The Nightingale

Chapter 61: Vayalat

Summer — x493 / July 3

The Great Vayalat.

There were as many mysteries about her as nights in time; about her origin, about her dealings with the Shadow, about how she got to the continent and about how she managed to get a crown and a kingdom. What was said about her and about the history of the kingdom was so manipulated by those who wrote the records, that she may well have only been an ordinary woman who could do a little magic or the physical form of the Shadow in the world.

It would never be known and it was not something that worried her descendants.

They worshiped the Shadow and, like all blood descendants of Vayalat, possessed almost all the gifts that the Original Mother had been bestowed by the Shadow. The closer they were to the Shadow, the more gifts they awakened, however, they all sought something that only Vayalat possessed: Eternity.

No child of Vayalat had been able to obtain it, Eternity was slipping through their fingers as well as life itself.

They would live for many years, stay strong and at their best for decades, but eventually die. It was said that the Shadow went in person for them, to take them back to their Original Mother, and that at the moment of death it was when all the secrets were revealed to them, as a consolation prize for a lifetime of service; but that was something they couldn't guarantee either, because no one has ever survived the Shadow's final call before.

—

Ichigo knew the precise moment when they entered the kingdom of Vayalat, it was something that there was no way to fully explain, it was like coming home. That was why Ichigo felt like a stranger in his own land the time he returned to Adelaar, because his blood screamed that his home was Vayalat and not Avanta.

— What was that? — Rukia asked after a few moments looking out the window.

Ichigo stopped seeing the ring on his hand, which inevitably woke up when it felt that it was in the land where everything came from, and he turned to see Rukia, only to find her confused look. He could feel the tattoo on his back move; his little sisters would be feeling the same as him at that very moment.

— What did you feel? — Ichigo asked carefully, because that question from Rukia, just as they entered Vayalat, disconcerted him.

— As if I crossed an invisible curtain. Something that is and is not, all at the same time. — Rukia seemed disoriented, as if that explanation didn't express what she really felt at that moment.

Ichigo looked at the ring and then at Rukia.

If she had been wearing the ring, he would understand that she would have felt it wake up, but she wasn't wearing it and had no way of feeling what he felt. The connection to the ring was so big, that was the only answer Ichigo had for it, and it scared him.

— We are in Vayalat. — Ichigo explained calmly. — To get to Vermist there are 5 more days of travel left. Perhaps it was because of the pact with the Shadow that you made that you felt that way. "From earth to heaven, the land of Vayalat protects its children and servants", that is what the Karanq say when they educate us, and now you are a servant of the shadow, my love.

Ichigo took Rukia's hand and gave her a small kiss before pulling her close and hugging her as if he wanted to protect her from something. Rukia hugged him tightly and closed her eyes for that moment.

— You are afraid, aren't you? — Rukia's voice came out so soft that it could have been mistaken for a murmur from the carriage that was still moving.

— I'm afraid. — Ichigo kissed Rukia's head and hugged her tighter. — Very afraid, because if something happens to you, I will be to blame and the last thing I want is to hurt you.

— Everything will be fine, I promise you. — Rukia whispered trying to reassure him, but Ichigo couldn't shake that feeling from his heart.

The fear that he hadn't felt for a long time, he felt it at that moment. The thought of losing Rukia terrified him.

Summer — x493 / July 8

Rukia had ways of torturing Ichigo that were somewhat original. At that time, she had refused to talk about a specific topic that Ichigo wanted to know about, and which he had not stopped insisting on all the way from the last break until now.

The two of them were on the horse together, Rukia was wearing those pretty riding clothes and her hair, which at the moment reached halfway down her back, was tied up in a pretty intricate braid decorated with ribbons that Tatsuki had made for her.

The trip to Vermist, the capital of Vayalat, had been long but it was coming to an end and Rukia couldn't keep torturing Ichigo like that; although hearing how he pleaded with that soft and pitiful voice before he gave her a kiss on the shoulder trying to convince her, it made her feel happy and powerful.

