The Nightingale

Chapter 91: A Rushed Wedding

Spring — x494 / March 30 [Rukia, 18 years old / Yuzu and Karin, 16 years old]

If there was one thing that put Rukia in a good mood, it was that the spring celebration week was over and her maids had returned to the castle, making everything return to normal and their daily routines.

Maru had done a wonderful job, but Rukia had gotten so used to the way Tatsuki and Kana cared for her that she felt incomplete without them. Both girls had been by her side practically since she began her life in the castle and they knew the way she liked things, in addition to having become her main confidants and advisors.

Rukia rewarded her maids' work by giving them things that made them feel special, like longer vacations or gifts she bought for them. Her maids were the only ones whose hair ornaments were made of gold, all given on the premise that if they found themselves in need, they could sell it.

Maru had also received a gold hair ornament. Rukia had given it to her because she didn't want there to be an iota of discord between the girls. It was well known that the other service girls might make fun of Maru for serving her and not having a gold hair ornament.

Rumors that the other maids considered Rukia's preferential treatment of her own maids unfair had reached the queen's ears, and the queen summoned her for a talk with her about the gifts she had given to Tatsuki and Kana.

The queen maintained that giving such expensive gifts to her maids made the others feel slighted, but Rukia maintained her stance and claimed that it had only been a gift with no hidden malicious intent.

She justified the one-week vacation by saying that they had not asked for vacation since they worked for her and that doing so had been a retroactive way of compensating them.

"It's something similar to what Ichigo does with soldiers' vacations." Rukia commented calmly, causing the queen to just rub the bridge of her nose, giving up on the topic.

In the end, the queen asked her not to give them so many days in a row on dates that were considered important, nor such expensive gifts, or it could cause discord among the other maids. Rukia had to accept the queen's words, although it was not her problem if other people did not treat her maids well.

After that, the queen changed the conversation and tea was served into the cups in front of them while a maid placed trays of snacks to accompany the tea.

The queen guided the conversation towards some triviality, like when there was still that bond of trust between them, and Rukia only continued the topic until the time of the queen's meeting with King Aizen to discuss matters of state was announced.

The wedding of Princess Karin and Prince Toshiro was clearly a matter of state.

That wouldn't have been strange under any circumstances, but the queen seemed to have meetings with King Aizen every day and this baffled Rukia, as did the queen's attempts to re-form the bond between them.

It had been a little over a month since Day of the Roses, and Rukia considered it a short time to let her guard down. Even when she was drinking tea with the queen, Rukia only wet her lips because she didn't trust her.

She didn't want to be paranoid, but the wound was still there, bleeding inside her. Rukia didn't trust the queen anymore.

In the morning, while Tatsuki cut the ends of her hair and remembered that the king was arriving at the castle that day, Rukia couldn't help but mention how strange the queen's attitude seemed to her since the day the king had gone to look for Princess Karin at the Palace of the Sun.

It was something she couldn't explain in any coherent way, but there was that feeling that something had changed in the queen even though she remained the same.

— She always seems to be in a good mood. — Rukia murmured as she listened to the scissors cutting her hair. — It's not that she's smiling all the time, but her face is glowing.

— Maybe the fact that her youngest daughter is getting married has her in a good mood. — Tatsuki suggested as she made the final cut after making sure Rukia's hair was cut well.

— Isn't she supposed to be sad? Princess Karin is her youngest daughter. — Rukia thought for a moment. — My mother was sad and tense when she found out that I was coming to Adelaar Castle, although my mother never left my side throughout my life in the Great House. The queen, on the other hand, used to send her daughters to the Palace of the Sun after winter and bring them back in the fall.

Rukia got off the stool she was standing on and checked her hair in the mirror. Her hair used to reach her hips, but after Tatsuki cut her hair, it reached her waist.

— What if instead of questioning why the queen is so happy, you go and take advantage of the moment? — Tatsuki suggested as she picked up the cut hair from the floor. — Go and ask her to allow Prince Ichigo to return to the queen's area.

Rukia stopped looking at her hair and realized that Tatsuki was right. If the queen was happy and trying to bond with her, what better way to show goodwill than by allowing Ichigo to visit her again in her own room?

