The Nightingale

Chapter 20: Her favourite

And after that kiss, Rukia slapped Ichigo; it was less strong than the first one she had given him, it was more like a caress and Ichigo started laughing at that moment.

— To be honest, I thought you were going to hit me first. — He said drawing her to him but still looking into her eyes.

— And ruin that perfect presentation? Now I can forget about that dance and I could tell my future children how I met Prince Ichigo.

— To our future children… — He said. Rukia blushed at the way he had spoken.

— What makes you think I want children with you? — Rukia was completely flushed and Ichigo was enjoying that; her cheeks looked like a couple of apples that he could bite into at any moment.

— Well, you are wearing a bracelet that I made for the mother of my children. — He said raising Rukia's hand so she could see the jewel she was wearing.

— I didn't know that His Highness was a jeweler. — Ichigo smiled noticing that Rukia didn't deny the fact that they would have a family in the future.

— I have many charms that you don't know, if you were not so elusive...

— But now you have me in your arms.

— I hope they are comfortable for you, because I don't intend to let you go. — He said that kissing Rukia's neck. He felt her shudder in her arms and cling closer to him for a second before pulling away from him.

— In the letter you sent me, it didn't seem like you wanted to have me with you. — She claimed him in a tone that wasn't even annoying, it was more a tone that hid the amusement in her words.

— A letter that you didn't even answer, you let me think that you would not return. — Ichigo claimed her with narrowed eyes, but Rukia was only smiling at him. — But you're right, if you had stayed in Maranni it would have been fine, Adelaar is a beast that eats the hearts and purity of those who live there and you, in my eyes, are a light that would be consumed by the castle. — He walked over to her and gently stroked her cheek. — What I said in the letter was true, I want you with me but I fear that my path is not safe for a light like you.

— If I am a light, as you say, then you need me to illuminate your path. — She said that and walked over to him to play with his fingers. — I was not going to return to Adelaar's castle, my father said that it is not a place for me and said that in the summer they were going to offer my hand in marriage. — Ichigo fell silent and hugged her tightly, as if he feared she would be taken from him. Rukia continued speaking. — For a long time I believed that I would be forced to marry the Second Prince, and I was afraid. I was afraid of arriving at the castle and that they would force us to be together, I was so afraid, I thought it would be like being imprisoned in a dungeon with a man that I did not know but who would belong to him for life; I was so scared that I started looking for a way to escape. I thought if I did something bad enough maybe my father would consider the fact that I would not make a good wife; I once thought of running away and it was not the brightest idea of my life, I have to admit it, but at that moment I thought it was a good idea but one day, without being able to control anything, I was already in Adelaar and belonged to Corte de la Queen; I don't even know why they made me part of the court if we were supposed to be engaged.

— It was because my mother so decided. — He said that and Rukia looked at him without understanding. — The future wife of the Second Prince must grow up in court, must be educated by the queen to become a princess but you were never brought to court; you would have known your future husband since you were both children and the engagement would have been less traumatic for you.

— But you weren't in the kingdom, how was I going to know you? — Rukia's question hung in the air for a minute until she gave the answer herself. — You were not the Second Prince.

— You were engaged to Kaien but he became the Crown Prince and I became the future Commander-in-Chief of the kingdom. You changed your fiancé without realizing it and my mother was not willing to leave the throne to Kaien, she wanted me to be engaged to the princess of Gardelia, she wanted me to marry the princess for politics and alliances.

— My father said you didn't accept. Why? You told me in the cemetery that you wanted to be king. — Rukia slowly backed away from him and Ichigo could almost hear Rukia's heart pounding in anticipation of what he was going to say.

— For you. — Ichigo sat down on the dirt floor and took Rukia's hand for her to sit next to him. The sunset lit up everything with orange and yellow colors. — For a long time I was taught and educated to be the king; I was supposed to be the heir, to be the future king, but the day I arrived, my father announced the kingdom's principalities. I honestly expected it to happen, my uncle warned me but deep down I wanted him to be wrong. I thought that by showing my father how much I was worth, he could reconsider the inheritance but he didn't, instead he said that I would make an amazing Commander-in-Chief… and then I saw you.