— My Moon, do not force me to use the forbidden techniques to make you speak. — Ichigo whispered in her ear, no longer with that plaintive and mellow voice, but with that dangerous voice that caught her off guard and gave her goosebumps at that moment.

— The forbidden techniques? — Rukia asked, turning her head a little to look at him out of the corner of her eye, without losing the smile on her face. — Do we have prohibited techniques? I didn't know it, my Sun.

The amused tone in her voice froze as she watched Ichigo's smile turn mischievous. They were at the head of the traveling caravan, but behind them were a couple of guards who knew they shouldn't see them too much if they didn't want to end up blind.

— That is why they are prohibited, my Moon. Now, are you going to tell me why Yuki looks at you like she's afraid of you? — Ichigo asked with that malicious and almost erotic tone that Rukia loved.

Rukia just laughed nervously as she felt that whisper in her ear and felt Ichigo's hand gripping her waist possessively. He wanted to know what had happened in the queen's court, at least between her and Yuki, while he had been away, and it was the one thing Rukia refused to talk about. Ichigo's curiosity had not ceased since she had first refused to answer his question.

— Nope.

Rukia returned her gaze to the road, refusing to speak just to annoy him a bit more, but Ichigo's hand released her waist and slowly moved up her back until it reached the back of her neck. She felt as Ichigo brushed that braid aside and moved closer to her skin letting her feel his hot breath; she thought he was going to kiss her, but he only let her feel that intention making her skin crawl again.

Ichigo gently tugged on the braid for an instant causing her to tilt her head back a little and she heard him breathe in her ear. Rukia could almost imagine that mischievous smile on his lips and closed her eyes waiting for the kiss, but again, he didn't kiss her.

She could feel her own heart pounding, and she was short of breath even though he hadn't even kissed her. Just those caresses, he made her lose her breath. Ichigo gently moved his hand back down Rukia's back and placed it on her belly, holding her tightly.

Again, Rukia tilted her head and looked at Ichigo, who was smiling slyly at her. He moved closer to her, and again Rukia closed her eyes waiting for the kiss that didn't come. That made her feel frustrated.

— Are you going to kiss me or not? — Rukia asked with her eyebrows drawn together in annoyance at not having that precious kiss.

— Nope. — Ichigo smiled and looked away from her to see the road. — If you don't give me what I want, I won't give you what you want. Besides, we are about to reach the city of Vermist and I don't know when we can be alone again.

Rukia narrowed her eyes in annoyance at hearing him say that and made an indignant sound in her throat before facing the road, again.

— You are a blackmailer and a manipulator. — Rukia complained after a while of silence, debating with herself if it was time to tell him what he wanted to know or to continue like this for a moment more.

Ichigo just couldn't make her want a kiss and then not give it to her. Her revenge would be terrible when she came up with one.

— But you already knew that, my Moon. — Ichigo gave her a kiss on the cheek with an amused smile. — You choose, my princess of Maranni. We can both play this. I spent 4 months without being able to see you or smell your hair when I woke up, I can resist a couple more days.

— A couple of days?!

Ichigo shrugged in amusement.

Rukia would definitely make him pay for that, when she came up with the perfect revenge she was going to torture him until he begged for a caress from her.

— Okay, I'm going to tell you. — Rukia relented annoyed at that defeat.

Ichigo gave her a kiss on the cheek and Rukia began to tell him everything that had happened in the castle with Yuki.

Rukia told Ichigo that she had talked to Tatsuki first, asking for advice on how to seduce a man, how to make a man notice a woman without making it too obvious, and how to appear innocent and hide indecent thoughts.

Rukia then told him about the talks she had with Yuki, about Yuki having to stay away from Kaien and about Yuki having to refuse his gifts to keep Kaien interested, and about the "casual" encounters that she had caused for Kaien to see Yuki even if it was for a moment; all endorsed by Tatsuki who was the one who advised her on that mission.

