Author's Note: Ah yes, the time has come for this chapter which I've planned in my head for well over a few months. I don't want to give away too much, but I will say many of you probably didn't see it coming. With my break ending next week, I'm unsure when the next update will be but with the Karakura gang back in the regular story, I might be motivated to write. As I say time and time again, thank you for your generous reviews/liking/and support of WSTS. Without you all, I don't know if I'd be able to continue it. Please enjoy, and I will await to hear your thoughts on the chapter. Lastly, I'd also like to wish everyone a belated Happy New Year!~~

Disclaimer: "Bleach" belongs to Tite Kubo, the creator of the manga.

TRIGGER WARNING: For the people who may be sensitive, there is a particular scene below in which a sexual assault begins to take place. Before you read the section, I will place this symbol (***) above in case you wish to avoid it.

Chapter 17 – A King without a Throne

"You know when we saw each other at the ball that night, I wasn't exactly thrilled to see you, understand?" Isshin informed his confidant whom he had been called upon unexpectedly by in the middle of the night.

"Of course," Urahara sang in a high-pitched tone, "How could I have not noticed the daggers you were directing towards me as I approached?"

The two medical physicians were seated across from each other in the parlor room. A single candle lit the room, for the curtains on the windows and doors had been drawn to avoid unnecessary eyes from peering into the isolated chamber. Thankfully, Yoruichiwas not present in the palace during the visitation. As a result, Urahara did not have to fear her discovering him reliving the darkest moments of his career—especially the ones he was not particularly fond of reminiscing. However, before his fiancée departed from the residence to travel with her esteemed father, she had almost stumbled upon the conversation Urahara had been privately having with Isshin over the phone. Since the discussion was finished for the most part, the scruffy man abruptly ended the call before the father of three could ask a multitude of questions.

"Okay, Kisuke," Isshin put forth in an attempt to move things along in a timely manner, "Why did you call me here?"

The anxiety he was experiencing was beginning to overwhelm him and command his every action.

Refusing to acknowledge the elephant in the room, the blonde-haired individual shifted a hand over to the table, where he picked up his fan. Slinking back into the sofa, he opened the fan and began to motion it over his face in order to shield himself from Kurosaki's intense glare.

The intelligent man sighed from frustration, "As I told you briefly over the phone, I invited you here because of a situation regarding Ichigo".

Immediately, Isshin became attentive at the sound of hearing his son's name. He couldn't predict in which direction the conversation was heading. Had something happened with Ichigo at the tournament? Why had he not been informed about it? The father especially disliked the fact that Urahara was poking his nose in a place where it did not belong. After all, it had been quite some time since they had last held a full conversation with each other and it deeply troubled Isshin. Their friendship did not form like most, and the experiences they went through together were not normal under any circumstances. Consequently, the next thing that Urahara forms out of his mouth could range from a variety of topics—nothing was off-limits.

"Recently, I received an unexpected visit in the middle of the night by two men," Kisuke revealed sternly.

"Did you recognize them?" Isshin jumped at the opportunity as soon as information was presented before him.

The soon-to-be-married man nodded his head to the perceptive inquiry, "Only one of them and trust me when I say you know him".

Naturally, Isshin waited for a response to his question, but Urahara refused to go further into detail. He did not want to give unnecessary information away, therefore he decided he needed to be careful with his choice of words. Although he was aware that the men had no way of tracing his every move, the scientist did not want to risk his chances. He needed Isshin to be the one to ask. As much as he wanted to help the worried parent, he could not carelessly offer information. If that had been the case, he would have been backing himself into a corner.

With the very little patience he had remaining, Dr. Kurosaki was prepared to speak out against the lack of consistent answers he was receiving from his former partner.

Rising to his feet, the middle-aged man stood upright with his hands clenched at his sides. His dark eyes stared into the emotionless face of the aristocrat who was seated comfortably across from him.

"Enough beating around the bush," Isshin gritted through his teeth, "What happened with Ichigo?"

At last, the fan was put down and the concerned father was able to view the man without further difficulty.

