The Nightingale
Chapter 58: Letters in the wind
Winter — x493 / January 22
The cold of winter on the cliff vanished as she was in Ichigo's arms, where Rukia felt comfortable, safe and happy. Her heart pounded when Ichigo caressed her face or when he absentmindedly played with her fingers; it was that feeling that she kept since they saw each other for the first time and of which she still didn't have enough.
Rukia was completely in love with Ichigo, there wasn't a day that he didn't slip into her thoughts and there wasn't a day that she didn't think of a thousand ideas to tell him. When Ichigo smiled for her, when he kissed her hand or when he held her to sleep, Rukia felt her heart swell with happiness and that nothing could be more perfect in that moment.
Ichigo was everything she had ever wanted; just seeing him, she knew it and loved it.
Rukia gently outlined Ichigo's eyebrows, with the touch of a feather on her fingers, and caressed his eyelashes, keeping in her mind the calm expression he had when sleeping. She wanted an image that would stay in her mind and keep her company for as long as he was away from her.
— My love… — Ichigo's voice sounded in a lazy whisper making Rukia settle better in his arms. He was half asleep, but she had spent much of the night awake, fighting the idea of asking him to stay with her or to take her with him in a suitcase.
Ever since Ichigo had told her that the king was forcing him to do the tour of the cities and that she had to stay in the castle, they had shared a bed every night. Rukia had seen the anger in Ichigo's eyes that afternoon, not only because of the tour of the cities, but because of all the words the king had said.
Rukia had to stay in the castle as she really was, a crowned prisoner. She knew it, Ichigo knew it, and the king knew it; and that was what had Ichigo completely annoyed. Rukia calmed him down with soft words, assuring him that she understood his duty to the kingdom, that she had accepted it when they signed their wedding contract and that everything was fine; but deep down she didn't want to stay.
She wanted to go with Ichigo and see the kingdom; see the world she had at her feet. But she couldn't do it. The stupid agreements prevented it.
— It's not dawn yet. — Rukia whispered, knowing that this was clearly a lie; she could see the dawn light through a crack in Ichigo's balcony curtains. — Sleep for five minutes.
Ichigo mumbled something close to a "yes" and then hugged her back to sleep. Rukia snuggled better in Ichigo's arms but she didn't fall asleep; she wanted to watch Ichigo's expression as much as possible while he slept to keep it in her mind.
He still hadn't left and she already felt that she missed him.
She didn't know when she had fallen asleep, enjoying the warmth of Ichigo's arms and the pleasant smell that emanated from Ichigo's skin; but when she woke up, Ichigo was already dressed and was sitting on the bed putting on his riding boots. For a moment Rukia was scared as she realized that she had fallen asleep, but she thanked the Deities for waking up just in time to say goodbye to Ichigo.
— Take me with you inside a suitcase! — It was the first sentence Rukia said before throwing herself on Ichigo's back and hugging him tightly.
Ichigo was surprised by that, but he took Rukia's hand and kissed it softly, giving her one of those smiles that were only for her.
— I'd take you with me if I could. — Ichigo spoke, with that touch of resignation that accompanied him every time they talked about that topic. — The king is upset, and it is better not to make him angry anymore. He doesn't make me happy to leave you. You know what I think about all this.
Rukia groaned but hugged Ichigo tighter, who tilted his head and kissed her on the cheek; between staying in the castle or angering the king, it was better to stay in the castle.
They needed peace.
Rukia thought for a moment about delaying the trip as much as possible; she was in her nightgown and taking Ichigo's clothes off wouldn't be that difficult, but Ichigo realized that and gently stopped Rukia's hands before another button on her shirt was undone. That frustrated Rukia and she puffed out her cheeks like she was a child.
— If I get lost between your legs, my love, I will never be able to leave. – Ichigo confessed giving her a kiss again making her blush. – I have to go, I'll see you as soon as I finish this. Take as much rest as you can from tea, because when I return we won't leave the room for a month.
Rukia tapped him on the shoulder, completely blushing at that promise, and Ichigo laughed but gave her one last kiss before getting up from the bed. Rukia sighed, resigned that he had to go and do his job, and smiled as much as she could for him.
— I'll be waiting for you. – Rukia added from the bed watching Ichigo leave the room with a hurried step.
Rukia was aware that it was past noon when Ichigo came out of that room when she heard the sound of the bells from the Deities temple.