— Wait a minute. — Ichigo whispered, interrupting Rukia's detailed explanations and narrations about her master plan to trick Kaien. — If you asked Tatsuki how to seduce a man, how did you intend to seduce Kaien the time we faked the kidnapping and made him look like your savior?

Rukia thought for a second before giggling nervously.

— No idea, I didn't think about it at the time. I guess how I seduced you. — Rukia explained making Ichigo narrow his eyes in annoyance. — Although I'm not sure how I seduced you. In fact, I think you seduced me.

— Right now I'm glad that stupid plan didn't work. — Ichigo spoke and Rukia could hear the jealousy vibrate in Ichigo's voice as he grabbed her waist in a possessive manner. That put Rukia in a better mood and she continued to tell him what had happened with Yuki.

— In the end, the day before the queen's new ladies arrived, I talked to Yuki and told her: "I'm married to the most powerful man in the kingdom, I live inside his heart and mind; what I say, he listens. What I want, he gives it to me. If I wanted to start a war, he would ask me for a date. If I wanted to kill someone, he would ask me for a name. If I wanted to be the queen, he would become the king just to give me the crown. I'm the one who controls the kingdom and its peace, but I don't want to be the queen, I don't want that crown and I don't want a war. I want you to be the queen and do what neither my father nor I could do. I'd rather it be you than anyone else."

Rukia finished after saying that sentence, using the same voice and the same expression that she had used with Yuki, really being the evil princess who was sure of what she had and that there was nothing to stop her in the world, just to make Yuki afraid enough that she wouldn't consider betraying her.

Rukia got into her role just like Ichigo did when he told her what he had to do when he asked the king for the Inamorata's house. That time, she hadn't taken it well and was upset with Ichigo for a couple of days, but she forgave him after hitting him a few times.

Ichigo fell silent, the horse stopped, and Rukia turned to look at him, thinking that maybe she had overdone what she had said to Yuki and that had upset Ichigo, but instead, she found that look on him that made her bite her lip before he gave her a kiss so intense and passionate, that for a moment she forgot that they were on a horse.

That kiss left her with a smile and a blush on her cheeks that took a long time to disappear.

— I love when I see that Rukia evil and bossy. — Ichigo whispered leaving little kisses on her shoulder. — I love that my wife knows exactly how powerful she is. I have a dangerous wife that the world must be afraid of.

Rukia gasped and he bit her shoulder. If Ichigo continued like this, waiting until nightfall would be tortuous.

— I'm married to a dangerous man, I have to be a dangerous woman. — Rukia whispered turning her head to look at him before giving him one more kiss.

Ichigo smiled at that sentence, and Rukia kissed him again.

They arrived at the city of Vermist shortly after that talk, and Rukia was able to see with her own eyes the place where Ichigo had grown up. The city was really big and from a distance she could see the three walls that divided it, each bigger than the last, the smallest wall being the one that surrounded the palace by the sea.

Every given distance there were bastions that served as watchtowers on the walls, and soldiers dressed in black, armed with arrows and bows as well as swords hanging from their belts, patrolled on the walls.

The city gates were open, allowing people coming and going from the city to enter and exit, and there were guards at the gate who were in charge of surveillance. Vermist even seemed much larger than Adelaar, although Rukia put it down to the fact that there were three walls that protected the city and gave her that impression. She was amazed, each city she had visited was different, but without a doubt the capital of Vayalat was the best so far.

— Welcome to Vermist, my princess of Maranni. — Ichigo whispered with a smile as he pointed to the city.

— Love it! — Rukia spoke without containing the emotion in her voice. — Can we walk on the walls?

— I'll ask my uncle if he'll let us, remember I'm just a visitor here.

Rukia nodded at that possibility. Ichigo was right, they were just visitors there so many of the things they could or couldn't do were limited by the rules of the place.

