The Nightingale

Chapter 21: Breakfast

The Day of the Roses is a day, in the middle of winter, dedicated exclusively to love and lovers. The queen was in charge of carrying it out every year, there was even a festive events committee that made sure that those events, like that, were carried out correctly.

Having a date with someone that day meant only one thing, that they were a couple; it was a silent way of telling everyone that the person they were with clearly corresponded to the stated feelings; but Rukia didn't pay attention to the fact that the Day of the Roses was so close.

Rukia was so busy learning everything the queen taught her that she didn't have time to pay attention to other things; she did not pay attention to the maids who came and went with smiles from side to side, just as she did not pay attention to the fact that she would have a formal date with Ichigo on that specific day.

When the mind is busy, many things are overlooked; days that could be an event for someone else were simply overlooked for someone busy.

Rukia loved to sleep, it was the best of the day, and it was what she most wanted since she spent almost every day with the queen; learning what she was teaching her was exhausting and that day she didn't want to get up, she wanted to continue sleeping. It was still mid-winter, and although it was not as cold as it was in Maranni, the breeze off the sea was cold enough to make her want to lie in bed all day.

The room was just for her, it had its own balcony overlooking the sea and the cliff, a bed for herself so big that three people could sleep comfortably; and she no longer had to put up with Senna's comments at breakfast or at any time of the day. The position of Favorite of the Queen was above the Court of the Queen although they were all daughters of Lords of the Kingdom; if Rukia wished, she could ask the queen for one of the court girls to serve her, and the girl had to serve her.

The maid who served her every day, entered the room with a new dress that the dressmaker had sent to Rukia; it was too early for everyone and Rukia was still in bed when the maid showed her the dress. It was pretty, like everything that was new, and she was sure it was her size because she had spent hours with the dressmaker who took measurements of all parts of her body.

— What time is it? — She asked without getting out of bed. The curtains on one of the windows swayed in the cool sea breeze.

— Time to get up, miss. Breakfast will be served soon and afterwards you have an agenda to meet. — The maid said causing Rukia to refuse even more to get out of bed.

— But today I only have breakfast with the prince. — She said. Since she had become the Queen's Favorite, she had many things to do, and they were things that really did not matter how to call it "agenda".

Her "agenda" consisted of spending time with the queen, visiting Orihime, visiting her father and, that day, she had breakfast with Ichigo; So, for the maid to say that she had an agenda to fulfill, it was ridiculous.

— Miss, don't you know what day it is today? — The maid asked, who was going around looking for things for Rukia to wear when she got out of bed.

— The day I won't get out of bed because I need to sleep. — She said covering herself with the sheets pretending that the world did not exist. Surely Ichigo would understand if she was late for breakfast.

The maid sighed and pulled the covers back so Rukia wouldn't continue to evade her responsibilities for the day.

— I'm sorry miss, but today is the "Day of the Roses" and, as the prince's companion, you must be with him doing the things of the day.

Rukia was silent and wide-eyed in surprise, how could she know what "that" day was if she could hardly remember what day she was living? Furthermore, the prince's Inamorata was supposed to go with him, because it was the day of "lovers"; that must have meant the queen's words yesterday about dressing appropriately.

— Miss Rukia? — The maid was looking at her a little confused.

Rukia wanted to scream, she hadn't even thought that she would have a date with Ichigo on such a compromising day, she had no clothes ready for that day; she had no idea what she was going to wear and if the maid didn't show her the dress again, she would have screamed in panic.

— Please, tell me that I can use the bathroom.

— Yes miss, you can use it. They have prepared it early. — Rukia wanted to kiss the maid but instead took her things to go with the maid to the baths.

The Day of the Roses was the day of the lovers, a day dedicated to giving roses and candies between lovers; the people who were together that day was because they were a couple and Rukia, as far as she knew, wasn't Ichigo's couple, not yet.

Ichigo must have made a formal proposal to her for them to go out together, at least declaring that he wanted to go out publicly with her; they weren't lovers and they weren't hiding, but after all the trouble their private escapades caused in the past, it was the right thing to do.

The maid helped her dress, comb her hair, and put on her shoes, even putting jewelry on her that she didn't know she had but that matched the dress; she looked like a doll and she had to hold back a laugh at that moment as she remembered what she had said to Yuki last spring.

"If I was a princess, I couldn't do anything, just look pretty like a doll." By all the Deities! She was so wrong that if she could travel to her past she would beat herself up for saying those words.