— You didn't know who I was. — Rukia rested her head on Ichigo's shoulder. They both knew that speaking only once in the cemetery was useless, they had to make everything completely clear so as not to carry one more death on their conscience.

— You didn't know who I was either and then you looked at me with those eyes that made my world turn upside down. The day we went to the beach, when I came back, the first thing I wanted was to come back for you and take you with me to any city far from here, really kidnap you but then I thought that I have nothing to offer you, I really have nothing, I am just a soldier, I only know how to fight and kill. You already know the rest, the blow hurt me for days but even so, I rejected the marriage proposal because I wanted to be with you, I still want to be with you and I am sure that tomorrow I will continue to want to be with you.

There was a moment of silence.

— My father let me go back because he said I should learn the way royalty behaved. — She said that and Ichigo had a bad feeling.

— Why?

— I have no idea, but he's been doing weird things lately. — Ichigo didn't keep asking about that, he didn't want to start overthinking.

They came out of the forest with the sunlight shining on the cliff; at the Cliff Gate were the guards that Rukia's father had assigned to her so that she was not alone and, along with Rukia's guards, there were also Ichigo's guards who looked like hired assassins.

The talk of that day was unfinished, both had a lot to talk about and yet it was always the same but Rukia no longer belonged to the Queen's Court; she was part of the Royal Court, like her father, and lived in the rooms of the Lord of Maranni.

The queen had freed her from her court, had told her that if she returned to the castle she would be like one more guest, like the daughter of the Peace Counselor and nothing more; she would not be a lover, she would not be Ichigo's fiancée, she would be nothing more than a visitor and that made it easier for Ichigo to find her.

They would walk in the afternoons to the temple of the Deities, always Ichigo's guards kept Rukia's guards at a distance so they wouldn't hear what they were talking about. Renji and Uryu were doing a good job, they still couldn't defeat Ichigo but they had improved a lot and could reduce Rukia's guards if they tried to contradict Ichigo's orders.

They talked so much that the afternoons were short, they had lunch together, like a formal invitation from the prince to the daughter of a lord, but that last afternoon of the first week of February, Rukia asked him to speak on the cliff.

The guards stayed at the Cliff Gate and they moved a little further, not as far as usual but a little closer. Rukia was quiet and Ichigo was feeling so anxious that he was afraid she would say something bad.

— The queen offered me today to be her Favorite. — She said that like it was a bad thing.

— The queen only has one Favorite, for now it is Nelliel. She has been in the castle for as long as I can remember, her parents were diplomats who traveled from kingdom to kingdom to ensure good relations with them. They died in a shipwreck and since then the queen adopted her as her protégé, she grew up with us and at some point made her, her Favorite; I still don't know why she was in the Queen's Court with you. — He said calmly before they both sat on the dirt floor and made Rukia rest her head on his shoulder.

— She will no longer be her Favorite, she gave me the impression that she was upset about something but she didn't tell me why.

Ichigo guessed it was because she and Kaien had been having dinner together lately; The Queen's Favorite had privileges that the Ladies of the Queen's Court did not, and Nelliel, being the Queen's protégé, had almost the same privileges as a princess.

— Do you want to be the Queen's Favorite? — Ichigo asked looking at the sea but still playing with Rukia's fingers that were intertwined with his own.

— Do you want me to be her Favorite? — She answered with a question and Ichigo turned to see her. Rukia was looking at him with those eyes that were driving him crazy but were full of doubts at the time.

— I want many things, but above all I want you to be safe and happy. — He kissed her forehead and Rukia closed her eyes. Ichigo felt like she was overthinking it. — The Queen's Favorite lives inside the castle, we would see each other in a more formal way, it would be easier for me to invite you to breakfast.