"It was Gin Ichimaru," Urahara referenced to his earlier statement, "He and another man threatened me to give up the formula".

Despite having been given the answers he had been demanding from the start, Isshin was still unable to put two and two together. What did the Head Commander of Japan's Navy want with a formula that his own father had dabbled in several years ago? At most, the young general should have learned from the past mistakes Hisao Ichimaru made when the dangerous serum was injected into Ichigo without significant research having been performed before use. In addition, what was Gin and this unknown assailant trying to accomplish on their own?

"You wouldn't happen to recall the name of the other man would you?" the doctor questioned earnestly, his arms folded across his chest.

"I do, but why should that matter? The real issue at hand is that Ichimaru took the concoction for his own! He has the power and the money to create thousands more if he desired!" Kisuke threw back with renewed intensity.

The father was disregarding all that his former colleague had to say to him at the current moment. The only thing which mattered to him at the particular period of time was the name of the accomplice that was working alongside Gin. If his inkling was correct, the situation his son had been unknowingly placed in was dire and required immediate action.

No longer able to take the scientist's drawn-out antics, Isshin relocated himself onto Urahara's couch and viewed the man upon a look of contempt and anger. The younger man was clearly trying to attempt to avoid taking responsibility for his reckless dealings with his unannounced guests from the other day. However, Isshin did not have any ounce of pity for him. During one point or another in their friendship, the doctor would have gladly given an arm or a limb to the man who now avoided his glare. For the parent, Urahara was the light at the end of the tunnel for Ichigo when there were no other options. The remarkable scientist entered the Kurosaki's lives when they needed him the most.

While he was once his son's savior in years past, he certainly no longer held the title. Instead, he had turned into Ichigo's enemy for essentially allowing two strangers to walk away with a serum that could put countless civilians at stake.

"I'm going to ask you one last time, Kisuke," the tired physician reasoned with his ex-collaborator, "What was the name of the other man that was with Gin Ichimaru?"

"He said his name was Aizen Sousuke".

"Are you certain?"

With the lingering question, Urahara fled from his position and walked over to the concealed window. He did not want any uninvited ears listening in on the conversation that was taking place without his fiancée's knowledge. If word got back to her that he was keeping secrets from her, she would never agree to go through with the wedding. As much as he wanted to tell her about his checkered past, he could not divulge his failures to her. Yoruichi would lose the respect she had for him within a heartbeat and consequently, Urahara wasn't prepared to handle such a heavy loss. After the night he was threatened for the formula, he demanded that the key to his laboratory be buried in a secluded part of the city. He was not going to ever partake in the field of science for the rest of the time he was on this Earth. All he ever needed was his soon-to-be wife and if by giving up the formula meant he would be protecting her, the blonde-haired man would do the same thing over for the safety of their future together.

"Aizen Sousuke was the name he told me," Urahara affirmed the identity of the other man, "If that truly is not the name his mother gave him, then I apologize for not being much help towards Ichigo and you".

Regardless of the extensive amount of interrogating he had to do to accomplish his goal, Isshin finally was able to access his next step since arriving at the extravagant household of the Shihoin Family. Not wanting to waste any more time, Ichigo's father rallied himself and began to make a move towards the hallway.

"Where are you going?" the aristocrat shouted after the man as he was halfway out the door.

Before making his exit, Isshin turned back on his heels to confront his old associate to explain what he had been fearing since the beginning, "Sousuke and Ichimaru personally invited my son to the Inoue Palace to participate in the competition. Now that they have the toxin in their possession, there is no doubt in my mind that they are going to use it for their own gain. After all, they are clearly aware of the effects it had on Ichigo all those years ago".

"Well what do you suppose we do?" the scientist pondered out loud, obviously not making a connection as to what Kurosaki was attempting to imply to him.

Isshin lowered his head and released a threatening snicker, "As far as you're concerned, you will not be doing anything for me. I'm going to take care of this on my own. It's my son that you've put in danger, and if any harm has been done to him Kisuke…I will expose every last detail about your experiments to your in-laws. Unless, you would like to go ahead and do the honors?"

