The Nightingale
Chapter 9: Physical
Kholtan, Ichigo's golden eagle, flapped his wings causing Uryu and Renji to move away a bit; they weren't that familiar with the eagle but they found it relatively easy to be with it. They just had to feed him so that he was in a good mood and wouldn't try to rip their fingers off when he got upset.
— Kholtan has the same character as Ichigo. — Renji complained and the eagle raised its beak in outrage before flapping its wings again to fly away from them.
— And it seems that he gets angry just like him. — Uryu threw up the rabbit he had hunted and the eagle caught it in midair.
Renji had been responsible for the care of the eagle during the return trip and Ichigo had commissioned him to set it free when they were about to arrive; that was the reason why Kholtan was upset, he had been locked up for several days.
The eagle carried no message, its mere presence flying over the castle would be the message Ichigo needed. Kholtan flew over the entire camp, which the soldiers had already collected, and let out a shriek that made several soldiers look up in search of him. The eagle flapped its wings until it rose and was lost in the clouds, the next time Kholtan was seen, it would be when he was above that castle on the cliff.
Kholtan was a very clever eagle, cleverer than a common eagle was; he was raised by Ichigo since he was an eagle chick until he had become the majestic specimen that flew through the clouds. The eagle had been trained with magic, a very special and ancient magic that only the Masaki family knew, no one who did not descend from that family could have those gifts that they kept as a great secret.
The eagle would find him wherever he was, Kholtan was part of Ichigo; he was his second heart and his soul.
— Who is she? — Kenpachi's question caught him off guard and caused Ichigo to neglect his posture. The captain took advantage of this to exert more force on the blow and pushed him until he ended up on the ground.
Ichigo was learning to fight like Avanta's soldiers did. He knew how to move like the soldiers of his uncle, that's why he had been able to beat Kaien in that first fight, but he had to learn to do what his future men knew how to do. He had to be in tune with the environment around him if he wanted to be able to dominate it.
— She? — He asked with a frown together.
He got up from the ground and adjusted the cloth on his head, dusting himself off, and took up his training sword again to continue this fight with the captain. He hadn't thought that the man in front of him was so knowledgeable about what he did in his spare time.
— Do you think I was born yesterday? The stupid expression on your face is only caused by a woman. I've seen many soldiers with that same stupid expression, and I've seen them die in battle for not focusing on what really matters. To win!
That scream, along with Kenpachi's revelation, brought him back to the ground with a blow to the left shoulder.
— Damned. — He complained holding his left shoulder with his hand. He held up the training sword but Kenpachi took it from him in one motion. Ichigo hadn't felt that way for a long time, like a child.
— The training is over, you are not thinking about training so this is useless. That woman must move her hips and her mouth in an incredible way if she has you like this. — That expression didn't like Ichigo, the way Kenpachi had expressed himself about Kia made him want to hit him. He knew that was just a provocation on the part of the man and he was not going to fall for it.
— You don't know me. — It was the only thing he would say, he knew the man would say anything to make him fight for real.
A screeched eagle hovering over the training ground.
— I know you better than you think. I have known you since the first time you came to me to ask me to train you after that fight with your brother, since that day I know what kind of person you are, I even know what you plan but that woman is going to take you away from your goal. You will stay as the second prince. — He predicted and then spat on the floor.
The serious expression on Ichigo's face didn't relax, the anger at the captain's words was boiling inside him; as if he wasn't aware of it, as if he wanted something else than to get back what was rightfully his and that his father had given to a bastard.
The eagle screamed again and Ichigo passed by Kenpachi to go to the weapons room, which was close to them, to look for something that would serve to protect his arm; Kholtan's glove was in his room and he didn't want to enter the castle yet. He found a piece of leather, from the old armor they were taking off, and placed it on his arm, all under the gaze of Kenpachi who had sat on a large stone.