Ichigo rode the horse to the entrance of the city and identified himself to one of the guards saying that he was a visitor from Avanta and that they were waiting for him at the Vayalat Palace.

The guard checked them out at the entrance and, from one moment to the next, the man stopped and stared at Ichigo, as if he had seen him before, until finally the guard grinned. Rukia didn't understand what was happening but she preferred to keep quiet because later she would attack Ichigo with questions; that always worked for her when she wanted to know something.

— Tell the Palace guards that Prince Ichigo is back!

The guard's shout confused Rukia more, but immediately another guard confirmed the order and rode out on horseback from the wall, losing himself among the people on the main street. The guard who shouted stepped aside and let them pass without another word, but he kept the smile on his face, as if he had seen an old friend arrive.

— And... I didn't understand what happened. — Rukia commented as they made their way through the city to reach the second wall.

Ichigo smiled and kissed her cheek. Rukia noted that he was truly happy.

— I grew up here the last years of my life. The soldier at the entrance is one of the orphans I trained with. — Ichigo explained calmly looking at Rukia who kept looking at him carefully.

Rukia listened to that part of Ichigo's life that he himself had told her before but that at that moment she could perhaps understand a little better.

— The ones who got the tattoo like Renji and Uryu?

— Exactly. That soldier is one of the Shadows, that's why he's guarding the front door. If someone tried to break through that door by force, that soldier would end that man's life before that man knew it. At each entrance there is a Shadow, no one is supposed to know who they are beyond the commander and those who trained with them, so they are mixed into the militia for added protection.

Rukia nodded to what Ichigo told her, and paid more attention to the soldiers guarding the gates of the second wall as they passed, but as much as she searched for something that would distinguish a Shadow from a common soldier, she couldn't find it. At that moment, Rukia thought of Ichigo when she saw him the first time; that time she only saw a messenger and not a prince, and she came to the conclusion that it was in Vayalat that he learned to camouflage himself thus with his surroundings.

— Kon is from Vayalat? — Rukia asked from one moment to another, before they reached the third wall, which was the one that gave the entrance to the palace.

— Kon was born here.

—

Returning to Vayalat for Ichigo was like coming home.

Vayalat was where he had felt most loved in his entire life, it was where he learned everything he knew and it was where he became part of the man he was at that moment. Even though he was afraid of Rukia's relationship and the ring, her being with him made him happy. Ichigo wanted to show her all the places in his life; he wanted to tell her all the stories he had told her before, but now here so she could better imagine them.

The soldier who gave notice of their arrival had done a good job, because as they crossed the third wall and entered Vermist's Palace, a group of servants were waiting to help them with things. His mother had sent a letter earlier, saying that he, Rukia, and his little sisters were going to visit, so it was very likely that they had prepared things for them and their stay there.

Ichigo got off the horse and helped Rukia down. Seeing her smile made him smile too.

His little sisters got out of the carriage where they had been making the last leg of the trip, and immediately the Kahya of the Vermist Palace bowed to them explaining that the twins had a room prepared within the palace near the queen's private quarters. The twins were really happy and without hesitation they followed the servants who would guide them to where their bedrooms would be for as long as the training with the Karanq lasted.

— Your Highness, our queen has prepared for you and Princess Rukia, the beach house that of Princess Masaki. — The Kahya explained helpfully. — Your things will be arranged and your servants will be instructed in the customs of the palace. I'm sorry you can't go to rest right now, but the queen has ordered me to bring you into her presence immediately.

Ichigo felt Rukia's hand grasp his hand with force upon hearing those words, and Ichigo could tell that Rukia was nervous. Rukia had reasons to be nervous, but Ichigo knew that the faster they fixed the problem with the ring, the calmer Rukia would be and they would both be able to better enjoy the days they would be there.

— It's okay. — Ichigo whispered, squeezing Rukia's hand to give her confidence. — I'm with you, everything will be fine.