— Tatsuki, you are a genius! — Rukia took her maid by the shoulders, who was looking at her somewhat confused by her reaction, and smiled. — Prepare cookies for the queen and let her know that I will visit her for tea time. Princess Karin arrives today and I must make the request before her arrival or I might miss the opportunity.

Tatsuki nodded and left the room to run the errands that Rukia had requested because the cookies had to be ready for tea time, and Rukia was left thinking about the best way to ask the queen to lift Ichigo's punishment.

If it weren't for Tatsuki, she would still be thinking about the queen's good mood and would have missed the opportunity to talk about that topic that was quite important to her and her marriage.

—

Karin had never felt so nervous and anxious to return home as she did that day. She still couldn't believe that the next day would be her wedding, at least the official one within the kingdom, and that then she would leave with her husband to Jetaiya where her new life would begin.

The original plan was that Yuzu would accompany her to Jetaiya to be present at the wedding so that she would not feel alone, but her father had changed the plans and this time it would be Queen Mother Raiza who would make the trip with her.

Karin loved her grandmother, but it was Yuzu who had always been by her side and had been her adventure partner and confidant, who knew all her secrets and bad habits.

They were both aware that that moment would come one day, only Karin didn't think that day would be so soon and that only made her emotions more difficult to control.

The gift tickled her fingertips.

— So… will you make me a nephew tomorrow or will we have to wait until the wedding in Jetaiya? — Yuzu asked with a mischievous smile on her lips to break the silence inside the carriage.

Karin's face turned completely red.

— Yuzu!

— Tell Toshiro to hurry up and give you more than just kisses on the cheeks. I'm getting old and I want to be able to play with my nephews before I die.

— Grandma, is that you? — Karin grabbed Yuzu's shoulders in mock concern. — Get out of Yuzu's body!

They both started to laugh and Karin hugged her sister like she had rarely done, staying like that for a long time and allowing a couple of tears to slip from her eyes, wetting her sister's dress.

Brides were not supposed to cry on the eve of their wedding, but it was impossible for her to hold back her tears at such a time.

— Everything will be fine. We will write to each other and when you have your babies, I will ask our father's permission to allow me to travel to Jetaiya. — Yuzu commented, trying to cheer her up a bit. — Besides, I won't get married if you're not present, so we'll meet again. Everything will be fine.

Karin nodded and wiped away the tears that had escaped her eyes.

— You also have to make me nephews soon, my children cannot go through life alone. — Karin murmured with a sly smile, making Yuzu turn completely red.

— Grandma, is that you?

They both started to laugh about that, although deep down they knew that seeing each other again after the wedding would be complicated, almost impossible.

Spring — x494 / March 31 [Toshiro, 18 / Isshin, 47 / Masaki 44 / Aizen 44]

Masaki had in front of her a collection of diadems and tiaras that ranged from the most discreet to the most striking, going from light to dark colors and made with jewels so valuable that entire palaces could be bought with them.

She was supposed to choose the tiara that her daughter would wear on her wedding day, since only princesses wear tiaras when they get married, but she hadn't chosen it because all her free time had been taken up by Aizen.

Masaki was not going to fool herself by saying that it had been a moment of weakness because she had gone to Aizen's room aware of what she was about to do: spending a night of pleasure in Aizen's bed in exchange for all the lovers Isshin had made her tolerate seemed like something that would balance the scales.

However, that night was repeated every night that Isshin was outside the castle because being with Aizen was like going back to the past, to the nights between blood and war.

When Isshin returned and went to see her in her room to spend the night together, she finally realized that her feelings for him had changed. That night, while Isshin slept next to her, Masaki was left thinking about what she really felt about the man next to her and about all the resentment she still felt inside her.

Even though it was she herself who decided to stay there and try to save what she and Isshin had, seeing Aizen made her understand that what she wanted to rescue was just an illusion.

Aizen, with just one move, had collapsed that flimsy house of cards that was her marriage. Aizen, with just one move, had collapsed that flimsy house of cards that was her marriage.

— Your Majesty, Princess Karin has just started the rose bath. — Reported the maid who entered his room.

Masaki nodded to what the girl said and returned her attention to the jewelry in front of her.