Ichigo whistled to attract the attention of the eagle and extended his arm, the one that Kenpachi had hit and that had stopped hurting, to the sky in a signal that the eagle recognized. Kholtan descended, with the softness and grace of an eagle, and perched on Ichigo's outstretched arm; the eagle's claws pressed hard enough to hurt him if he hadn't put on that piece of leather.
— Welcome home. — He stroked the feathers on the eagle's head with one finger. Kholtan was huge but tame enough with Ichigo to know how much force the eagle was using in his grasp and his displays of affection. — It was a long trip?
He asked, as if expecting the eagle to answer him, but instead, the eagle just fixed its yellow eyes on him with that intensity that Ichigo knew all too well.
— I see. — He whispered and stroked the eagle's feathers again before causing it to take flight and go hunting.
Ichigo took off the leather that he had used as protection and threw it at Kenpachi, who caught it with one hand; he looked at the Captain but put aside the subject that had put him in a bad mood. He was not going to talk about what he really wanted and even less about Kia, not until he was certain that what he wanted would be possible.
— They arrive today. The king and the soldiers arrive today. You should notify the kitchens so that they have everything ready to feed those who arrive.
— Let someone else do it. Are you finally going to remove that stupid cloth from your head?
— Yes. — He turned his back and Kenpachi's strong hand on his shoulder stopped him. The Captain was fast when he wanted.
— Fuck her, it's obvious you haven't done it yet, fuck her and get her out of your mind. — Ichigo shifted his shoulder, loosening the grip that gave up without much effort. He did not answer him, that prayer had made a very small echo in his mind.
Maybe it was what he needed, to fuck her so that the obsession that she had unleashed in him would go away.
He walked in silence until he left the training yard and entered the kitchen, there were Hanataro and Hisagi, the Chef de Cuisine, doing their job like every day. He warned both of them that the king was arriving that day and the men wasted no time; the Chef began to distribute orders left and right so that everything was ready, so that when the king asked for something, they would have what he wanted.
— My prince, shall I pack your "lunch to share" today? — Hisagi asked pausing in his orders before Ichigo exited the kitchen.
— Yes, have one ready. Maybe today I need it too. Thanks.
A lunch to share.
He smiled at that way of referring to that lunch and headed for the queen's rooms.
Ichigo was thinking that he should be present when his father arrived, receive him and pay his respects but he didn't want to; He wanted to spend the last afternoon with that girl, to see her violet eyes again, which had caused him so much sleeplessness, and to enjoy that strange scent of mint that emanated from her. He wanted one more day of freedom before he was the prince of the kingdom, before his life ceased to be his.
He didn't know if Kia was a girl from his mother's court, or a maiden, or someone else's daughter, he didn't care about that; he just knew that he wanted to spend one last afternoon with her, just that, one more afternoon.
—
— Kon! — Rukia saw the soldier walk through the corridors of the queen, again.
He had told her, one of the times they had met and exchanged a few words, and in the afternoons when they were having lunch together, that he was the queen's messenger, therefore he passed through that corridor very often and that was why they met a lot. The soldier looked at her and Rukia had the impression that he was worried about something, maybe something was wrong with him and that thought made her feel anxious.
— Kia. — Him greeted her.
Rukia got angry every time he called her that, she wanted to hear him say his real name but she knew that was not going to happen; he was a soldier and she was the daughter of the Lord of Maranni, they shouldn't even have met.
— You feel good? — Her voice showed how worried she was for him. He must have noticed because he relaxed the gesture in his face.
— Yes, I was just thinking about a lot of things.
— Really? In what? On our next big kitchen robbery? — She asked with an amused tone. Kon smiled at that.
— No, in what you said the other day. Do you want to go to the beach? — Rukia did not hide the expression of happiness that this proposal caused her.
— Of course I do, but I have to do some things before, I'm always a little busy in the morning, but I'll finish them quickly. — She excused herself but she wasn't going to let the possibility of going to the beach with her soldier slip away.