Rukia nodded, looking at him and holding his hand tightly, before Ichigo gave the order to the Kahya to take them to where the Vayalat queen was.

The Kahya led them through the huge palace of Vermist and Ichigo started to tell Rukia some things about the paintings that decorated the walls showing the kings of yesteryear to distract her a bit and, although it worked for a moment, when they were in front of the door that led to the queen's private room, Rukia again tightened her grip on his hand.

Ichigo removed the queen's ring from his little finger and placed it back on Rukia's ring finger, after which the Kahya opened the door to let them in.

— Your Majesty, Prince Ichigo and his wife, Princess Rukia, are here. — The Kahya spoke, attracting the attention of the queen, who was looking out the window.

Ichigo saw his grandmother, as beautiful and young as ever, with her golden hair pulled back completely and wearing a black crown on her head, demonstrating her power in that place with just that accessory, turn on her heel to see him and Rukia. The Kahya left that room and only the sound of the door closing was heard.

— Your Majesty. — Ichigo didn't let go of Rukia's hand, so they walked together until they were in front of the queen. The queen held out her hand, and Ichigo respectfully kissed it. Rukia followed suit immediately after. — Let me introduce you to my wife, Rukia.

—

Rukia was sitting on the stone floor of that house, on that edge that faced the beach, with bare feet and playing with the sand. Sunsets in Vermist were dark, beautiful in their orange and violet hues, but dark, because she had gotten used to bright sunsets in Adelaar, where the sun illuminated everything.

She kept remembering the talk she had with Queen Aiko about the ring, about her dreams, about that voice and about everything that had happened since that ring touched her hand until the moment they entered Vayalat. The queen asked her many questions, from if she was pregnant to if any of those dreams had ever come true, and Rukia answered all of them truthfully.

In the end, the queen asked to see the contract Rukia had made with the Shadow and Rukia knew, at that moment, that something might be wrong with her.

The gasp of surprise the queen gave was not normal.

At the end of that talk, Rukia felt that something very big was happening at that moment and that she was missing it despite being really involved in it. Ichigo walked her to the beach house and promised her that everything would be fine and that they would find the reason why this was happening to her. Rukia could see that feeling of guilt and fear in Ichigo's eyes, because he blamed himself for giving her that ring.

Rukia wanted to tell him that everything was fine, that she understood what was happening because she had entered that world to which he belonged, but deep down, the fear of the unknown made room in her heart and mind.

They didn't have much time to talk when they arrived at the beach house where they were going to rest because Ichigo was urgently called by his grandmother for a meeting with the Elders. Rukia let him go, and the kiss Ichigo gave her as a goodbye had that flavor of fear that she didn't like to feel.

She sat there, thinking over and over again about the talk with the queen and imagining Ichigo in a huge room being scolded by the king, the queen, and a group of old men with long beards and full of wrinkles, for some reason that would undoubtedly have to do with her, and she felt guilty at the time.

All of that had been unleashed since she made the deal with the Shadow; a deal she insisted on.

— If you stay there, you could catch a cold. — Ichigo's voice sounded from behind her and a second later, Rukia felt a soft blanket fall around her shoulders.

Rukia immediately stood up, grabbing the blanket Ichigo had placed around her shoulders and hugged him tightly. Ichigo hugged her back and Rukia stayed there, silent and not wanting to express the fears that had invaded her during the whole afternoon she was alone there.

— The Elders want to see you. — Ichigo whispered, stroking her back very gently.

— Did they scold you? — Rukia asked looking into Ichigo's eyes, and for a moment she saw a spark of amusement in his eyes.

— Yes, they did and it was horrible. — He said in an amused tone and kissed Rukia on the forehead and held her hand gently. — They didn't scold me, we just talked for a long time. They pulled out the old texts and were talking about tattoos that have come to be defined, a lot of history really. Boring History. Half of history is speculation.