From the window, Urahara shifted his gaze upon Isshin with bewilderment and admiration for the man. Ever since the day he first met him, Masaki's husband was someone the scientist had always strived to be. Despite the fact that his job often required him to be absent from the household, Isshin's children loved their father with all their heart and the same could be said of his feelings towards them. His former friend had everything in the world Kisuke desired for himself and he knew if he ever wanted to find his personal happiness with Yoruichi, he was going to have to come clean about his life before her.

Having decided to remain silent on the matter, Urahara retreated to his spot on the cozy furniture and waved Isshin a farewell from the couch.

The determined father grunted a goodbye and left the parlor room, unsure of whether or not he would be seeing the last of Urahara Kisuke for the time being.

They stood facing each other in the cold and pouring summer rain. The confession of Ichigo's sins lingered between them like a disgusting taste left behind in one's mouth. For Ichigo, the immense relief of knowing his tragic history had at last been disclosed to the royal maiden of the Karakura kingdom, was a feeling he was unfamiliar with for not even his twin sisters were aware of his indiscretion when he was a child. In spite of the strange happiness he was experiencing, he did not intend to say anything further. Besides, Orihime needed to take a moment to digest the gruesome information he had shared with her on his own accord. For once, since the beginning of his arrival at the palace, there were no more secrets kept between them.

However, King, who is to say she won't reject you after all is said and done?

I'll leave it in her hands. Either way, I can't control her opinion of me.

"Y-You say you killed your mother?" Orihime's unsteady voice interrupted the private conversation between the alter ego and the boy.

"Yes," Ichigo confirmed with repulsion, "I am responsible for ending her life".

The Princess opened her mouth to speak, but could not find the words she desired to say to the teenager. Considering the seriousness of the topic, there were many questions she wanted to ask. The real issue for her was not knowing where to begin. Furthermore, she also debated back and forth with herself as to whether or not she truly sought the details regarding the night Masaki Kurosaki was taken from this world.

"May I ask how she died?" the aristocrat stepped closer as she pleaded with her beautiful eyes of gray color.

Immediately, Ichigo looked away in shame, "I have no idea myself really, but from what my father told me, I turned into an entirely different person when it happened. I was…something he didn't recognize. He tried calling me by name several times in an attempt to draw me back to my former self, but I reportedly kept yelling in his face that my real identity was someone called Shirosaki".

As he spoke of the haunting day, the blacksmith assistant was filled with instant regret for bringing Orihime to the cemetery. After closing the unsettling chapter of his life many years ago, the process of exploring old territory was difficult to be subjected to once more. For a series of months, the image of his mother followed him everywhere and he could not focus on enjoying the simple things that normal children would divulge in on a regular basis. He endured countless nightmares. In addition, the taunting voice inside his head never went away following Masaki's death. The being which identified himself as Shirosaki was the part of Ichigo who was responsible for killing his own mother. For the traumatized seventeen-year-old, his alter ego's presence was a daily reminder of the actions he could not prevent from happening.

"Are you feeling well, Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime's gentle voice called him back to the present.

Hearing the Princess' tone laced with concern, Ichigo urged himself to meet Orihime with reassurance in his expression rather than visible pain.

"Everything is coming back to me in bits and pieces," he told her as he glanced down at his mother's grave.

"Have you erased that day from your memory?" the Royal Highness inquired, watching the boy worriedly as his attention stayed fixed on the weather-worn tombstone.

When the question was addressed to him, Ichigo slowly kneeled to the wet ground. He rested a hand on Masaki's plaque, the coolness of the material oddly calming him from the flurry of flashbacks he was recalling from her death. Even if she wasn't physically with his sisters and him any longer, the lost teenager felt closest to his mother when he visited her grave site. Unfortunately for him, being at her burial was both comforting yet torturous. It was a conflict of emotions and the peasant for one, was never able to place his feelings accordingly.

"I tried to, I really did," Kurosaki lamented, "But how can I forget it? After all, I killed her with my own two hands! I'm surprised my father didn't kill me himself when he had the chance. I mean, how could he stand to look at me after that? I'm sure I sickened him and I guarantee you he feared for his own safety".

