Isshin looked at her with pride in his eyes, as he smiled down at her. "We love you too, Karin, and we'll miss you very much. Your mother would be proud of you, and everything you've accomplished…and she would say she's looking forward to getting to know Toshiro better, since I have a feeling that he'll be a part of this family soon enough." he said, as his smile grew, and he kissed her on the forehead.
Smiling at her brother and father gratefully, Karin gave them one final hug before saying goodnight, and heading to her room to get a few hours of sleep before she began the long journey north.
Ichigo and Isshin watched her go, and stood there in the quiet of the evening for several minutes after Karin had left; with Ichigo finally breaking the silence. "He better treat her well, or I'll personally send him straight to hell…and he better keep my warning about keeping his hands to himself in the back of his mind if he knows what's good for him." the strawberry said; unconsciously growling under his breath, as his hands clenched into tight fists.
Isshin chuckled, and put a hand on his son's shoulder. "Easy does it, Ichigo; if he's kept his word so far, I see no reason to believe that he won't continue to do so until he marries her. At first, I wasn't sure if your suspicions were correct, or if it was just your over-protectiveness talking; but, after watching her, and listening to her talk about him and his family this past month, I'm confident you were right. Karin wouldn't fall in love with someone who wasn't already in love with her, whether she realizes it or not; that's just how she is. She doesn't let anyone in who she knows isn't already hooked. I'm just disappointed that we won't be able to attend the wedding." Isshin said; a sullen look on his face, and sorrow in his eyes.
Looking to his left, and seeing the depressed expression on his father's face, Ichigo offered him a reassuring smile. "I doubt they'll even have a formal wedding, Dad. Remember, Aizen's targeted Toshiro and his family more than any other ruler; so, I'm willing to bet they'll either have a small ceremony with just his family, or they'll elope, and keep it a secret until the war's over. If there's one thing I've learned about him, it's that he'll go to whatever lengths necessary to keep the people he cares about safe; I saw it often enough while I was fighting alongside him. He may seem as cold as an iceberg, but he's a caring, and selfless person." the crown prince said, and the Karakura ruler nodded in agreement; knowing that Ichigo was right, and trying to let that knowledge console him.
All was quiet after that; both of them staring at the drawing room door for a few more moments, before exiting, themselves, and making their way back to their own rooms.
As Isshin reached his bedroom door, and entered, he stared at the portrait of Masaki that hung above his bed; smiling lovingly at it. "It looks like the last of our children has found her future, my love. I'm sad to see our little girl go, but it makes me happy to know that she'll have a good future with a good man. That's all you and I wanted for her, and Yuzu, after all. You'd be proud of them...all of them." he said, before getting himself ready for bed, and falling asleep with a mixture of excitement, and sadness; knowing that when he woke up the next morning, his beloved daughter would have already left her family home for the last time under the name of Kurosaki.