Ichigo kissed Rukia on the nose and she nodded slowly.

— Okay, let's go see those ugly old men. Do I have to change clothes? — Rukia asked remembering that she was still in her riding clothes.

— No, they will want to see the contract with the Shadow and I don't intend to let them see too much of your skin. — Ichigo's jealousy hung in the air again and Rukia smiled at that.

Rukia liked to hear, and to some extent feel, Ichigo's jealousy; she liked having that feeling of belonging because she was just as jealous as he was, and she didn't hesitate to remind him that he belonged to her.

They walked down the hallway that connected the beach house to the palace, and Ichigo led her through a place that was too dark even though there were torches burning. Night had covered the city and Rukia felt a chill run down her spine. Again, Rukia felt as if she had entered a wolf's den, because everyone there could use that kind of magic and Ichigo, despite being very prodigious, might not be able to protect her.

The room where the Elders were waiting for them was illuminated by torches on the walls, and Rukia noticed that those elders only had elders in name, they all looked older but not old; at least not as she had imagined them. They were all sitting in a circle, and right in the center at the back was the queen, sitting next to a really imposing and commanding looking man who Rukia assumed must be the king.

Both the king and queen didn't look older either, not to the level that Avanta's queen mother was; they really were well preserved.

Rukia bowed to everyone, and stood next to Ichigo not knowing what else to do. She felt nervous and small, and only felt confidence when Ichigo's hand closed over hers in a gesture to remind her that he was there and that he would protect her.

— Your Highness, let us see the contract with the Shadow. — Asked one of the men, who seemed to be the youngest of all there, and who had a gentle smile.

Rukia looked at Ichigo, who was more serious than usual, and then nodded. She let go of Ichigo's hand and pulled up her blouse a bit, enough to expose her ribs, so that the contract mark could be seen with the clarity offered by the light of that room.

One by one, the Elders got up from their seats and approached Rukia to take a closer look at the contract, all without actually touching her; although Rukia was sure that if anyone even tried, Ichigo would avoid it. She could feel the ring awake on her hand, and she could feel Ichigo's mood at the moment; he was uncomfortable and annoyed, and he was refraining from pulling her away from these men.

The Elders murmured the name of one flower or another, counted the petals, and again walked away. Everyone was surprised by the clarity with which the contract was made and the way those petals seemed to move with Rukia's breath. The same man who asked Rukia to show the contract asked her to cover herself up again, which she did.

Ichigo pulled her to him with some possessiveness, as if he wanted to prevent someone from taking her from him, putting his right hand on her waist. Rukia felt, at that moment, that Ichigo hadn't told her something important and that she deserved to know.

— Allow us the ring, your highness. — The same man asked politely, standing in front of Rukia and holding out his hand to receive the ring.

Rukia looked at the ring and remembered that Queen Masaki told her not to let the ring be taken from her, even though she was referring to Kirio. Rukia hesitated for a moment and when she reached for the ring with the intention of taking it off, a voice sounded in the room.

"No"

It was perhaps a bit louder than a whisper, but Rukia undeniably heard it and stopped her attempt to remove the ring. She knew that voice and it scared her a little, because it was the first time she heard that woman's voice while she was awake.

— What did you say, your highness? — The man asked, his eyebrows drawn together in a slight gesture of annoyance at that refusal. The man in front of her had also heard that whisper and assumed it was her.

— I think it's stuck in my finger, can you help me remove it? — Rukia used that voice that she used to use when they were touring the cities. The man seemed confused, both by Rukia's words and gesture, but he still tried to take the ring from her. Ichigo just looked at her curiously.

The instant that man touched the red stone, he jerked his hand away quickly, as if touching it caused him pain. The man stared at Rukia, and Rukia looked at all the men in that room who were too focused on what was going on, like they were waiting for something like this to happen, or too shocked to do anything.

Rukia looked at the king, who seemed genuinely intrigued, and looked at the queen, who had a slight victorious smile on her face.