With her soldier.
That last thought made her blush a little but at that moment she did not care, she would know the beach, she would be in one and she would be with Kon. The Deities were being very good to her.
— Don't worry, I'll wait for you in the stables. I also have things to do now. Put on comfortable clothes.
Rukia nodded at what he said and then headed for the classroom leaving him in the corridor. She felt happy and excited, it was the best day of her life.
Throughout the class Rukia couldn't stop thinking that she would go to the beach with the soldier, it was something she had been looking forward to since the day they were on the cliff watching the sunset.
— Orihime, I need a favor. — The voice came out in a whisper, she had made sure that they were the last to leave the classroom and that there was no one around as they advanced through the corridors to the ladies room.
— A favor? What kind of favor?
— I will go out, but no one should know that I will go out, so if they ask about me, say that I am with my father or praying or that I am sick. Whatever you want, I'll be back before dark. — She said that in a whisper too quickly.
— Is it because of that soldier? Where are you going with him? I hadn't told you anything but, I'm worried that something will happen to you, he's a soldier and they never stay in one place. In addition, he can take advantage of the fact that you are alone with him and do "something" to you. — Orihime was worried, and the anger in her voice was proof of that.
— Nothing is going to happen to me, he is good. — She defended him.
—You've only seen him a couple of times, how do you know he's good? — Rukia didn't know what to answer, Orihime was right.
She didn't say anything else the rest of the way. The Favorites were far ahead of them and Rukia could see how Kon passed near the Favorites but none of the girls seemed to notice her presence, it was as if he were invisible; it was because he was a soldier and soldiers were invisible. The daughters of the Lords did not mix with the soldiers, not with those who were less than a General.
When he walked past her, he gave her a look similar to the first time they'd met, and her heart fluttered with excitement. They did not exchange a word, they were not supposed to speak with the soldiers and she was grateful to be with Orihime, she could pass for a lady of company.
Upon entering the room where they slept, the Kahya was waiting for them with a serious expression, Rukia and Orihime had been the last to enter. They both apologized and Kahya forgave them, they were her favorites because they were the only ones who treated her with respect.
— The king arrives today, a messenger brought the news and you, as part of the Queen's Court, must be present to receive him. At the time of the arrival of the king, I will assign them their place of waiting. Along with the king the princes will arrive, so I hope you will behave. I will not allow any attempt to attract the attention of the princes.
Rukia did not expect that just that day, the king would decide to return.
The favorites were excited and, when Kahya left the room, they began to look for their things to go to bathe and dress according to the occasion; a moment later Nell came in with her classic expression that everything was too scandalous for her but still started looking for her things to go to the bathrooms and prepare for when the king arrived.
Rukia supposed that Nell was on a higher level or something like that, it was as if she really was untouchable or that she cared so little about what happened there that it did not generate any feeling in her other than annoyance. Nelliel was the true Favorite of the Queen, she was the one who spent the most time with her, for some reason that she still couldn't understand.
— I promise I will tell you everything, when I return I will. I will be back in time to receive the king. — She promised but she knew that the latter was surely not going to happen.
— Okay, I'll cover you, but I want the whole truth.
Rukia hugged her tightly and then went to find some comfortable clothes to wear. She found the only dress that she had managed to hide among her clothes and that was really comfortable for that occasion.
Rukia came running to the stables, as if there was the salvation of her life. Deep down, Rukia knew it was the last day she could be with the soldier. They had been together for a few hours, but those hours had been the most exciting thing that had happened to her since she had arrived at the castle.
Kon was there, sitting on a log next to a horse that was already prepared with a saddle; she also saw that he had hung on one side a cloth bag that carried something to eat. He had also changed his clothes, he no longer had soldier clothes but was wearing clothes that looked really comfortable. The usual cloth that he hid his hair was there too.
— Sorry for the delay. — She apologized.