Even though the rain was washing over his body, his entire insides were burning with rage. No matter how many times he frequented the grave, his pain never subsided after each visit. Yet, with Orihime being attentive at his side, he was influenced by her positive energy. Her smile alone simply gave him the courage to shed the sinful image he had been carrying around with him since entering the competition. He refused to come to the village and pretend as if he was excited to be back home. As expected, he looked forward to seeing his sisters and his father, but simultaneously, all his mind had been occupied with were thoughts of his mother and how she would never meet someone as special as Orihime.

Having been caught up in his own personal turmoil and inner reflection, he became startled when he pulled away from the tombstone and discovered the Princess sitting on her knees beside him. Upon a further glance, the young woman's eyes were tightly closed and her hands were clasped together in front of her chest. In spite of her soaked hair and ruined make-up from the ongoing downpour from above, Ichigo was captivated by the fact that Orihime maintained an untainted appearance in any weather—rain or shine.

As he patiently waited for the aristocrat to conclude her prayer, the peasant decided to run a hand through his normally unruly orange hair that had become flattened.

"Kurosaki-kun?" a soft hand touched his arm.

Ichigo spun his head of where the girl was resting by him and quickly responded, "Y-yeah, what's up?"

"How do you feel?"

Isshin's son scratched the back of his neck, suddenly feeling uncomfortable from her kindness, "I still don't know, but I guess the pressure I had on myself to tell you has dissipated since it's finally out in the open. I'm sorry I can't tell you much about what happened that day. I want to know just as much as you do".

The Princess reassured the boy that the issue was not important to her, "Please, do not stress yourself over this anymore. Clearly, if your father wanted to inform you on the tragic passing of your mother, he would have done so. You may think Kurosaki-san was most likely afraid of you after the accident, but I do not see it in that light".

Ichigo snorted out loud, not entirely believing what Orihime was suggesting to him about his father, "What exactly are you trying to say about my old man?"

Allowing the sound of rain to encompass them for a brief intermission, the seventeen-year-old carefully worded her beliefs regarding Ichigo and Isshin's relationship, "I believe he was trying to protect you because as your father, he loves you and wants the best for you".

"But what would my mother think?!" the hot-tempered teenager uttered out under his breath, quickly desiring to retract his private worry.

Gradually, Orihime watched as the frustration shaped Ichigo's natural scowl. As much as she had come to appreciate the unique feature of her companion as she was able to get closer to him, she did not wish for him to continue to express himself in a negative manner. After being tortured with a secret for so many years, it was now Ichigo's time to grow and find peace with himself.

"I prayed to her," the future Queen innocently conveyed to him, now concentrating on the tombstone, "I told her that when you revealed to me you had involvement in her passing, I was naturally upset and not welcoming to your feelings. It was especially difficult since my brother was taken from me by a vengeful person who has yet to be captured to this very day. At first, I couldn't find it within myself to symphonize with you".

In the similar fashion to how Ichigo was breaking away from the chains of his past which had previously held him down, Orihime wanted to be honest in her feelings when she first heard he murdered Masaki.

"However, based from what you have been able to piece together, this Shirosaki person within you is the one who is responsible for your mother's death. No matter if you blame yourself, I find you to be innocent of the crime you think you committed," she explained her road to the conclusion.

Once she voiced her opinion on the matter to the boy, Orihime realized how one might mistake her position as being discourteous to Ichigo's feelings.

Blushing a bright red across her cheeks, the aristocrat apologized as she squirmed under Ichigo's blank stare, "I am deeply sorry if I overstepped my boundaries".

The brother of Karin and Yuzu was left speechless from the Princess' abrupt profession regarding his transgressions. Throughout his lifetime, he never would have imagined someone support him in his endeavors to walk the same pathway to his redemption. The reality of the chances of him willing to be open with another person had been very slim and he refused to discuss his emotions with Renji, despite him being his best friend. Ever since meeting Orihime, his serene life in the village appeared seemingly boring. By entering the tournament against his will, he would have done almost everything in his power to avoid participating in it if he could have his way. However, before he comprehended it himself, he was getting involved in matters where he did not have the authority to give his input. Suddenly, the teenager was fighting to win the events in order to prevent the other aristocratic suitors from getting close to Orihime. In his mind, the princes were held accountable for her fall and if they should be left alone together during a date, he was uncertain of what more harm could be done to her if he wasn't there to intervene.