— Will you ask me to be your lover? — The nerves in Rukia's voice were palpable. Ichigo smirked and turned to see her.

— Do you want to be my lover? — The blush on Rukia's cheeks seemed adorable to him. — The Inamoratas are only requested in the Queen's Court, and if I had an Inamorata I would have to let Orihime go and it is not the time to do so, it will be after Ulquiorra's promotion as General so that they can get married. — Rukia made a noise with her throat and made him smile even more, he could almost feel Rukia's jealousy in the environment. — But I can woo you, nothing prevents it.

— Woo me? — Rukia avoided looking at him and Ichigo knew she was completely red.

— I could do it even if you were not the Queen's Favorite, you are the daughter of the Lord of Maranni; maybe your father will get angry because we broke the engagement but maybe in time he will accept that your destiny is to be with me. Do you want me to woo you?

— And your fight for the throne?

— It is a bloody road that I will travel. You offered to help me once but after what I saw, I feel like that road is too hard for you. — Rukia stood up and Ichigo could see the anger in her eyes.

— Do you think I'm weak? Do you think I will not resist crossing such a path? I sentenced a girl to death! My hands are red from the maiden's blood, her voice and her gaze at that moment will never leave me; I had nightmares and cried several nights after that day but it's done. You are not the first to tell me that I will not endure a life in court but you are wrong, I'm strong… I'm stronger than everyone thinks.

Ichigo got up from the ground, Rukia was upset, he had never seen her that way and, for a moment he was afraid that she would know the abyss in which he was plunged and with no way out; seeing the tears in her eyes made him hug her tightly. Rukia resisted the hug, but in the end she gave in and clung to him as if her life depended on that hug.

— Think about this, Rukia, could you bear to take a life with your bare hands? Would you bear to see more innocents die? Would you bear a life like that even being by my side? Could you spend the rest of the nights of your life sharing a bed with someone who is a murderer, Rukia?

—

Rukia looked at the stone bridge that connected the Lord of Maranni's rooms to the rest of the castle; Ichigo's questions kept fluttering in her head, she kept wondering what Ichigo was referring to when he called himself a "murderer". There were many things about him that she did not know and there were many things about her that he did not know, it was something that they were both clear about but the way he had referred to her, as a "light," gave her the impression that he was in an abyss of darkness.

— A monster. — She said looking at the castle. That is how she had imagined it and that was how he had described it, as a monster that eats everything good.

— Miss Kuchiki, are you okay? — One of the guards who always accompanied her when she left the Lord of Maranni's rooms made her stop thinking about the monster that was the castle.

Rukia was silent for a moment. Was she really okay? She felt that she was about to start a game where everyone knew the rules except her; her father with her strange attitudes and decisions for her future, and the life in the castle that seemed to be everything but one life.

— Yes, I'm OK. I'll go see the queen.

All that Rukia had always wanted was the opportunity to have possibilities, to be able to choose herself the future she wanted to have and, that stone bridge represented a choice; maybe it wasn't a completely free choice, but by crossing that bridge she could be with Ichigo and at that moment it was all she wanted.

Then Rukia crossed that stone bridge.

Rukia's guards couldn't get past where it was allowed, so she walked alone to the queen's room where the imperial guards opened the door to let her in.

— Good morning, your majesty. — Rukia bowed as she entered and was surprised to see Nelliel with the queen. — If I have interrupted, I apologize. I will return later.

Nelliel's eyes were red, as if she was holding back the urge to cry and Rukia didn't want to be there, it had come at a bad time for Nelliel.

— Miss Rukia, you are not interrupting us, Miss Nelliel was already leaving. — Nelliel tried to take the queen's hand to kiss her but the queen withdrew her gracefully, then bowed to the queen before walking out the door, completely ignoring Rukia. — I think you have an answer for me, or am I wrong?

Rukia nodded to what the queen said and approached her with a determined stride. The queen had that expression on her face of complete confidence in what she was going to say, as if the queen could read her mind.