Kon got up and took her hand to kiss the back of her hand making her blush. Sometimes he was too formal.
— Do not worry. So I was able to storm the kitchen and get my horse out. — He pointed to the horse that was calm, eating hay, and with the saddle on. — Have you ridden a horse before?
— No, I have never learned to ride.
— So this is what you should do… — Kon began to explain what she needed to know and, after a few minutes where he had to help her onto the horse because she was very small, he got on and took the reins with both hands. — Hold on to me, just don't do it around the neck. — He warned when he felt that she was putting her hands on his shoulders.
— Okay, excuse me. It's my first time. — She apologized to him. Rukia put her hands around Kon's waist and she could feel his muscles marked under his clothes; for a moment she was ashamed to be so close to him.
— It's better there, hold on tight. — Rukia noticed the amused tone in his voice.
The horse began to trot slowly, the movement making her jump a little and cling more tightly around Kon's chest just as they passed the Great Gate to leave the castle grounds.
She was afraid of falling but tried to open her eyes to see the landscape on horseback, everything was different, everything looked better, but the idea of asking him to teach her to ride vanished the moment it had been formed. After that day she would not have so much free time and less could she be with a soldier.
She leaned closer to Kon's back, placed her cheek on his back and could feel the scent of his body, it wasn't sweat, he smelled clean, maybe he had bathed before their meeting; She closed her eyes enjoying the closeness and opened them when she felt Kon slow down the horse's advance so as not to run over someone. She also relaxed her grip on the soldier's body and looked at the city, the people were excited, they were decorating the city with everything they had on hand and there were children who came and went carrying bouquets of flowers and leaves.
— The king! The King Returns! — Shouted a soldier, who was riding a horse. She turned her head, as if she was afraid of being seen, and hugged Kon's body tightly again.
Part of her wanted to go back to the castle and do her duty, another part of her screamed that she must enjoy that last day of freedom, and a little voice, which sounded like Orihime's voice, told her to be careful with the soldier.
—
Feeling Kia's grip on his chest, the way she clung to him, made him wish the road would last forever; he wanted to enjoy that moment where she was entrusting him with her life. She trusted him, she agreed to go with him even though he was a complete stranger; he couldn't do what Kenpachi had said.
He couldn't take advantage of her. He was not that kind of man.
That relationship, if it could be called a "relationship," had started with a lie. He had hidden his name and, he was almost certain, that she had lied about her name as well. There were a lot of lies between them and for some reason it didn't feel too bad.
Ichigo signaled to the guards guarding the main gate to let them out of the castle grounds; he had spoken to them before Kia arrived at the stables, and had told them to keep the door open for him when he returned in the afternoon. The guards accepted, after all he was a prince and also, that day, the doors would be open so that the soldiers returning from the siege could leave the castle and go wherever they wanted.
Ichigo gripped the reins of the horse as they passed through the center of town, people were pacing back and forth, too animated to pay attention to those who were passing towards the Clifftown exit. Kia held on to him with a little more strength and it was all it took to remind him that he was not alone.
The soldiers were already arriving, his father would surely arrive at any moment and he did not want to meet him on the way; he didn't want to have to give an explanation as to why he was leaving the castle with a maiden and why he was not going to welcome him as he was supposed to.
Kholtan screeched in the sky, he was flying and, in a way, guiding Ichigo to reach the beach.
Ichigo wasn't sure how to get to the beach, the last time he had gone to a beach in Clifftown was when he was still a child. They followed the main road until they came to a path that veered to the right, Kia's hands still clinging tightly to him and he couldn't resist the urge to grab one of her hands. Ichigo smirked as he felt Kia intertwine her fingers with his.
He followed the path, this time slower than normal and with Kia's hand still holding his. They did not speak, he did not know what to say to her, or what to ask her, but that touch was better than a thousand words.
Ichigo could hear the murmur of the sea before it was visible and stopped the horse, there were trees on the sides of the path so he had to be careful, there could be someone hidden who wanted to hurt them.