Nevertheless, he soon became aware by his alter ego that he was entering into dangerous terrain by allowing himself to grow attached to the Princess. Consequently, the more he prolonged the truth about his past from her the more he was led to profess the hidden mystery regarding his mother's absence. During the few weeks he's known her, Orihime was far from being a dim-witted girl. She was extremely keen to small details and when Ichigo first mentioned his mother being gone from the family, she didn't question him any further until later on when he crashed into her room unannounced. In those intimate moments that they shared together, she offered her ears to the closed-off boy in order for him to release the tension she noticeably saw within him. Unfortunately, he brushed her off at that time and he deeply regretted those actions.

Knowing that he could depend on Orihime rather than be weary of her, gave Ichigo great satisfaction. At last, he was not alone in this world. He had someone who cared about him, and he the same for her.

"You're really truly something, Orihime," Ichigo said as an affectionate smile widened onto his face.

The unexpected use of her first name caused the Princess to nervously fiddle with her dress skirts for she did not know how she should react. On the other hand, the orange-haired boy's praise of her character was what frankly, had her heart in a flutter. From the corner of her eye, she watched silently as the boy began to push himself off the ground.

Before rising to his feet, Kurosaki gazed upon Masaki's tombstone one last time and whispered, "I think I'll be okay now, Mom. After all this time, I found someone who wants to stay by my side".

Following his personal admission to his mother, Ichigo stood above Orihime and presented her his hand for her to take. Without wavering, the aristocrat grabbed it. However, she was given a surprise when she was suddenly flung into the boy's broad chest short of a warning. He wrapped his arms tightly around the royal maiden's shoulders and held her close. With their close proximity, the orphaned Princess' familiar fragrant scent of flowers filled his nostrils as he embraced her in the cemetery.

"I'm sorry for this," Ichigo's deep voice rumbled in her ear, "But I want you to know that I appreciate you for believing in me—not many people have. I promise I won't disappoint you, Orihime. I will never hurt you. I'm going to protect you".

The peasant's soft spoken words were far from being inconsequential. His declaration held great meaning to the Princess. Other than from her very own brother, no one had verbally expressed to her that they would shelter her from the evil of the world. Although his words comforted her deeply, the young maiden envisioned Sora making a similar oath to her when she was a child. The parallels between the two were very reminiscent.

After holding each other in the rain for some time, Ichigo broke their hug by gliding his hands down to Orihime's wrists and clutching them. By doing this, he forced the eligible woman to face him straight on without being able to shy away from him if she desired.

At that instant, the noblewoman's blood turned cold from the bold move Ichigo initiated. It was all happening at once and yet at the same time, she did not fight against it. She willing placed her faith into the boy and trusted he would treat her with care as he vowed.

Not shortly afterwards, the more forward half of the two gently lifted Orihime's chin with his fingers. When Ichigo commanded her attention, the inexperienced girl nervously bit her bottom lip and rolled it between her teeth.

The teenager detected her apprehension, "Do you want me to stop?"

Instantly, Orihime thrashed her head from side to side, "No, no! It's just…I've never kissed someone before. You may be disappointed".

Without skipping a beat, Ichigo responded with a small chuckle, "You have nothing anything to worry about. I'm in the same boat as you when it comes to stuff like this".

"R-really?" she stammered over her question.

The peasant casually nodded, all while seizing the moment to brush away a strand of her hair which was stuck to her face from the rain.

Having been made aware by Ichigo that he was just as naïve as she was in the field of love, Orihime sensed her heart begin to ease.

Beyond the foreseeable hesitation and vigilance, words were no longer needed to be said between the couple.