Diamonds were classic for a wedding, Masaki had worn diamonds at hers but she didn't want Karin to have the same luck as her if she wore the tiara that she wore at her own wedding. Masaki was still terrified of the fate her daughter might have when she married Toshiro.

Entering a harem was terrible if the girl didn't have enough character or the right connections. She didn't doubt her daughter's bravery, but Karin would be a foreign princess with no one by her side but Toshiro.

Aizen assured her that Karin would be the main wife and that Toshiro was willing to close his own harem for her, which reassured Masaki in a way, but at the same time she feared for the concubine Toshiro already had.

Closing the harem meant that he would not take any concubines after the official declaration was made, but the ones he already had would remain in his care until the end of time. Just thinking about the possible confrontations that Karin would have with the concubine made Masaki want to prevent the wedding and protect her girl.

Masaki shook that thought out of her head because the alliances were already made and because they needed at least one member of the Triad on their side to prevent Kisuke from pointing his sword at Avanta.

She felt like she was selling her daughter for a little peace, although deep down, she believed that Avanta would collapse from the inside just as Kaien was crowned king.

— Your Majesty, Princess Karin is in her room. Her maids are starting to dress her. — A new servant spoke as Masaki was putting away the tiara she had chosen for her daughter in a jewelry box.

Masaki chose a tiara of rubies and obsidians set in black gold with some diamonds distributed in such a way that everything harmonized in an elegant and attractive way. That was the tiara made for Queen Kazue, the bloodthirsty queen, and Masaki chose it because she hoped her daughter could gain some of that queen's strength to survive the harem.

She didn't want love to make Karin a weak woman, as she once was.

As she approached the twin girls' room, memories of her own wedding came to her mind.

Her father-in-law had gone for her to Vayalat and the alliance between the kingdoms had been signed, and then she had traveled to Avanta to marry Isshin. She was nervous and excited, a little disappointed that Isshin hadn't come for her like he had promised, but she was happy.

She never imagined that things would unfold the way they did and instead of the life she once imagined with Isshin, she would find pain and suffering.

At that time that alliance with Vayalat no longer existed, and Masaki wondered how long the friendship with Jetaiya that they were buying with Karin's wedding would last. Aizen wanted her with him, and Masaki doubted he would stay still after what he told her the last night they were together.

He wanted her to be his queen, with all that that entailed, and Masaki had refused, claiming that she didn't have the energy to deal with a harem nor could she give him the children he wanted. Although the gift kept her at her best as a woman and as a warrior, her insides were so damaged that even if she became pregnant, she always ended up losing them in the first months.

Aizen was so arrogant that he told her that her next pregnancy would go to term because it would be his child she was carrying and not one of the pathetic man she called "husband". Masaki did nothing but laugh at that, although Aizen silenced her with kisses and then made her moan.

Before she could knock on the door to enter her daughters' room, the door opened and Queen Mother Raiza came out with a smile on her lips that disappeared when she noticed her.

Masaki immediately stepped aside and lowered her head in respect.

— Good morning mother.

Masaki was nervous, as if she were a child who was about to be scolded for something she did wrong. Queen Mother Raiza had refused to greet her the previous day and rejected her attempts to visit during the afternoon.

It was obvious that the Queen Mother was angry with her and Masaki knew why. It was stupid to think that Queen Mother Raiza would not find out about a great tragedy like Day of the Roses.

Queen Mother Raiza stopped in front of her, with both hands held in front of her abdomen, and cleared her throat. Masaki swallowed, nervous and anxious.

— You are the queen and I will not question your decisions. However, the methods you used for that "punishment" exceed what is tolerable. Not only did you hurt your son and his wife, but you exposed them publicly in a situation that should have been private. If they had to go through this, you should have at least had enough mercy to allow them to do it in private. Now the whole kingdom knows and thanks to that report, people are beginning to question the traditions that should be kept secret.

— Your majesty, that's not how things were.

Masaki wanted to speak, but the queen did not let her do so.

— Do you have any idea what they say in the cities in the north of the kingdom? Isshin sent Ichigo and Rukia to do work in the middle of their honeymoon and that generated so much empathy with them. They are in high esteem among the families of the Great Lords. In their minds is the memory of the inexperienced girl who appeared before them to do the job of representing the queen, which immediately turned her into a martyr after that scandalous report.