He helped her get off the horse and the feeling of Kia's body between his hands made him sure that the insomnia that she caused him would only get bigger after that day. The idea of Kenpachi was unthinkable and he dismissed it from his mind when he saw those eyes that were filled with trust in him.
— Will we walk until we get there? — Kia was so excited that it made him smile.
— Yes, be careful. Can you hear it? We are close. — He pointed to the path they must follow to get to the beach. Kholtan screeched over his head again and was lost among the trees.
Kia smiled and Ichigo knew that she had heard the sea.
They both walked calmly and Ichigo led the horse that he was holding by the reins so it wouldn't get lost. Silence was between them again but the rising sound of the waves dissipated it and, in a subtle way, again theirs fingers ended up entwined as they walked.
The path ended and the sea appeared before them, blue, huge and magical. Ichigo turned to see Kia who was standing, her eyes were wide and she had a smile on her lips.
— You like it? — He asked with a smile on his lips.
He didn't have to ask that, happiness was evident in Kia's expression, who turned to see him and nodded with a smile on her lips.
— I love it!
Kia took off her shoes at the time and an across the sand toward the sea. She took the edge of the skirt of her dress with one of her hands and held it tightly, raised it a little higher than her knees so as not to wet it with the sea water and she dedicated herself to enjoying the fresh water of the beach.
Ichigo could only look at her, her smile and all the happiness that she reflected on her face was truly invaluable; something he couldn't forget for the rest of his life.
— I love you. — Ichigo whispered knowing that she couldn't hear him.
He picked up Kia's shoes and tied the horse to the trunk of a palm tree that grew on the beach and whose palms swayed in the wind. He looked for a bit of shade, they weren't on the sunset line so the sun wouldn't illuminate them at sunset, and he spread a blanket that he had brought over the sand so that they could both rest in the afternoon; he arranged the things he had brought to eat and sat on the blanket watching Kia enjoy the sea.
Ichigo took off the riding boots that he used and got comfortable, the day was cool, it was something that brought autumn and that he liked, that there was a more pleasant climate than in summer. Kia walked over to where he was and sat next to him on the blanket, still looking at him with a smile.
—
— Was it difficult to raid the kitchen? — Rukia asked taking a grape, from a bunch of grapes between them.
She was flushed and her cheeks felt hot from the sun's heat, her feet were wet, and she had sand up to her ankle, but she felt incredibly happy. She was living the best day of her life.
— No, I just had to threaten my friend and he gave me what I asked for. "The king arrives today, you cannot take the wine with you." — He mockingly repeated the cook's words. — But I don't like wine anyway, it's very dry; so he gave me apples and grapes and some water.
He explained by showing her a red apple, which looked delicious and whose peel seemed to glow in the sunlight. Kon held it out for her to take but, just as her fingertips brushed the fruit, the soldier pushed it away from her with a gesture of triumph and mockery.
— This is my apple. There are more apples there. — Kon pointed to the other fruits and, although all the apples were the same, Rukia wanted that apple that he was holding.
Kon brought the apple to his mouth, with that defiant look and the look of utter triumph on his face, and Rukia lunged at him in a battle for total domination of the apple.
Rukia had shorter arms than Kon and that prevented her from approaching the apple, Kon was pushing her away with one hand and with the other he held the apple as much as he could, away from her. Kon's laugh, knowing she couldn't reach the fruit, reached her too hard, they were too close, but her honor, and the desire for that apple, prevented her from giving up.
She was going to have that apple even if it was the last thing she did.
— I got it! — She screamed when she snatched the apple from Kon's hands.
— Yes. You got it. — Kon's voice was a little lower than usual and Rukia noticed that she was on top of him, in a position too intimate for both of them.