No longer allowing himself to delay his intentions, Ichigo lowered his face to Orihime's tightened lips and shut his eyes. Subsequently, the Princess inhaled a deep breath, internally preparing herself for the anticipated kiss. Even though her companion had given her reassurance, she could not put her own uneasiness aside until she was able to determine for herself if there was originally a reason for her to worry.

However, rather than permit herself to become stressed over such a petty matter during the personal moment she was sharing with Ichigo, the girl quickly eradicated the notion from her mind.

As the boy leaned into her, Orihime held the breath she had gathered from earlier as she waited for Ichigo to press against her.

Seconds later, she felt a brush of skin against her lips. At first, she was unclear as to whether or not Ichigo had gone through with his plan. The encounter was so brief, it did not truly register in the Princess' head.

Although, just as she was about to take a peak from underneath her lashes, Ichigo firmly pressed his lips to her own once more without any further hesitation. This time, the contact between the newly-established couple was vastly different. The boy's desire to express his feelings towards Orihime were well received during his second attempt. In the same instance, the unfamiliar sensation from their meeting produced a flutter of movement inside both of their stomachs.

Unfortunately, Ichigo did not want to push Orihime's level of comfort and began to pull back from the kiss. Yet, surprisingly, the aspiring Queen lingered over Ichigo's lips. She was not as reluctant to end the small interaction as he had been. Instead, without glancing up to meet the peasant's inquisitive eyes, she stared at his lips before ultimately deciding to plant a chaste kiss upon them.

The action certainly was astonishing to the boy. In part to her sudden embarrassment, Orihime shuffled herself away and turned her back on Ichigo for she was unable to meet his impenetrable gaze. She covered her face with her hands, knowing fully her face had turned a shade of red.

In the midst of their tryst, the rain dwindled to a light patter and the clouds started to break apart. The sun was ever-so-slowly beginning to make an appearance through the dark sky.

Finally, once the awkward tension from their kiss subsided, Ichigo started to move towards the beaten pathway, consequently bypassing the Princess as she remained stationary in her place. However, before he walked ahead of her, he rested a single hand on the top of her head and imparted to the maiden, "Thank you, Orihime, for giving me a chance in this world".

By hearing those words be spoken sincerely to her, the girl was brought to the conclusion that she was content with the ending of their date. Although, if she was to be completely honest with herself, she never imagined she would ever ascertained the truth regarding Ichigo's mother. In her mind, the mystery surrounding her disappearance from the family was left to remain unsolved until she was given further clarification. However, she was given quite a shock when she was informed about the circumstances on Ichigo's own terms, and for this, she was overjoyed by the fact that he had trusted her with this very personal information.

Even though she learned of Ichigo's betrayal to his father and sisters for stripping away the greatest source of comfort and light in their lives, Orihime determined for herself that the boy she had come to have feelings for was not directly responsible for Masaki's murder. Rather, it was the monster who he harbored within him known as Shirosaki.

"I will make it my duty to see to it that Ichigo becomes liberated from the creature one way or another", the Princess thought to herself as she watched her companion start to descend the stairs.

"Hurry up or I'm leaving you behind!" he shouted from a distance.

Emitting a small giggle, Orihime hurried to the boy with a smile of complete serenity, sensing only greater things were to come for the two of them.

The darkness of the night had long since fallen and everyone had retreated to their bed chambers for the evening. On the other hand, there were the select few who still had responsibilities to carry out and were not yet resting comfortably underneath their covers.

"Are you certain you did not forget anything we need?" a monotone voice questioned his partner as they walked through the silent corridor of the palace wing.

"Yes," the other man hissed, "Now shut the hell up or you're gonna blow our cover!"

Following his cousin's order to cease communication, Ulquiorra led the way to the door they had been instructed to go to by their master, Aizen Sousuke. Unfortunately, just as they had been forewarned, the bedroom with which they were to enter was being protected by two guardsmen. Immediately, the security caught the two princes moving in their direction.

"You there!" one called out, "It's past curfew. Please retreat back to your respectful quarters or we will be forced to report you".

Without initiating conversation, the men advanced further in their efforts to get to their assigned destination.