Ichigo hadn't wanted to go on tour without saying goodbye to her, and that made her happy.
Orihime's letter to Rukia, received in January:
—
My dear Rukia, the news in your last letter was too surprising. I understand that you can't say much, but what you said was enough to understand that Nelliel is in trouble and that the king was generous with her by allowing her to live after that attack.
Ulquiorra isn't happy but he doesn't want to write to her to find out her version of events either; he is just thankful to the Deities that she is alive and well. I think he's more upset with himself than what Nelliel did, he blames himself for letting her marry Prince Kaien.
He will write to her when he feels ready, thank you very much for letting us know and I feel that I must apologize to you on behalf of Ulquiorra, because it was his sister who attempted against your life.
So please excuse this family that I now belong to.
My health is better, much better in fact.
When we settled in our new house I had a bit of discomfort, what I ate made me sick and I had dizziness throughout the day. The lady who is teaching me how to cook found me throwing up one morning and asked me a lot of questions, then she took me to the doctor.
The doctor saw me, checked me out and asked me a lot of questions, in the end it turned out that... I wasn't sick because of the change in food, but because I'm pregnant. Can you believe it, Rukia? I'm pregnant! I thought I was gaining weight.
I'll have a baby!
I'm so scared and excited at the same time. The doctor says that I'm about five months pregnant, more or less, and that the baby will possibly be born in the month of May. You don't know how I miss you here, I need you and I know you would be as happy as I am for this news.
Ulquiorra is nervous, he is happy but he is nervous. All the time I have to convince him that I'm fine and that everything will be fine, but I get nervous too. I wrote a letter to my brother to let him know that he is going to be an uncle, but as of the time of writing this letter, he has not replied to me.
The lady who teaches me how to cook helps me with everything, she says that I shouldn't put too much effort into things and that I should rest, she even took me to mass once and introduced me to a lot of pregnant women who prayed to the Mother. Some of the things these women say are scary, but they tell me what things are good to eat and what are not; that helps me a lot.
I think there is no more to tell for now, I hope you had a happy birthday. When I see you I will give you two hugs, one for me and one for my baby.
With love, Orihime.
—
Ichigo's letter to Rukia, received in February:
—
My winter rose, by the time you read this letter I may be finishing work on Tenjira; the journey was smooth and uneventful thanks to the Shadow. Fortunately, the rumor spread that the tour had been going on since last year and things are in order.
At least they don't complicate my work.
My rose, I have missed you every day since I left the castle, and I know I will miss you the rest of the journey. I don't know if I will be able to finish this tour without interruptions, the desire to return to the castle has been in me since I left there.
I could do it, I could come back and be with you and go out again, but I know that those moments of freedom would cost some of the reputation we must maintain and anger the king. It is so difficult to follow the precept of "the kingdom before life", especially since my kingdom and my life is you.
Being so far away from you, I feel like I just exist.
When I close my eyes your memory comes to my mind and I wish that when I open them you are next to me, but reality is cruel and takes you away from me between murmurs. The bed feels empty and cold without your presence, and it's too quiet; I miss even when you talk in your sleep, my love.
Tell me how can I rest at night if all I do is think about you? Every part of my existence misses you, my heart asks for you and my mind tortures me by reminding me that it will be many months before I will be able to smell your hair again when I wake up.
I can't concentrate because my mind inevitably travels to you.
I love you and miss you, my winter rose.
Ichigo
P.S. The next city I will visit will be Orlen, which luckily is not that far away. I will send Uryu as an advance guard to prepare everything for my arrival, without you it is not fun to surprise the City Lords.
—
Rukia's letter to Ichigo, received in February:
—
My sun, my dear prince, it makes me happy to know that you have arrived safely at your destination but I have not stopped missing you since your departure. I miss you every night and I miss you when I wake up, I've even stolen your pillows so I don't miss you so much when sleeping, although the coldness of the bed is something perpetual while I'm away from you.
Having your pillows has worked but it makes me dream of you, and that just makes me miss you more. I have no answers to your question, my prince of summer, because the nights are so eternal that rest has fled from me.
Many times I have wanted to take my white wig and go to look for you, but the queen has kept me busy more than usual for the Day of the Roses and I know that my absence would be severely punished.
But the punishment would be worth it for a kiss from you, my love.