At that moment she was aware of her heartbeat, she was agitated but she didn't know if it was from the fight or from being so close to him. She must get away from Kon, she had won and she must celebrate her victory but she could not, Kon's gaze was fixed on her eyes and she refused to stop looking at him.
She felt how Kon's gaze entered her and he could see beyond everything, it was as if he was looking at her soul. She had to get up but she did not want to, she even she felt that she was leaning more to him; maybe he was the one who was approaching her. She couldn't find out and didn't want to find out.
Kon's lips were so close to her that she could feel his hot breath brush against her skin; she did not want to get up and she closed her eyes to the inevitability of the kiss he gave her.
Rukia didn't know how to kiss, she had never been in a situation like that before and she let Kon guide her in that; at that moment she wanted him to teach her how to kiss. At first it seemed to her that the kiss was slow and, as she let herself be carried away by the moment, she felt the kiss become more and more intense to the point of feeling the taste of Kon's saliva on her tongue.
Neither of them moved from that position; Rukia was still sitting on Kon's hips, with the apple held in one hand and the other hand resting on the floor, and he was still lying on the blanket in the sand, between her legs. Rukia felt how Kon's hands ran down her back until they stopped at her waist, she felt the pressure he made in that hold of her pulling her closer to him and she let out an involuntary gasp; that made the kiss more intense until Kon broke it.
Kon's eyes had lost most of their honey color, his pupils were dilated, and they were both breathing heavily, as if that kiss had taken all their breath away. What should she say at that moment? Kon did not release his hold on her body and neither of them looked away.
— I win. — Rukia gasped. Her heart was pounding so hard she felt like she would drop out of her chest.
— You won. — Kon repeated. His voice was so hoarse that it made her skin crawl.
This time Rukia didn't expect him to kiss her, she closed the distance between them and he didn't refuse to kiss her again. Kon's grip on her waist tightened and, in a very expert move, he laid her back on the blanket.
Kon was on her, between her legs, looking at her, with one of his hands resting on the blanket in the space between her shoulder and her ear, and with his other hand sliding down her leg, gently lifting the skirt of her dress.
Rukia looked at him, Kon looked like a tiger on her, a hunter on his prey and she didn't want to run away from there, she wanted to stay and find out if he was as fierce as she seemed; she wanted to give in to the inevitable.
Kon's breathing was heavy, like hers, but he didn't kiss her again; it was as if he was slowly calming down, as if he was mastering the wild instinct that she had seen sparkle in his eyes.
— I… I can't… I'm sorry. — Kon got up and moved away from her a little, bringing his hands to his head, as if he was fighting with himself.
Rukia didn't know how to react so she got up and started looking for her shoes, walking away from him. From one moment to another she felt a bit silly, a little disappointed and with a pressure on her chest that she could not decipher. She had been about to make love with he.
She had turned her back on Kon but felt one of his hands run over her arm, so softly that her skin crawled completely. He was behind her but she did not turn to see him, she was ashamed to look at him.
— I like you, I like you more than I can express and I don't want to do this to you. I haven't slept well since I saw you that day on the road and I might not sleep well again if I do this to you. I like you for much more than one night.
Rukia was silent, that was a confession that she did not expect and at the same time she had been wanting to hear. He had not stopped caressing her arm while he spoke and, at the end of that confession, he gave her a kiss on her neck that made her skin crawl.
— I shouldn't say this but let me kiss you one more time, please.
This was a goodbye, Rukia knew.
His voice, the supplication permeated with every word, made her turn only to surrender to his lips again; she also wanted to kiss him again.
He hugged her tightly and that kiss was so aggressive and passionate that Rukia felt her back resting on the trunk of a palm in the middle of that kiss; she didn't resist, she wanted to keep kissing him.
She felt that kiss disappear all the distance between them, Kon's hands tracing every curve of her body and her own hands feeling every part of Kon's body, with a desperation that made her wish she had more hands to caress him better.
Thank you all very much for reading!
Physical - Dua Lipa on Youtube