— Mother, they were responsible for…

— I don't want to hear the excuses you tell yourself to get to sleep at night! — Anger dripped from the Queen Mother's gaze. — You criticize Isshin for his blind love for Kaien but you fall into the same situation. Your daughters will get married and leave the castle, have you thought about who will stay in this place with you? Remember that there are two ways to reach the Palace of the Sun, by your own will or by orders of the new king, and Kaien will not be merciful to you when he puts on the crown.

The queen mother did not wait for Masaki to say something to defend herself, but instead took a step back and continued on her way to the room assigned to her on the third floor.

Masaki's knuckles were white from the strength with which she had held the jewelry box containing the tiara that she would give to Karin, and it took her a few minutes to loosen her grip and feel her fingers again.

She knew that she had done wrong by acting that way towards her son and Rukia, and that there were other ways to punish them for Nelliel's death, but at that moment her common sense and reason were clouded by feelings.

Masaki was sorry for the pain she caused Ichigo and Rukia, but she was the queen and must stand firm in her decisions no matter how painful and hurtful the consequences were. Her son's words still echoed in her mind, and Rukia's caution when they had tea together was evident.

She knew it was her punishment and she accepted it.

—

Karin looked in the mirror and recognized herself in a beautiful white dress with royal blue embroidery on a skirt that reached to her feet in a soft and elegant fall. Under the skirt she wore only a pair of soft linen petticoats, which were quite comfortable and served to make the embroidery showy without raising the skirt too much.

The last thing Karin wanted was to look like a giant marshmallow with feet.

She hadn't seen her wedding dress until the day before, when it was brought up to her room for final adjustments overnight.

Karin did not know when that dress began to be made, but she assumed it was after her parents returned from Vayalat after her uncle Kisuke's coronation.

She knew that the wedding was being rushed because of the alliances with Vayalat and Jetaiya, her uncle Kisuke had explained it to her before they began the return trip and had apologized to her for being the cause of their wedding being rushed.

Her uncle also left it up to her to decide whether or not to tell her parents the reason why she was traveling back to Avanta, but Karin preferred to keep that a secret and just say that they missed home very much.

When her father came for her to the Palace of the Sun and explained the situation, Karin was glad that she had not told him that they were traveling because Vayalat was about to go to war against Gardelia. Her father seemed quite concerned about the lack of alliances and she did not want to add to that burden.

Her uncle Kisuke had told her the reasons why they did not agree to renew the alliance with Avanta, and although she initially felt upset, her uncle reminded her that politics was based on promises and the ability to keep and fulfill them, and her father had not complied with one of the points that had been set out in the alliance.

— What are you thinking about? — Yuzu's voice made her stop looking at herself in the mirror, although in reality her mind was wandering to the talk with her uncle Kisuke. — Don't you want to get married anymore?

— Right now, even if I don't want to get married, I have to. — Karin sat on the bed. She was ready for the wedding, the only thing missing was the tiara that her mother had to bring her. — But I do want to get married.

— So what do you think? In Toshiro's concubine? — Yuzu sat on the chair in front of the vanity mirror so the maids could start combing her hair.

— No, I think about the talk we had last night. — Karin looked at the maids, knowing that whatever she said in front of those girls, those girls would repeat it in front of her mother, and she didn't want the Vayalat/Gardelia issue to be heard yet. Eventually the news would come and her father would do what he had to do. — But now that you mention it, I'm just now taking a leap of faith on that topic. Toshiro says that he couldn't refuse her because she is a gift from the queen, but that he hasn't spent the night with her.

— So, does he want to make his debut with you?

Yuzu's question and malicious tone made Karin turn completely red and choke on her own saliva. Yuzu just started laughing at that.

— Yuzu!

— I'm just asking an innocent question.

— That was not an innocent question! — Karin pointed a finger at her sister, who saw her in the reflection of the mirror with a smile. — Surely your husband will be an old man who will not last the first night.

— None of my daughters are going to marry an old man. — Their mother's voice sounded from the door and both Karin and Yuzu turned to look at her. The maids stopped what they were doing to bow to the queen. — Furthermore, Yuzu already has several marriage proposals from the Great Families and the king will evaluate them in the coming weeks.