I'd love to see you reach the castle, feel your arms and kiss you until we're out of breath, but I know the job has to be done. You are right, my Sun, being away from you is just existing. My life has gone with you; my body is here but my mind and my heart fly to you in search of comfort.
May the Deities and the Shadow continue to guard your path. I pray every day that nothing bad happens on your trip, because you have to come back to me; I couldn't bear an existence without you, it would be the worst punishment that life could give me.
I miss you and love you, my prince.
Rukia.
P.S. Orihime wrote to me. She is pregnant and thinks her baby will be born in May. I would like to be there to accompany her, do you think that one day we will go to Vayalat?
—
Ichigo's letter to Rukia, received in February:
—
My moon, by the time you read this letter, I may be on my way out of Orlen. Your prayers have accompanied me because the trip was calm; my heart rejoices knowing that you are taking care of me in this way and so I know that loneliness and distance are not as great as they seem.
The handkerchief you sent me I always carry with me close to my heart, so that I can give a little comfort to my lifeless existence, because my life has stayed with you. Your scent makes it easier for me to fall asleep by closing my eyes, but inevitably I dream of you and that's when I don't want to wake up.
I would love for you to escape from the castle and come to see me, but the fear that something will happen to you on the way drives those thoughts away. Although the punishment is worth it, losing you would be something that would take from me all the desire to continue living.
My moon, I would have liked to spend the Day of the Roses with you and crown you again with the Crown of Roses and Sugar, but I will do it next year and you will be more beautiful than you already are. Have fun that day, my love. Let the world see how beautiful the People's Princess is, and let them know how lucky I am that the princess is mine.
I won't pass Maranni, Kaien did the job last year, and I won't need to do it again. I am afraid that if your father sees me again in the Great House, he will want to lock me in the dungeon like last time.
I will go directly to Neikel to check the situation in the city. Deep in my heart I hope that the situation is so bad that it is necessary for the king to intervene and immediately remove Senna's father as one of the Great Lords. There was supposed to be an investigation against him, but it seems to have gone nowhere.
Write to Orihime and congratulate her and Ulquiorra for me. Send one of the soldiers who accompanied them on the trip and send the gifts that you think are appropriate. I don't know if we can go to Vayalat soon, the journey is long and I don't know what plans the king has for me or for the kingdom.
I love you, my winter moon.
Ichigo.
—
Letter from Prince Toshiro to Princess Karin, received in February:
—
Her Royal Highness, Princess Karin of Avanta.
My dear princess
I take the audacity to write to you because since a few days ago, your memory has invaded my mind. I know that the time we spent together at Adelaar Castle was short and vague, I dare say almost silent, but within that silence the sound of your voice left an echo in my head.
I know you are still too young to consider starting a formal courtship, but I would like to at least ask for the chance to visit you at Adelaar Castle in the summer.
If my intentions are too pretentious, or you find yourself engaged by the time this letter reaches you, then I will settle for a distant friendship.
Yours, Toshiro of Jetaiya.
—
Letter from Kaien to Nelliel, received in February:
—
My dear Nelliel, my beloved Nelliel.
I don't even know what to put in this letter. I miss my best friend, with the only one who could be me. Once again I feel alone inside this castle. First Miyako and now you. Sometimes I wonder if my destiny is to always be alone, because when I really think I will have some happiness, I hopelessly end up alone again.
I am forbidden to go to see you and I know you are forbidden to write letters, but nothing prevents you from reading this one.
I am doing my best to win the king's favor back, even though I have never lost it, but he does not intend to let you return to the castle. I will let time pass and ask him to at least allow me to visit you. I know we're not married anymore, but… I miss my wife too.
I have a couple of ideas that might work for the king to forgive you and I hope they work. You may not be able to set foot in Adelaar again while the king lives, but I could make you live in the city. It's a vague hope, but I have nothing to lose by trying.
I promise you, my dear Nell, you will return to the castle as my wife. I'll find a way to do it.
With love Kaien.
—
Rukia's letter to Ichigo, received in February:
—
My Winter Sun, opening my eyes on the day of the roses and seeing all those roses on the table, I felt for a moment that you were with me. The roses were beautiful and the earrings too, they match the Winter Diadem, that's how I put that diadem you gave me for my birthday, and I wore both of them throughout the day just to feel you close to me.
It is such a beautiful diadem that it deserves a beautiful name; in daylight it seems to shine brighter than usual and in a way reminded me of the snow that often decorates the top of the Blue Mountains in winter.
