The Nightingale

Chapter 16: Consequences

Councilor Kuchiki's expression of relief when he received his daughter in his arms made him smile internally, on the outside he continued to show that expression of empathy and relief for having found the Kuchiki girl and that she was alive; it would have been terrible if they found her dead.

Councilor Kuchiki carried his daughter in his arms into the castle and the king sent a group of soldiers to warn the others that they had already found the Kuchiki girl; Kaien went with them, he had found her and was curious to know why she had ended up in the cemetery, but above all, how someone could be kidnapped within the castle grounds.

He had grown up and been brought up as the Second Prince, the future Commander-in-Chief of the kingdom, the man who was to lead the army when they went into battle only under the king's orders; he knew every part of the castle, he knew the entrances that no one else knew and he knew the soldiers, they were his soldiers, they were his men.

A kidnapping within the castle grounds was impossible but the girl had been kidnapped. It gave a lot to think about.

The queen arrived a few moments later, while the girl was drinking tea to calm down a bit because they were going to question her; that was for sure. They needed to know what had happened, even more so because she was the daughter of one of the Great Councilors and she was supposed to be under the queen's care; that the girl was kidnapped left the security of the kingdom and the royal house badly.

— A maid told me that my father was ill… — The Kuchiki girl began to say what had happened.

Everyone paid attention to what she said and how she said it. Kaien could not stop looking at the girl as she spoke and when he saw her cry he felt the need to approach her and comfort her, tell her that he was not going to allow that to happen again but that was just ridiculous. He couldn't be generating feelings for someone he had only seen a couple of times, it was impossible and he tried to stop thinking about that feeling of wanting to protect her.

Kaien thought that Ichigo would arrive at the place where everyone was with the girl but he did not, he did not arrive and the soldiers said that Ichigo had retired to his rooms after knowing that the girl had appeared safe and sound.

The Kuchiki girl withdrew along with the queen and the Kahya, they were going to gather all the maids who had been on duty the day before so that the Kuchiki girl could identify the maiden who gave her the message and thus be able to find the intellectual author of the kidnapping, his motives and everything related to that.

The king had ordered not to comment on the kidnapping, inside or outside the castle, he did not want people to whisper that possibly security was not as insurmountable as everyone believed; he didn't want to show any kind of weakness.

Rukia was standing next to the queen as all the castle maidens gathered in front of them in a line, the Kahya walked in front of the maidens with a long stick in her hands and without taking her eyes off them and the girls trembled at the prospect of punishment.

— Ladies, before we start this, does anyone have something to confess? — The Kahya asked with that soft tone she always had but with a stern look.

None of the maids spoke or moved beyond a frown at the question. The Kahya raised her eyebrows in annoyance and stood next to Rukia putting one of her hands on the girl's shoulder. The queen only watched the girls, watching each one carefully, hoping for a break from one of them.

— Miss Kuchiki, do you recognize the girl who gave you the message last night? — The Kahya asked and Rukia felt her soul fall at her feet. She had to point at the maiden and she had to do it knowing that the girl was going to be punished, possibly with spanking.

Rukia nodded and began to look at each of the maids who were standing in front of her, her hands trembling and sweating. She stopped in front of one of the maids, who seemed to be terrified and about to cry; Rukia felt her heart clench and she had to clear her throat before speaking.

— She was the one who gave me the message. — At that moment the maiden threw herself at her feet crying and begging for mercy.

Rukia didn't know what to do and could only hear the maiden's pleas for mercy as a couple of guards led her toward the cells. The other maids left with an order from the queen, all looking scared and nervous.

— That's all, Miss Kuchiki. I'm sorry to have put you through this situation, but we must find your kidnapper so that he can receive justice from the king; the royal house is very sorry with the situation so we will speak with your father to define your destiny within the court.

— Your Majesty, what will happen to the maiden? — She asked nervously, her hands wouldn't stop sweating.

— Every action has a consequence, Miss Kuchiki; the maiden will only have the consequences for the actions she performed. — The queen looked at her in a similar way when she made her drink that tea. Rukia had a chill.

— May I ask for mercy for her? — She asked a bit nervously drying her hands discreetly on the dress.