That was Yuzu's turn to turn completely red, making Karin feel repaid for all the teasing Yuzu had done to her.

She stopped thinking about the political issues surrounding her wedding, as well as the war and concubines, and focused on the fact that she would marry the man she had chosen.

—

Hisana adjusted the Second Prince's insignia on Toshiro's coat and took a step away from him to take in the entire set of clothing and see if anything needed adjusting. Black pants with blue lines on the sides, a blue shirt of the same tone used in the details of the pants and a coat with various blue and gold details.

It was a simple outfit compared to the military attire he would wear on his wedding day in Jetaiya, but Hisana felt satisfied.

— You were never openly interested in women and now you are getting married. — Hisana commented as she handed him a blue handkerchief with silver embroidery. — What changed? Because I admit that it is too incredible that from one moment to the next you show yourself so interested in someone.

Toshiro remained silent as he placed the handkerchief in the inside pocket of his coat, knowing that his sister was not going to remain in doubt for long even if he evaded the topic.

— She's not like the Jetaiya girls. — He murmured as he looked at himself in the mirror in the room. — The ladies of Jetaiya's court lower their gaze in front of us.

— They respect us, that's why they do it. No one inferior to us is allowed to look us in the eyes. — Hisana clarified, following the direction of the conversation.

— I don't like. — Toshiro turned to look at his older sister. — They could be doing any activity and as soon as I arrive, they shut up, stop laughing and look down. It's like they're hiding something and Karin isn't like that.

— And you will tell me that she is different, she says what she thinks and is not afraid of anything, right? — Toshiro was not liking what his sister was saying, it reminded him a lot of Queen Ravna's way of being. — And then you'll tell me that the first time you saw her they held each other's gaze with such intensity that it seemed like the world stopped completely.

Toshiro knitted his eyebrows together in annoyance and then shook his head slightly.

— The first time I saw her, she was at the shooting range and was shooting arrow after arrow at the targets without missing any of them. I stayed there throughout her training, watching her. She didn't see me.

And after the meeting at the Dome where the Kuchiki matter was settled, it was Karin who approached him and offered to see the castle. It was a silent walk, the only one they had, and then he didn't see her again except at formal events where Karin seemed to have put a barrier of silence between them.

It was until they met again in Vermist that Toshiro learned the reasons for Karin's silence: she thought that he did not feel comfortable with her and she preferred to stay away from him. After resolving that misunderstanding, they began to talk.

— If you wanted a female archer as your wife, you would have asked for it.

— You don't understand, sister.

Toshiro checked the time, noticing that there was little time left until the signing of the wedding contract and the alliance, and he headed to the door to head to the room where the event would be.

— Have you already told her about your concubine? — Hisana's question made Toshiro stop. — Because the girl is waiting for you in Verihan, and Karin will definitely meet her.

— She knows it. I told her yesterday, while we were having dinner. — Toshiro turned to look at his sister, omitting that Karin had gotten quite angry with him for not having told her that little detail sooner. — After the wedding at Verihan, I will publicly close my own harem. I promised Karin.

Toshiro left the room and Hisana ran after him, grabbing his arm to make him stop. He expected that reaction from her, because very rarely did a prince give up his own harem for a wife.

— Toshiro, tell me that's not true. — Hisana demanded, somewhat scandalized. — You are second in line of succession in case Koga has no sons. You need a male heir.

— Karin will give it to me.

— What if she can't give it to you? That's what concubines exist for! You are obliged to have an heir who…

— Hisana, my child. — Toshiro heard his father's voice and turned to look at him at the same time as Hisana did. The king of Jetaiya was also dressed for the signing of the alliance in formal clothing, using the emblematic colors of the kingdom. — That is a topic that I have already talked about with your brother and he has my permission to do so. I trust that the Deities or the Shadow will be benevolent towards him and give him a male heir born to his wife.

— But father...

Hisana still seemed reluctant to let go of the issue for peace, but the king of Jetaiya had that smile on his face that signaled a warning.

— Don't forget that you still have more brothers. Who inherits the kingdom is not something you should worry about, my child. — Aizen motioned for Hisana to walk with them. — Now come on, there's a wedding to celebrate.