The king and queen were walking around the city like last year, but this time it was the king who won the crown of roses and sugar and crowned the queen. This year's event was sword fighting and I'm not sure if the king won because he was really good or because the others were afraid of hurting him.
But the most surprising thing was not that, but that the king and queen renewed their vows in a special public mass celebrated by the Priest in the Temple of the Deities.
There were so many people in the temple that it was unbelievable, the queen looked lovely, she looked like a vision and she looked so nervous that it seemed that she was getting married for the first time. She wore the crown of roses and sugar at the time, and the king again placed the queen's blue ring on her. The king was also dressed in an elegant manner; I think that renewal of vows was something the king planned because the queen looked nervous and surprised.
They both look happy. I hope that their happiness will last for many more years.
I was with Karin and Yuzu all day, they both seemed to be aware that the king was going to surprise the queen like that, because they were anxious and had prepared many things before. At the end of the renewal of vows of the king and queen, we help distribute sweets and food. Even Prince Kaien helped, although he looks a little sick.
My prince, I promise you that I will not escape from the castle to visit you; I know that the trip is longer than it seems and although the promise of seeing you is a temptation to my soul and my heart, I prefer to endure the torture of waiting to have to suffer the consequences of being impulsive and careless.
The nights are cold without you, your warmth made them warm but now there is only mist and melancholy.
I miss you and I love you.
Rukia.
P.S. These days I will buy some gifts for Orihime and her baby. After the day of the roses I have a little free time before the queen drags me off to plan the spring ball. Why is this year so busy?
—
Ichigo's letter to Rukia, received in March:
—
I arrived at Neikel without mishap, my beloved princess of Maranni. I still miss you madly and I wonder how important it is to do this. The need for your presence clouds my mind. What have you done to me, my moon? Have you bewitched me with your light?
To stop thinking about my tortuous existence, I better write about what I saw in Neikel.
Senna is getting married in the spring, and her younger brother, the heir to the Lord of Neikel, is ill. No one knows what ails him but the doctors say the boy may not survive until the end of the month.
The Lord of Neikel is worried about his son, but before I left the city I left him one more reason to worry; his numbers are wrong and too much money is missing. He wanted to excuse himself and say it was his assistant's fault, but the assistant was smart enough and he told me what Senna's father was really doing.
I already sent a messenger to the king, so he will surely do something about it.
My moon, I am sending this letter to you before I left Neikel, by the time you read this I will most likely be halfway to Trobez, near the southern border of the kingdom and near the border between Avanta and Kuvar. The trips will be longer and further afield; let Kholtan rest and when he feels ready, he will come looking for you.
The private garden of the queen is the one who pays the consequences of my missing you so much, my love.
You have chosen a beautiful name for that diadem and in the future it will be more coveted than the Queen's own War Crown, just because it is yours. I know you looked beautiful that day, if Kholtan knows, so do I.
I also hope that the happiness of the king and queen is lasting. After everything the Queen Mother told us, I just want my mother to be happy.
It's not a busy year, it's a busy life. I remember once a girl told me that being a princess would be boring, that she would just sit and be pretty doing nothing, like a doll. Do you know who she is?
I love you my moon. Miss you.
Ichigo.
—
Rukia's letter to Ichigo, received in March:
—
My prince, I have broken into your room again and now I have stolen one of your shirts. In my defense I will say that they are soft and comfortable, and they are perfect for sleeping. They also have your scent and that helps me sleep.
Since you left, the ring hadn't woken up and for a moment I thought it was because it only reacted to the use of the ankh, but the twins were practicing with that magic and even though I was close to them, the ring didn't wake up. It was until the other night that I had a strange dream, it was as if someone spoke in the distance and said my name that the ring woke up.
Who did the ring belong to? It's not the first time I've dreamed something like this, and although it doesn't scare me, I feel like I'm missing something important. Is it unwise for me to write to Vermist to ask the queen about the ring's effects on the wearers? I have many doubts and curiosity at the same time.
Will I become as magical as you if I keep using it? Because the idea of summoning a spider is tempting, and I'm not going to deny that I've tried it but obviously I don't know how to do it; I just end up laughing at myself and feeling a bit silly.
My Sun, how could I bewitch you if I myself suffer from this empty existence without you. Perhaps it is you who has bewitched me and that is why my nights without you are almost agonizing.