— I do not know. You may? — The queen turned her back on Rukia but still spoke. — Miss Kuchiki, how many punishments will I have to dish out before you understand that you are not just any girl? If you want to learn to lie, stop playing with your hands when you speak and remove that guilty expression from your face.

Rukia opened her eyes in surprise but the queen did not see her, she had left the room together with the Kahya.

Kaien was sitting at his desk, he had put aside the papers he was attending to when Nelliel arrived. He had sent for her because he had certain doubts to clarify with her.

— My dear Nelliel, why did you order the kidnapping of the Kuchiki girl? Did it make you so angry that I showed an interest in her? — He asked directly upon seeing her standing in front of his desk.

— I don't know what you're talking about. — The surprise and anger in Nelliel was evident, it was the reaction he expected.

— Not? It's funny ... the whole castle knows what I'm talking about but there is a maiden who will be beheaded at dawn for having lied to the daughter of the Peace Councilor, he himself will brandish the sword, and I want to know if she should be executed or not. — Nelliel still didn't show beyond her initial anger.

— Does Your Highness think it's my fault the girl was kidnapped? — Nelliel asked sitting down in one of the chairs using that tone of annoyance that she rarely used with him. — I didn't do it. I'm not interested in the fate of that girl.

— You should care. Ichigo broke off the betrothal and I've been thinking that the queen of Avanta's crown would look good on her. — Nelliel tensed in her seat and Kaien enjoyed that. — If you say it wasn't you, I believe you. You can go now, I have things to do.

— First you propose to me and now you tell me that you are interested in someone else. What kind of joke is this? — Nelliel asked getting up from her seat obviously angry and jealous.

— Things change, times change, and tastes change, Nell. I proposed to you twice and you didn't accept. I'm not going to be begging you all my life. I chose you because you are my best friend and I like you, but the Kuchiki girl is pretty and now that Ichigo has broken the marriage commitment, I have a free way, after all, I was going to marry her before the king decided to make me heir to the crown. Call it fate or luck, but I do not decline an offer when it is in front of me, least of all if it is presented to me twice.

Ichigo entered his mother's room at night, when all the searching and the problem of Rukia's kidnapping had passed and there was only that calm before an execution. He wanted to beg his mother for mercy and hoped she wouldn't refuse.

— Mother, I would like to ask you something. — He said when he was in front of her and took one of her hands to kiss her, he knew that he could not waste time, a girl's life was in danger because of him.

— My son, I too would like to ask you something. — She pointed to one of the seats next to her and Ichigo sat down, waiting for his mother to speak. — Can you explain to me what you are doing with the Great Councilor's daughter?

Ichigo's eyes widened in surprise when his mother said that.

— Mother… I…

— Don't lie to me Ichigo, keep in mind that for a lie they are going to execute a girl tomorrow. — Ichigo fell silent after that sentence and leaned back in his chair with one hand on his head.

— I asked her to help me be king. — He said without looking at his mother.

— And what else?

— I told her that if I became king I was going to give her the freedom that the daughters of her family deserved, there would no longer be any marriage arrangements and she could go home and have a quiet life if she wanted. — Ichigo looked at his mother who was more serious than usual.

— You should have accepted the marriage arrangement with the princess of Gardelia, they have an army; we were able to talk to your grandfather, he has an army too. Did you think about it?

— My grandfather will attack Avanta if I cannot get the throne, but he will not give me the kingdom, it will be a conquest. — That surprised his mother who seemed not to believe what he said. — And I'm not going to marry Yoruichi, and if I can avoid seeing her again in my life, all the better.

His mother was aware of what had happened with Yoruichi, his uncle had told her about it and she had personally gone to fix part of the problem. Ichigo knew that he had not behaved at all well with Yoruichi and preferred to console himself with the idea that he was young and inexperienced, but what was true is that he did not feel what Yoruichi felt for him; he didn't love her the way she loved him and he couldn't imagine a family with her.

— I will let you do what you think you should do, I hope you understand the dangers that can be unleashed with every action or word you say. Now not only your life is in danger, also that of the Kuchiki girl; the conquest of the throne is a path full of blood and sorrows, my son.

— The maiden... you could...