Toshiro could understand Hisana's concern about who would inherit the kingdom in case Koga was never able to have a son, but it was not an issue she could handle despite being the queen's daughter.

However, Toshiro wished that Koga could finally have his male heir because he did not want to inherit the kingdom. He was not afraid of responsibilities, but rather he was afraid of the queen and what she could do to his mother and Karin.

—

Isshin had a long list of faults behind him, from being a bad father to Ichigo to being a bad husband to Masaki, but the one thing he couldn't allow was "being a bad father to his daughters" to be put on that list.

During the trip to the Palace of the Sun, he was thinking about many things, among them was trying to get Karin to give up on that marriage, regardless of the fate of the alliance or the kingdom because he could see all the similarities between his wedding to Masaki and his daughter's wedding to the prince of Jetaiya, and he feared that his daughter would have the same fate as them.

Beyond the breach of the alliance, Isshin feared that Karin would suffer the same thing that Masaki suffered at the beginning of the marriage.

He did not remember those two years, everything had been like a dream from which when he woke up only blurry mirages remained, but all the resentment that Masaki showed for years was proof of what a bad husband he had been.

When the representative of the Deities asked Karin and Toshiro if they were there of legitimate will and without pressure of any kind, Isshin felt the impulse to raise his voice and cancel everything, but Masaki's hand stopped him.

A gentle shake of the head from his wife was enough for him to stop thinking about canceling that wedding.

— Look at her. She looks radiant. — Masaki whispered and Isshin paid real attention to his daughter. — Don't spoil this for her.

Karin looked like a wild princess despite being dressed like the finest lady in the kingdom. His daughter was too much like Kukaku, from her physical appearance to the way she carried herself, being as strong as any soldier in the kingdom and as intelligent as the best advisor, although his opinion was biased because he was her father.

Isshin witnessed how his daughter, who looked more beautiful than he had ever imagined, signed the paper where she was legally married to the Second Prince of Jetaiya and was kissed on the cheek by her new husband, and felt that something extremely valuable was being stolen from him.

After the signing of the wedding contract was finished, it was time to sign the alliance and both Isshin and Aizen signed the scroll that stipulated all the points included in that contract.

Isshin read the paper before signing it, making sure that no new clauses had been added that would put them at a disadvantage, but Aizen didn't even read the content and only signed where he was supposed to.

Everything was fine, there was nothing out of place, but Isshin didn't like Aizen's smile at all. It was as if Aizen was celebrating a silent victory for something Isshin didn't know about, and it disturbed the king of Avanta.

Spring — x494 / April 7 [Mila, 21 years old / Sora, 27 years old]

Mila walked back and forth in her room, still undecided about whether to go see the doctor or give the situation time and wait another month to try to get pregnant.

Kaien had taken her as Inamorata shortly after Day of the Roses, given her a beautiful white diamond choker for dinner, and they had spent that night together. With that action, Kaien made a silent declaration about his choice of future wife and, at the same time, made it clear that if she did not comply with giving him a child soon, she would be easily replaced by the next on the list of court ladies.

At that moment, Mila felt a little of the pressure that Nelliel had felt when she became the crown princess, but at the same time she felt confident, since she had always been very healthy and the doctor assured her that it would be easy for her to get pregnant.

However, after her period came for the second time since sharing Kaien's bed almost every night, she was no longer so sure that it would be so easy to conceive a child.

She knew Kaien could have children because Nelliel had become pregnant almost as soon as they were married; so if there was a problem then it wouldn't be Kaien but it would be her, which made everything more complicated because she couldn't let anyone find out about a matter as delicate as that.

Being the Inamorata of the crown prince was no guarantee that he wouldn't sleep with anyone else, and everyone knew it.

After walking around her room a couple more times, Mila left the king's area with her maid and headed to the queen's area to visit the doctor.

She couldn't deny that she was nervous and afraid that the doctor would tell her that she would never be able to have children, but she forced herself as hard as she could to push that idea out of her mind and think that she was simply exaggerating.

Mila wanted to be the crown princess and the future queen, she just had to give Kaien a son.

Upon reaching the area where the doctor worked, Mila saw that one of Rukia's maids was standing outside the door, which meant that Rukia was in there. It was known that since Rukia lost her baby, the doctor had put a lot of care into her recovery and everything related to her was strictly controlled; from what she ate to permission to visit her husband's bed.