She left her room and came to where Ichigo was waiting for her to have breakfast, in the distance she saw that he was dressed with the same elegance as her and that his clothes somehow seemed to contrast with the ones she was wearing; she also noticed that the place where they were going to have breakfast was one of the castle's private gardens, one of many they had, and that it was surrounded by roses that were blooming beautifully.

If the kingdom of Avanta had anything, it was that the Winter Roses were grown there; Winter Roses were roses that bloomed in winter and only at that time of year, that's why they had the Day of the Roses there, because those roses were incredibly beautiful; but the roses that were grown at Adelaar Castle were the most beautiful of all. Every year the queen donated a bouquet of roses from her private garden to be part of the prizes given in the celebrations that day.

The Crown of Roses and Sugar was legendary.

— Excuse me for being late, Your Highness. — She said bowing to Ichigo, who had got up to help her sit up.

Standing he looked even more handsome, he was dressed in all the formalities of the Second Prince. Rukia had only seen him like this on the Night of the Souls and, this time she was so upset with him that she hadn't appreciated that dressed like this he was more handsome than she expected; the blush on her cheeks appeared without her being able to do anything at respect.

— It was worth the wait just to see you, Miss Kuchiki. — He said kissing her hand before returning and taking his seat across from her. — Did you like your gifts?

Rukia took a moment to understand what he was referring to, she had not received a gift from him, and she would have been slow to give the answer had she not seen the way he pointed to her. He had sent her the dress and jewelry, for a moment she felt like a doll that he could dress and undress as he pleased.

— The dress and the jewels are beautiful, but it was not necessary, Your Highness; I have my own clothes and my own jewelry. — She said that with a charming smile. She was annoyed that he gave her things without notifying her but at the same time it made her feel flattered.

— I know and I knew that if I gave you a chance to reject it, you would. — He reminded her pointing to the bracelet that she never took off. She looked away but caressed her bracelet with her fingertips.

— What is life without a little uncertainty, Your Highness? — She asked amused looking at how they served their breakfast.

— Much uncertainty is agony, don't forget it, Miss Kuchiki.

The breakfast, when they both left the formalities, became fun; Rukia used to raid Ichigo's food and vice versa, until both of them had finished eating and the servants picked up the service leaving them alone at the table. It seemed that everyone knew that she was Ichigo's partner for that day, but she had not received a formal invitation and, if Ichigo did not, then she could withdraw from there.

— I think it's time for me to retire, Your Highness. It is the Day of the Roses and His Highness must be with his Inamorata. — Rukia said that just for the pleasure of making him angry but she didn't get up from her seat.

— Actually, Miss Kuchiki, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. — Ichigo got up from his seat and approached her taking her hand. — Being a prince has its privileges, so I decided that I will not date my Inamorata, but I must make a formal request. — Ichigo leaned in front of Rukia making her blush. — Miss Kuchiki, do you want to be my companion for this day and, if possible, for the rest of my life?

Rukia felt a blush run down her face, she felt as red as an apple and she didn't know what to say at the time.

— Your Highness… don't say words that may be too bold. — She said and Ichigo looked into her eyes. Rukia was grateful to be seated because her legs were shaking every time he looked at her like that.

— Is it very daring of me to declare my feelings to you on a day like this? — Ichigo stood in front of her and Rukia got up because she didn't know what else to do; she was red and her heart was pounding inside her chest. — Maybe I have done it the wrong way.

— Is there a correct way to do this? — She asked trying to breathe well, her voice sounded strange and she was nervous.

— Of course, Miss Kuchiki. It is done this way. — Ichigo knelt in front of her and Rukia had to use all her willpower not to sit up. Her legs were shaking. Ichigo looked at her again with that intensity that didn't make things easier and took her hand gently. — Miss Kuchiki, my feelings for you are so intense that I feel that they will be revealed against me if I do not express them, I wish an opportunity in your life for you to be part of mine and to calm this fire that burns my soul. I would be honored if you wanted to be my companion today, tomorrow and, if the Deities allow it and my feelings are reciprocated by yours, for the rest of our lives.

Rukia could hear her heart beating with a force she had never felt before, she heard her blood rush into her ears and it seemed like the world stopped when he said that. Ichigo was looking at her, with that look that made her legs shake, waiting for an answer.

— Your highness, your feelings are reciprocated by mine with the same intensity of wild fire; I agree to be his companion today, tomorrow and… if His Highness's feelings are as His Highness has expressed them, the Deities will allow us to be for the rest of our lives.