At that moment, Rukia began to wonder how much they had been talking during that meeting prior to her arrival to be like this, and how much Ichigo was hiding from her at that moment so as not to worry her.

Another of the Elders tried to take Rukia's ring, but had the same result as the first. Some more tried it, and the result was the same. The ring did not let anyone else touch it. Rukia looked at Ichigo with that innocent look on her face and waved her hand in front of him like an amused invitation.

— Do you want to try it?

Ichigo, who was holding back his smile to see how frustrated those men were in their attempts to even touch that ring, hesitated a bit at that question but tried anyway. The ring did not hurt him, but again that whisper that said "no" was heard again.

Everyone present realized that something else was going on, and Ichigo didn't remove the ring from his wife's hand. He looked at her for a moment, as if he wanted to ask her something, but Queen Aiko's voice echoed in that room full of murmurs from those not-so-elderly Elders.

— As I mentioned before, the ring chose her. — The queen spoke, attracting the attention of all those Elders. — The ring communicates with her in a way that no one has managed to do, it did not do so with me, nor with the previous queen. The records are there, I don't know what more proof you need. She could definitely be...

— She does not even have the blood of Vayalat, your majesty, it is impossible for the ring… for our Mother to feel an affinity for her. It's ridiculous! — One of the men sitting there exclaimed, clearly unhappy with what he was seeing.

— How many people who have joined the Shadow have defined their tattoo from the start? — The king asked, in a thick voice that seemed to vibrate to the core of the soul. Rukia automatically clung to Ichigo as if for protection and he hugged her. — Furthermore, how many have presented that flower specifically?

The Elders began to speak among themselves before the same man, the one who had spoken from the beginning, answered the king.

— None, your majesty. It is known that the servants of the Shadow who join never define the mark that dwells in them, and that the children of Vayalat only manage to define it until the Shadow approves. However… she, Princess Rukia… — the man looked at Rukia in a disgruntled way, as if what he saw and what he knew were colliding in a war to dominate reason. — It's just that there are no precedents... your majesty, not even those born here have achieved what she, without even intending to, has achieved.

That last sentence made all the men there speak in a murmur, some indignant and others surprised, bordering on curiosity and approval.

— In that case, the Shadow has approved her and the Mother has chosen her. There's nothing to do. — The king spoke and Rukia felt a hint of annoyance in the man's voice. Rukia had the feeling that she was taking something away from them.

The door of that room opened as if it were a whisper attracting the attention of those who were there causing everyone to stop talking.

— I told you my nephew is a prodigy, and he found a prodigious wife. — Rukia recognized Ichigo's uncle's voice behind her.

The man walked in with his fan in hand, in such a calm and almost cheerful way that Rukia felt that he was breaking the heavy atmosphere that had formed in that room. Kisuke bowed to his parents, gave the Elders an almost amused look for interrupting this meeting, and waited.

— A prodigious wife. — One of the men spoke, as if savoring those words.

— A prodigious wife. — Kisuke repeated with a smile lowering his fan and closing it. Ichigo's uncle looked at the king and queen. — However, she is not the reincarnation of Vayalat, and I highly doubt she wants the throne of this kingdom. Everyone has been thinking too much, she is just a girl who has the blessing of the Shadow.

Rukia was surprised by those words and turned to see Ichigo, who was still tense. Perhaps that was what he had decided not to tell her when she had asked if he had been scolded at the meeting. Rukia felt like she should say something, but she didn't know what to say without sounding out of place at the time, although she did dislike being talked about as if she wasn't there.

There was a jumble of ideas in her head and it was starting to hurt, though maybe it was because she hadn't eaten since they arrived.

— The Shadow's blessing, as the Mother had. It's a lot of coincidence! — Another of the men there spoke, who seemed to believe that Rukia was actually the reincarnation of the Mother and that made him angry. — Not to mention that she has the personal symbol of our Mother engraved on her skin.