Sometimes when I go to bed and I'm slowly drifting off to sleep, I hear your voice or your laugh and it wakes me up; for a moment my mind deceives me and makes me believe that you have returned, but the cruel reality hits me as it laughs at my loneliness and boasts in your absence.
Loving you is torture, but that torture is vital to me to continue living.
May the Shadow protect you, my love.
Rukia.
P.S. The king has said that the twins will travel to Vermist in the summer. Karin and Yuzu are completely excited and haven't stopped talking about the trip. They have insisted that I go with them, and I really want to. I know we have commitments to attend to in the kingdom, but can we go? I want to meet Vermist, but I want to meet him from your hand.
P.S.2 I already sent the message to Orihime, I did it with the soldier you told me. I hope they are to her liking. And Kia is a loudmouth, she doesn't know when to shut up.
—
Letter from Lord Yushima to Queen Masaki, received in March:
—
Her Majesty, Queen Masaki.
It is my pleasure to inform you that the wedding with Lady Senna took place a few days ago. It was not a big ceremony due to the little heir's illness but it was enough to let it be known within the city that the daughter of one of the 13 Great Families had married.
The reason for such a rushed event was Prince Ichigo's presence in town last month. The prince was asking questions and before he left he seemed really upset. After that, the father of my now wife was insistent on having the ceremony as soon as possible so that our families could come together and "share" the burden of running the city.
Prince Ichigo talked to me and warned me not to let that man get me too involved in his affairs. Likewise, I don't trust my wife's father too much.
That's all for now. May the Deities give long life to His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen.
Your servant, Lord Yushima.
P.S. Before sending this letter, the news of the death of the little heir of my wife's family has reached me. It is a great sorrow that afflicts them, because now the eldest daughter of the Lord of Neikel suffers from the same disease as the little heir, but with the blessing of the Deities they will be able to overcome it.
—
Rukia's letter to Orihime, received in March:
—
My dear Orihime, knowing that you will soon have a child fills me with happiness. I've mentioned it to Ichigo and he sends his best wishes to you, to Ulquiorra and to your baby. I would like to be by your side to hug you and congratulate you properly, but now Ichigo is on a tour of the kingdom and we don't know if the king will allow us to make such a long trip.
You are right, the news of your happiness makes me happy and although I cannot be by your side to support you as I should, that does not prevent me from sending you gifts for you and your baby. The princesses have helped me choose them and I really hope they are to your liking.
I managed to contact one of the maids who attended you while you were in the castle and asked her to go with you to help you with everything you need; the girl was really excited to see you again so she didn't hesitate to accept. Do not worry about paying for services; that is already solved.
Enjoy the gifts and the company.
How you feel? Is it true that the baby moves inside? And if so, how does it feel? I know that one day I will discover it for myself, but the curiosity is great.
The castle is boring without you, I need a friend to have afternoon tea with and plan total domination of the continent. Interesting things have happened since your last letter, the king and queen renewed their vows and the queen chose the fate of Loly, Riruka and Yuki.
Loly will be sent to the Sacred City of Entabeni to study to be a teacher, and Riruka will be the new Kahya of the castle. You can believe it? Mrs. Retsu will take her under her tutelage to teach her the trade of everything she will do. Everything seems to indicate that Mrs. Retsu is going to retire soon, although the queen has told me that the instruction to be the Kahya is long, and a bit complicated because she must know all the secrets of the castle.
Did you know that Isanne is Mrs. Retsu's daughter? Also, one of her granddaughters is the Kahya of the sun palace! But the most surprising thing is that Mrs. Retsu is married to a resident captain of the castle, the one in charge of training the princes. It's a lot of news. I will never see the queen's doctor in the same way knowing that she is Lady Retsu's daughter. No wonder the queen is always in the know.
Yuki was supposed to be my lady-in-waiting and she keeps insisting that she wants to marry a rich man who will give her a good life. I had to convince her that it is better to wait and I promised her that I would find her a good husband, although she will most likely try to be Prince Kaien's Inamorata.
After the spring dance they will send the letters for the new generation of the queen's court. This year will not be like every year, but they will invite the daughters of the Great Lords to belong to the Queen's Court and that Kaien can choose a wife, it does not matter if they have been to the court before. It's an order from the king. Yuki is included in that list.