— Yes, I want to be your Favorite.

The queen smiled pleased upon hearing those words. Rukia found the queen's attitude completely strange, she still couldn't fully understand the motivations that moved the queen to do everything she did.

— Marvelous! Are you aware that as my Favorite you must behave appropriately?

— Yes, your Majesty. I will learn from her majesty everything her majesty teaches me.

— Perfect. The Kahya will give you your new room and a maid to take care of you. Then you will go to the dressmaker to take new measurements, it seems that you grew up so they will make you new clothes; You will go to the doctor so that she can check you and know your state of health. When you're done, come with me, I'll go talk to your father so he knows about your new position within the court.

— Yes, your Majesty. — Rukia got up from her seat and took the queen's hand to kiss it.

— One more thing, I have seen you very often with my son so I will ask again, do you really have feelings for him? Are you willing to do everything for him, even if his fate is stained with blood?

— Your Majesty, it is for him that I agreed to be your Favorite. — The queen smiled.

—

Her father accepted the news well and Rukia knew that this was because he wanted her to learn to move in court, she just didn't understand why he wanted that yet; her father was quiet, he did not usually talk about the things of the Council but since Byakuya's marriage there was something strange about him.

Sometimes she thought her father was planning something but they didn't tell her for some reason; the prince of Jetaiya had told her that he wanted to see her in private before her father arrived, he had told her that he had not allowed them to meet at Hisana's wedding and, when he left the Great House, her father had told her that they were going to use the Maranni princess custom on her.

Before traveling to the Capital, Rukia had asked her mother if any of her aunts had chosen her husband and the answer was something that was already expected: none of them chose.

— The custom is old, I remember your father once told me that the princesses of Maranni chose because it was their right; they were above everyone, even their husbands. The princesses of Maranni were strong women, they did not have magic like in some kingdoms, but they were incredibly skilled in what they wanted to do. It's funny that your brother married a Jetaiya princess, the last union between a Jetaiya princess and a Maranni prince was before the Fall. — Her mother had told her that night.

But Byakuya was not a prince and she was not a princess; she did not understand why her mother had referred to them in that way, besides Hisana being an exile, she should not even carry the title of princess.

Rukia decided that it was better to stop thinking about this because if she kept thinking too much about what she had seen and heard in Maranni, she would think that her parents were planning a rebellion and the very idea of it scared her. If she made the mistake of saying that out loud she would be subjecting her family to an investigation on suspicion of treason.

Being the Queen's Favorite was not as fun as Senna and her friends had imagined, who were still in the Queen's Court but seemed to have given up all hope of being the Inamorata of any of the princes; being the Queen's Favorite was tiring.

Every day she visited the queen, she did not go to classes as she did before but the queen taught her personally; They had started with etiquette and table manners, that was quick because Rukia did know how to behave properly at lunch but every day the queen taught her something new, how to walk, how to smile, how to speak, how to look and even how to say lies.

— Your hands sweat and you play with them when you lie. We have to fix that, many times you will find yourself in situations where telling a lie could avoid a conflict enough to prepare you for an attack, so you have to learn to lie. — The queen had told her that afternoon. Rukia looked at her without understanding. — Life in the Royal Court is based on appearances and words, if you say the wrong word, even if it is true, it could generate a conflict. Whole kingdoms have fallen because of a wrong name.

It was in that moment that she understood why Nelliel's expression seemed so neutral, it was because the queen had taught her the same thing that she was learning. Senna entered the queen's room, just as the other court girls had done when they had to serve the queen and immediately the topic of conversation changed, as if they had never been talking about lying properly.

— Tomorrow you will not come with me, Prince Ichigo has asked my permission for you to spend the day with him. I know you two had eaten together before, but now you are my Favorite so you must dress appropriately.

— Yes, your Majesty.

— Then you can withdraw.

Rukia left the queen's room thinking about what could happen the next day, she had improved her way of dressing when she returned to the castle.

Thank you very much to everyone who has followed this story.