— She is a prodigious girl. That's it. — Kisuke spoke again calmly, moving his closed fan from side to side. Rukia felt at that moment that she was on some kind of judgment. — Princess Rukia descends from family lines as old as Vayalat, and among the 6 kingdoms, the one she descends from is, if I'm not mistaken, the second kingdom that was formed as such.

— Avanta isn't…

— She does not belong to Avanta, she belongs to the old blood of Maran Khan.

— That man! Don't mention that man's name! — One of the Elders yelled, forgetting even to respect the man with the fan. As if that name was an insult to everyone in that room.

— My son, please explain what you just said. — The queen asked without taking her eyes off Kisuke.

Rukia didn't know what her ancestor had to do with everything that was going on in that room, but she certainly sensed that the mention of her ancestor was not well received. At that moment, interrupting didn't seem like a good idea anymore. Rukia wanted to know what was going on.

— Of course, dear mother! — Kisuke nodded to the queen. — When we went to my dear nephew's wedding, there was a lot of mention of certain Agreements of the Fall and the obligation of the Second Prince to marry the daughter of a certain Lord of Maranni. So I did some research on this; the name of the place brought back memories of that man and I really thought at first that it was something with names that are used just because they are pretty. Also, the Fall of Maranni was over a hundred years ago, a short time to reuse a name in a city.

The Elders muttered angrily at the history lecture they were receiving. Rukia for her part, wondered how Ichigo's uncle had been able to investigate such things; he maybe he had a lot of free time or maybe he had gotten inside the Great House. That last idea disturbed her a bit and she wondered if they could infiltrate anywhere without being noticed.

Kisuke looked at Rukia and gave her an apologetic smile.

Rukia was beginning to suspect that this man was hiding too many things and was saying them little by little just to generate tension.

— According to my research, the one who founded the kingdom of Maranni, was precisely that man. He got married and had children… and he changed his name. Possibly not in that order, but it definitely happened.

Rukia looked at Ichigo's uncle, suspecting that the man had somehow gotten into the Great House to get that information, because it was something only the children of the Kuchiki family were taught, and then she turned to see Ichigo, who was still serious but seemed more relaxed at what was being said there. Rukia concluded that she would beat Ichigo until he told her everything she wanted to know.

— Dear niece, can you tell me if I am wrong in stating that you are descended from Maran Khan? — Ichigo's uncle asked with a smile that Rukia couldn't identify.

— Oh... yeah... — Rukia stammered a bit because she didn't expect someone to ask her something. — Maran Khan was the founder of the kingdom, and the Kuchiki family line descends from him. Black hair and gray eyes are the characteristics of the Kuchiki family.

Kisuke thanked Rukia for her explanation and returned his gaze to the Elders.

— Now do you understand what I mean?

— Do not say it! — Exclaimed one of the Elders.

Rukia wanted to hit that man, she wanted to hear what Ichigo's uncle was getting at because she couldn't think of a coherent answer because of the headache. Ichigo's uncle opened his fan and gently fanned himself.

— Oh! But I'll say it anyway because my dear niece needs to know and you need to hear it. — Kisuke laughed at the Elder in his face. — Princess Rukia is the perfect example of Eternity. If my dear nephew had never become engaged to her, the ring would never have shown that she would be its next bearer. If they had not engaged through the Shadow, the Shadow and our Mother would never have seen her. The ring is the blood of Vayalat, of course our Mother is going to feel an affinity for my dear niece because she has the blood of that man.

After that statement, the mutterings of the Elders began again.

Special regards to: diah77, jobananasan and Nikkiebelles. Thank you for your beautiful comments. I take into account your suggestions to improve the story, don't think I don't.

I hope you like this chapter, I'll upload the next one as fast as I finish it. A kiss for everyone.

P.S. How many believed that Rukia was the reincarnation of Vayalat? No one? :c