It will be a long and exhausting season. Do you think there will be fights? I bet at least two die mysteriously. The queen believes that at least one will mysteriously jump off the cliff. The princesses are only grateful that they are not the ones who have to look for a husband because they are so young, but when they reach the expected age, there will also be a retinue of men parading for them to choose from.
Do you think princesses can also choose male Inamorata? I imagine all the suitors of the princesses in a room, when the Kahya arrives with a maid and shows them a jewel with the phrase "the princess sends this present, she expects you to wear it at dinner tonight". I haven't stopped laughing every time I think about it.
And here I thought being a princess would be boring. I need vacations!
I miss you and love you, my dear friend. I hope to see you soon and meet your baby.
With love, Rukia.
—
Ichigo's letter to Rukia, received in April:
—
My princess of Maranni, I don't know how I managed to endure two months without you. Every day becomes an agony and all I think about is your smile when I wake up and when I sleep.
I have also heard your voice when I am about to sleep, and a part of me expects to see the Goddess of the Moon enter my room at that moment. Only when I realize that it is my mind playing cruelly with me do I go back to sleep.
As I write this letter, I am in the coastal city of Leimar, finishing the report that is sent to the king with his soldiers that he sends with me. The tour is really tiring, it's not fun without you and you'll definitely have to travel with me to these cities sometime. You are the princess of the people, you should be with the people.
You should be with me.
You have bewitched me, it is the only possible answer to this urgent need for a kiss from you. With your smile you have put a spell on me that is impossible to eradicate, a spell that makes me live and die for you at the same time.
Your memory tortures my body, soul and mind; I want it to stop but at the same time I want it to continue, because your memory is the only thing that makes me feel alive. See the memories of Kholtan the moment you receive it, see your smile, they are a balm for my soul. Deep down I wish you could do the same, see through Kholtan's memories and know everything I do.
The ring belonged to Queen Vayalat, it is really old and it is not known how old it is, but that ring has been around since the kingdom was founded. If you wish, you can write to my grandmother. Kholtan will rest and fly to Vermist with your letter.
I'm surprised that the king sends the twins to Vermist, he had always opposed sending them there and that's why they once escaped from the Palace of the Sun and came to Vermist; the queen mother helped them that time and ever since that day they had insisted that the king send them. The voyage to Vayalat is the one thing the king seemed unwilling to give them.
When you return we will plan the trip to Vayalat. I want to go with you, I want you to see the places in the stories I've told you, and I want my grandmother to meet you. You're wearing her ring, she used it for many years, so she must know what effects it has.
I love you my moon.
Ichigo.
—
Rukia's letter to Ichigo, received in April:
—
So it is so, my sun, that the spell has not only been placed on you, but also on me. Your memory tortures me, I miss you and the queen has realized it; I have been wrong on more than one occasion when talking to her and she has discovered that it is because I am thinking of you.
She has tried to keep my mind occupied and it works, at least during the day, because when the night comes back to me, again the need for your arms and your warmth make me hug the pillow that I have stolen from your room.
My prince, you should be with me… I should be with you.
The castle is no fun without you. Conspiring is no fun without you.
After the spring dance Loly left for Entabeni to train as a teacher and Riruka was installed in one of the common buildings so that Mrs. Retsu can teach her what she needs to be the new Kahya of the castle.
Kaien and Nelliel's divorce was already made public, the queen did not want it to be announced so openly and only told a couple of people to start the rumors. Now every time we go out, we hear people ask if it's true or not. That has created a lot of uncertainty. They can't say it was because Nelliel tried to kill me, so it's better that way; surely they will invent a lie to cover all that matter and that nobody gets so hurt.
Invitations to the next generation of the queen's court will be sent out next month; the queen will call all the ladies who are in the same age range as Kaien, maybe even a couple of years younger than him to be part of the court.
They will even call those who have been there before.
This year is going to be a brutal fight for Kaien's attention, but if anyone tries to lay eyes on you, I'm going to scoop them out with a spoon.
Yuki has been following my advice and it seems to be working; Prince Kaien has invited her to dinner a couple of times, and was with her for much of the Spring Ball. Controlling Yuki will be easier than controlling any of the new girls; also Yuki has the idea that she will be able to do what neither my father nor I could do, which is to break the agreements of the fall.
All that remains is for Kaien to send her the jewel and declare her his Inamorata.
As long as she is happy thinking that, then she serves us. If she becomes her wife, it will be easy to get rid of Kaien, or so I hope.