— No. The maiden will be executed at dawn by the Counselor of Peace; you made a circus for a nightly meeting with the girl, someone must pay for that.

—

— What is the difference between Kon and Ichigo? — He had asked her when she had stopped struggling for him to release her. Rukia didn't know what to answer at that moment.

Ichigo had assured her that her father was healthy before taking her to the grove of the cemetery. The graveyard was dark but they were dimly lit by a lantern that Ichigo had carried, they were both sitting on an old grave that belonged to his ancestors.

— What is the difference between Kia and Rukia? — He asked her again, looking at her with that intensity that made her legs shake.

— Kia doesn't hit that hard. — Rukia had the urge to make that little joke because the heaviness of the environment was starting to suffocate her.

— So we have a problem. — Ichigo said that before approaching her and kissing her as if his life depended on that kiss.

Rukia did not resist, she wanted to kiss him and feel the taste of Ichigo's saliva on her tongue again, she let her hands go over Ichigo's body as he did with her, caressing her back and hips until he broke the kiss; again Ichigo seemed to be holding back that wild instinct that she had seen that afternoon on the beach.

They were both agitated, they both wanted to continue that kiss and beyond but they couldn't, not at that moment because that moment was for talking; they needed to do it to know what they wanted from each other.

— What I told you on the beach was true, I like you, like Kia, like Rukia, I like you. Even with that strong way of hitting but I don't know you. — He said.

— Who falls in love in less than a week? — Rukia asked with a sigh and noticed how Ichigo clenched his fist. That talk was more difficult than she had expected. — I like you too, like Kon and like Ichigo, but I don't know you either.

— I broke off the betrothal, did you know? I accepted that you did not want to marry me, it was a kind of relief for me and, from what your father said at the meeting, it must have been a relief for you too. Are you relieved?

Rukia didn't say anything, she had to suppose that was a relief but she didn't like him saying it; she didn't like that it was a relief not to marry when all she wanted was to be with him.

— Does this mean that I will be able to return to Maranni when I finish my service at the Queen's Court? — She asked, fearing the answer.

— Yes. You will be able to return home when your service ends but I do not want you to return home; I want you to stay with me but not because a marriage forces us to be together. I want to know you, I want you to know me, I want you to be with me and I want to be with you. — Rukia felt Ichigo caress her cheek with a softness that made her close her eyes from that touch. — It's selfish of me.

— Why? — She asked trying to understand everything he was saying. First he gave a declaration of love and then he told her that he had annulled the betrothal.

— Because I like you and if it was only that, from the moment I saw you at the dance I would have asked them to make our engagement formal even if you were angry with me, I would have found a way to talk to you but it's not just that...

Rukia remembered the conversation in the graveyard while bathing sitting on the marble bench in the castle baths. She remembered Ichigo's expression when he saw her, as if it hurt him to have to decide between her and the kingdom, wanting to split into Kon and Ichigo so that he could be with her and have the kingdom at the same time.

— Rukia… what have you done to me? — He asked and hugged her against his chest. — Kon is a soldier, a free man just like Kia. Ichigo is a prince, with obligations and duties, just like Rukia. That is the difference.

Ichigo remembered the conversation with Rukia in the cemetery, he remembered her voice and her caresses and he remembered Rukia's anger when she asked for an explanation for choosing Orihime as his lover.

— Orihime is in my bed with her boyfriend right now. It is an alliance, if I want the crown I must have allies, it is not just killing, I must know how to play. By helping Orihime and her boyfriend I ensure that I will have allies to support my claim to the throne. I broke the engagement with you because if I accepted it, I would always remain the Second Prince, we would honor the Accords of the Fall, you would be a princess.

— I don't like the idea of being a princess. — Rukia said playing with her fingers.

— I want you to be my queen.

He stopped thinking about what had happened the night before and put a pillow over his face to stifle a helpless cry. He has just sentenced an innocent person to beheading and his mother had warned him that there would be more blood in the future. He could bear it, he had been trained to kill without compassion, the tattoos on his back were proof of it, but Rukia, had involved her in all this without knowing if she could bear to see the blood of innocent people run because of him.

Many thanks to all who have read the story.