The wait seemed eternal to Mila, although in reality only a few minutes had passed since she arrived until the door finally opened. Rukia left the doctor's office with a small box in her hand that she immediately handed to her maid.

— Mila! What are you doing here? Are you feeling ill?

Rukia's questions carried that characteristic tone of concern, without any hint of malice or other intentions. They were friends or so Mila wanted to believe, but she was a little confused by Kaien's warnings about how dangerous Rukia could be if she considered her a rival.

Rukia had never been mean to her or anyone who didn't deserve it, and Mila refused to believe that the person who helped her make her first date with Kaien a success was really such a bad person as to hurt her for being the partner of the heir to the crown.

Kaien must be exaggerating things.

— Oh no! I mean, yeah. — Mila stuttered a little. — I just have a bit of a headache and I would like something to calm it down. They don't let me drink any type of medicinal tea because they fear it will alter my fertility.

It took a second for Mila to realize what she had said and she bit her tongue. Rukia had lost a baby and she was making those kinds of comments, she immediately wanted to apologize but Rukia continued talking as if she hadn't heard that last bit.

— That's true. Kaien needs an heir and there are already rumors that the Deities are punishing him for something, since he still cannot have children. I hope you give us the joy of seeing a little boy running through the castle, the fourth time is the charm or so they say. — Rukia was calm and with a kind smile, although the comment made Mila feel a chill down her spine. — When you feel better, come with me and Princess Yuzu for a walk into the city. Since Princess Karin left, she has been feeling a little lonely and I would like to take her to a tea house to eat sweets.

— Yes of course. I just have to…

Mila pointed to the door of the doctor's office and Rukia took the hint, said goodbye to her and wished her to get well soon.

Mila thought for a moment about Rukia's words, until the doctor made her enter the office. Then she would ask Rukia what she meant by "fourth time's the charm".

The doctor asked her endless questions, from what she ate and drank to the description of the blood that wet the pads; as well as the description of all the times she had shared the bed with Kaien and if he ended up inside her all those times.

Mila answered all those questions with a hot face because she never thought the doctor would ask that. It was too embarrassing and she felt like she would never be able to see the doctor's face again after telling her all those details of her intimate life.

— From what you tell me, I can't find anything that would prevent you from getting pregnant. It's only a matter of time but I will prepare some fertility teas for you so there is a greater chance of you getting pregnant. When I have them ready, I will send them to you.

Mila thanked the doctor and left the office feeling a little calmer, trusting that the teas would help her and in a short time she would be able to give the news that she was expecting a child for the heir to the throne.

—

Sora gave a small bag of coins to the doctor and let him go. His illness had advanced to such a point that the only recommendation the man gave him was to resolve all his pending issues before the Shadow came for him.

His mother was devastated and kept crying for him or asking him to seek the opinion of another doctor, but that was something he had done many times and the disease never stopped its progress. Sora was tired of taking remedy after remedy to treat his illness, but none of them worked.

His mother used to say that she would die if he died because she couldn't tolerate losing him in such an unfair way, and Sora could only hug her and try to comfort her to stop crying in those moments.

— First your father and now you. The Shadow unjustly takes away those I love. — His mother sobbed at that moment, although he did not remember seeing his mother so affected when his father died.

When his father died, his mother seemed relieved to be widowed, which was strange because his father never treated his mother badly at any point.

— You still have my little sister. — Sora comforted her, but those words seemed to make his mother angry instead of comforting her.

His mother was still a little angry with Orihime for going after that soldier, although she adored Kaito.

Sora knew that his destiny was written and that the only thing he could do was leave everything in order for when the moment of his death came, which could be at any moment. So after realizing that he had no more time, he called his second in command and asked that a notary be brought to him so he could start putting all his papers in order.

Then, if he was still alive, he would make one last trip and visit his sister and his little nephew.

Hello!

I haven't uploaded a chapter in a long time, so I hope you enjoy this one. Thanks to everyone who follows this story!

By the way, this story doesn't end until we see "happily ever after", in case you had that doubt.

A little question, do you remember what Orihime and Sora's mother was?