My Sun, tell me that you will come soon or at any moment you can run out of shirts.
I miss you and love you, my Sun.
Rukia.
P.S. I did not write the letter to the queen of Vayalat. If we go on that trip, then I'll ask her personally. I want to meet her too, although I'm a little worried about whether your Aunt Kirio is still mad about the toast or not. Also, I think Orihime's baby will be born in May, I'd like to see her too.
—
Kaien's letter to Nelliel, received in April:
—
My dear Nelliel, I still haven't been able to convince the king to let me come to visit you, he has been more assertive than usual since he and the queen renewed their vows on the day of the roses.
I don't know what's going on, but even though he listens to me, there are things where he doesn't seem to listen to me. I'm not worried that he favors Ichigo, he's clear on his position with respect to the kingdom, but still, there's something I don't like about all of this.
My position as the heir is really secure, the queen hasn't interfered and seems to have accepted it; although deep down I know that maybe it's just that kind of peace that comes before a hurricane hits. Ichigo is doing the city tour and again I'm the only prince in the castle; in a certain way it seems that everything returns to the way it was before, the only thing missing is you.
I know you can't send letters yet, my dear Nelliel. But when you can do it, write me.
And regarding the queen's court, I know that by now you must know that they made our divorce public, also that the next queen's court will be made especially to find me a wife; I don't want to tell you what I am obliged to do if I want to remain in favor with the king.
My dear Nelliel, will your love for me bear this? Can you bear this? It seems that the distance between us will grow longer but I stand by what I have said. You will return to the castle, only perhaps… you will no longer do so as my wife. Perhaps the innuendo is too bold, so ignore it.
I still miss you, my dear Nell.
Kaien.
—
Ichigo's letter to Rukia, received in April:
—
My moon, I miss you so much, but the tour is almost over. We had a small problem in Entabeni but we have managed to solve it.
You know that the Sacred City is not within the 13 cities nor is there a family that is completely responsible. The representatives of the Deities are the ones in charge of caring for and protecting the city, but during the days of my stay there, they really became a headache.
They have their own militia, they take care of them, educate them and train them; I'm not going to deny that this takes a weight off the crown, but it also means that they are the only soldiers who are neither under my orders nor under the king's orders. Anyway, I had to go to check the city and "assure" them that being inside the kingdom, their protection was included.
The High Priest dared to ask for soldiers of the kingdom to take care of the city, but not satisfied with that, he dared to insinuate that when those soldiers enter the city, they will cease to be soldiers of the kingdom. The representatives of the Deities are a headache, but we must have a good relationship with them, so I gave a few soldiers to come to the city.
I don't know how the High Priest found out about the soldiers I'm personally training, but he still dared to hint that he wants one or two, for his personal protection. I had to refuse. The man was not happy. Anyway, I will send one with instructions to inform me of everything the High Priest does or says, and to kill him if the man becomes a potential danger.
They were tense days and long and repetitive talks. I have no doubt that they will be a headache if one day they intend to be the ones behind the thrones again.
When I return I will discuss these matters with the king and with your brother, he is the new councilor of peace and he must be aware that religious fanatics are threatening the peace of the kingdom.
Now, coming back to the most important of all this, my moon, do you think I have eyes for someone other than you? I pity the girl who tries to compete with you, because she wouldn't even have a chance.
You are my kingdom, my temple and my life. I am your faithful slave and servant, you have my life in your hands.
I'll go back to the castle as soon as I can, just one more city to go and I'll finish all this.
I miss you my love. I am in deep agony without you; my mind has not stopped reminding me of your absence in my arms and it has become a torture of which I am a prisoner until your kisses free me.
My moon, I love you and I miss you.
Yours, Ichigo.
—
Letter from Princess Karin to Prince Toshiro, received in May:
—
His Royal Highness Toshiro, Second Prince of Jetaiya.
My dear prince.
Your letter has taken me by surprise, I never imagined that I had left such an impression on you that my voice had invaded your mind. I also never imagined receiving a courtship proposal from you.
I've been investigating you, your sister Princess Hisana has spoken only wonders about you, but that's something I'll have to see with my own eyes to consider if what you do are wonders or not. However, that is not what motivated me to respond to your letter.
The reality is that I feel that a courtship, while it would be flattering, would end in nothing but mutual disappointment in the end.