Ichigo kissed her hand and got up off the floor before kissing her with the same intensity with which her heart was pounding inside her chest. It was all so unreal that she didn't know when they had come to that but it felt too good.

After that breakfast, they left the castle grounds in a car that took them to the main square of the city; in several separate carriages went the Royal Family and Prince Kaien with Nelliel, they would also go to the city for the celebrations for the Day of the Roses. Rukia still did not know if the queen was really upset with Nelliel for having become the Inamorata of Kaien or for something else; that was a topic that they did not discuss.

They reached the temple of the Deities of the city and listened to the mass of that day in the company of all the citizens who managed to enter the temple. The Royal Family rarely heard mass, they only did it on the days that were a public celebration, such as the Celebrations of Souls, the Day of the Roses, the day of the beginning of spring and the day of each of the Deities. Her parents did the same, and her mother had explained that it was better to have a good relationship with the Priests of the Deities but not let them get too involved in life.

There was a time when the Priests had so much power that they were the ones who ruled behind the kings and a lot of blood was shed to remove them from power, the new kings did not forget that and tried to keep the priests away from power as much as possible.

Rukia didn't notice it, but the happiness she radiated when she was with Ichigo didn't go unnoticed, so much so that the people who looked at her and then looked at Kaien's partner could tell the difference between them. Rukia smiled and didn't separate from Ichigo, Ichigo didn't let her get away from too much of him; Nelliel and Kaien, although they seemed the perfect couple, there was something in them that contrasted with Rukia and Ichigo, it was as if something was missing but it was not known what was missing there.

—

Nelliel also noticed that there was a different contrast between the pair that formed her and Kaien, and the pair that formed Ichigo and Rukia. Ichigo was looking at Rukia in the same way that Kaien had seen Miyako and it made her feel the same jealousy that she had felt when she had to watch Kaien woo Miyako before making Miyako his Inamorata.

The Day of the Roses is a public event, one used by the Royal Family to show what a great family they were. Nelliel knew that the king and queen were not well, they had their differences but they had reached an agreement that kept their marriage and the kingdom in a stable way. The queen was still young and it was strange that she had not given the king more children.

The king and queen were together, talking and smiling at each other as they went back and forth between events. The king used to participate in the odd contest just to make the people feel that he was with them and that he was, like all the men there, a man in love with his wife; Nelliel wondered how much of what they did was true, how much of that love they projected was real.

But more importantly, how much of the feelings Kaien showed towards her were real?

She had seen him change as night and day change; she had seen him go from being an envious child to a young man who accepted his destiny of being the Second Prince when he understood things better, and she had seen him go from being a man in love to the man he was at that moment; a man who smiled charmingly and did not do a thing without being sure of the result he was going to get.

She had seen him cry over the death of his son when he learned that the queen had forced Miyako to terminate her pregnancy; and she had seen the way Kaien collapsed when Miyako threw herself off the cliff because she did not resist everything that had been done to her; she had seen him cry at Miyako's grave when he believed that no one was following him to the cemetery and she had seen him transform all that pain into something else, into something that she still understood.

— My dear, we have to go to witness the archery competition, it will be the last activity we will do and we can withdraw from here and continue the celebration in private. — Kaien said that making her blush.

She had agreed to be his fiancée and they were just waiting for Ulquiorra's promotion in General for the marriage proposal to be formalized. Kaien had spoken to her brother when she had finally said that she was going to marry him and her brother agreed, who would refuse the crown prince? By marrying him, she would become the Crown Princess of the kingdom and her first child would be the new king or queen in due time.

She had to thank the Kuchiki girl who had left the castle; Kaien was going to propose to the Kuchiki girl knowing that she would not be more part of the Queen's Court, he had even prepared the speech that he would give to Rukia's father if he encountered any resistance, but for the Kuchiki girl to leave the castle was the best thing that could have happened to Nelliel. Nelliel knew that Kaien must find a wife and have a child as soon as he could and, for some reason, he did not want a princess from Gardelia.

— Yes, your Highness. — She said going with him to the seats that had been reserved for them.

In the highest part were seated the king and the queen, next to them each of the princesses and she, along with Kaien, Ichigo and Rukia, were a seat below them. The queen was still annoyed with her for having agreed to marry Kaien, she had told her that she did not expect that from her and Nelliel had sworn that her loyalty would always be with her but the queen seemed to no longer fully trust her.

With love, LunaticR!