Avanta customs and Jetaiya customs are vastly different. I know about the traditions and I know about concubines, and I know that your position in the line of succession puts him in a pretty tough spot with your offspring.
So I will be clear because I have seen what happens when love is divided, and I do not mean that you love me or do not love me, but that you respect me.
Should I accept a courtship from you, Prince Toshiro, I will do so only on the condition that there be no concubines. Not before, not during, not after. No concubines, no lovers, no love affairs. I am not a princess who suffers from that kind of thing, nor do I pretend to be.
This is my position regarding your words and the intentions that I saw in those lines, if I have misunderstood it, I will apologize formally then.
Regarding your request to visit me in the summer, I regret to inform you that I will not be at the castle and will be leaving for the kingdom of Vayalat for an indefinite period.
With appreciation, Karin Princess of Avanta.
—
Letter from Queen Masaki to Queen Aiko, received in May:
—
Her Majesty, Queen Aiko of Vayalat
Dear mother, I haven't written to you for so long, but there was nothing relevant to say other than the usual problems in life.
Recently Isshin and I have fixed our problems, not all of them, but we have reached an agreement to live together in peace. We haven't touched on the kingdom thing again, he's been adamant about it and I think that's for the best.
I will let life go on. I'm really tired of everything and I don't know how you can do it, dear mother, because I feel like I'm in an abyss. When the moment for everything to be decided arrives, then again we will return to the overwhelming reality. For now I just want a little peace.
I am not writing to tell you about my sorrows, but for another, happier reason.
Isshin allowed the twins to travel to Vayalat to finish their training with the ankh, although I have been teaching them to control it, it would be better for them to learn with the Karanq. Ichigo was doing the tour of the cities and it brought good results, so the king allowed him and Rukia to travel with the twins.
Rukia has been having episodes with the ring, she has confided in me a few times that she has strange dreams and that she hears a voice speaking to her from the ring. She doesn't seem scared, I think she's too intrigued by everything that's going on to be scared.
I had no answers to give her, only you know what causes that ring and I hope that with her presence there, you can teach her a little. She is a good person, a bit stubborn, a bit impulsive and a bit quiet, but she is a fast learner and has a wonderful mind. I don't know how much Kirio has told you about her, but I hope you don't believe everything she told you, or at least give Rukia a chance to prove herself to you.
Rukia a brave girl; she has behaved according to the situation she has been living, and we both know that life within the royal family is quite demanding.
I don't know if Kirio told you, but on the day of the contract signing, Rukia gave a rather polite speech to Kirio disguised as a toast. Kirio had been making too many inappropriate comments and Rukia just reached her limit. It's not good that I was happy about that, but Kirio simply asked for it by talking too much.
Kirio has always felt a clear favoritism for Yoruichi although Ichigo has made it clear to her that everything that happened was in the past. Sometimes I fear that Yoruichi followed Kirio's advice and that's why everything that happened that time happened; I really hope my sister-in-law didn't have her hands in that situation.
I know that my little girls will be in good hands at Vermist, I trust you and I know that you will know how to take care of them, dear mother. Pay some attention to Karin, who received a proposal from the Second Prince of Jetaiya; I don't know if he's really going to Vayalat or not, but she's excited even if she doesn't show it.
My dear mother, I think that is all I have to say for now, so I say goodbye to you.
I hope to see you soon, I miss you.
Masaki.
—
Letter from Princess Kirio to Princess Yoruichi, received in June:
—
My dear Yoruichi, I haven't heard from you for so long, but I imagine with your father's death and your brother's ascension to the throne, you've been really busy. I hope you are well, I missed your visit for the spring festivities but I understand the position you are in.
The reason I am writing to you is because I think you should know something that might cheer you up.
Ichigo will come to Vermist.
Obviously he will come with that little girl they imposed on him as a wife, but that's not a problem, I'll take care of distracting her enough so that you can talk to him, if that's what you want. The breakup of your relationship with Ichigo was a tragic event, but I think he'll come to his senses by seeing you and how beautiful you've become.
You guys looked good together, you deserved to have a life together.
I know my father-in-law will send an invitation to your brother to renew the agreements between kingdoms, so you could come with him, plus I imagine he'll mention the little party we're throwing to celebrate Ichigo's birthday.
I hope you can come, my dear Yoruichi.
With love.
Kyrio.
—
Special thanks to jobananasan
Until next Friday/Saturday