"S-stop right where you are!" the guardsmen began to take a threatening stance with their swords drawn at their sides.

As they drew closer, Grimmjow flashed his sharp teeth at the shaken individuals, "Looks like we're going to have to get our hands dirty, Ulquiorra".

"It would appear you are correct," the other prince agreed to the statement.

In a bustle of movements, the henchmen belonging to Aizen charged the guardsmen in an ambush attack—which left the soldiers powerless. Grimmjow grabbed one by the jugular and lifted him off the ground. The guard clawed at the aristocrat, but was unable to leave a single mark on the man. The Prince of Kyoto did not wish to draw out the charade out much further and with one fluid act, shoved the guard into his chest and strangled him in his arms.

In terms of Ulquiorra's feat, the ashen prince simply debilitated the other guard by taking his fist to the man's upper body and striking him on the left side of the heart muscle. The guard dropped to the floor, his face contorting as he began to enter the stages of cardiac arrest. Within minutes, he would be dead.

Now with the incapable guardians out of their way, the princes could force themselves into the peasants' chambers without being discovered.

Slowly, Grimmjow and Ulquiorra entered the pitch-black bedroom with the utmost precaution. If the residents were awoken, the entire plan was going to be scrapped. Furthermore, Aizen would be extremely displeased with them for their inability to follow his detailed instructions. The blue-haired prince especially did not want to face the brunt of the royal's uncontrollable wrath. He had come under fire too many times previous by the fearsome man and was tired of being the pet he kicked around for his own amusement. He was going to prove him wrong on this mission.

After having successfully strolled in without any disturbances, the prince with the disheveled hairdo scoped out the bedroom for their main target—Ichigo Kurosaki. Grimmjow peered over the two beds which were diagonal to each other. In a matter of seconds, he soon discovered the bed closest to the window belonged to the peasant with whom he had been constantly fighting with since the start of the competition.

"I've got this one Ulquiorra," Grimmjow whispered, "You get the baboon over there".

The cousins separated and approached the beds of the sleeping teenagers. The dark-haired prince had a slightly easier job than his relative did when it came to carrying out their instructed orders. For his part, he only needed to place a towel that had been drenched in chemicals over Renji's nose for him to inhale the substance. Afterwards, when the peasant drifted into unconsciousness, Ulquiorra tied the boy's hands behind his back and wrapped a cloth around his mouth to muffle his voice when he eventually comes to.

Unlike the other prince, Grimmjow's job extended further than just putting Ichigo to sleep. By administering the chemicals first, the hot headed individual would be out cold for the second step in the process. Having let the cloth be inhaled for some time by the bachelor, the Prince of Kyoto deemed it appropriate to inject the syringe with the serum into the adolescent's arm. Rummaging through his pockets in a haste, the aristocrat pulled out the toxin and brought it up to the moon's light. The color of the serum was a pale red, but it definitely could not be mistaken as blood. The thickness of the liquid was extremely strange in the eyes of the prince. However, he wasn't going to waste valuable time wondering about the unusual mixture. He wasn't being paid to think about such trivial matters.

Removing the cap from the needle, the man pulled back the covers from off Ichigo's limb body. With a steady hand, Grimmjow lowered the syringe to the sleeping boy's arm and with a swift motion, inserted the needle into his skin. Once the serum drained the cylinder, Aizen's henchmen collected his belongings and signaled to Ulquiorra he had finished the job.

As the two exited the bedroom, the cocky individual glanced over his shoulder and jeered under his breath, "Now we just wait for the monster to come out and play with his toys".

(***)

The banging at her door sounded urgent, but at the same time, uncomfortably violent. She had been in bed for well over a few hours when a pounding rung in her ears. Stirring from her slumber, Orihime sat up and rubbed her heavy eyes. Having let out a yawn before moving, the Princess arose and urgently walked over to her locked doors. Before she opened it completely, she stated a reasonable question in response to the strange noises.

"Who is it?"

When she asked, the vibrations on her doors immediately ceased. After hearing the continuous knocking for the past few minutes outside the hallway, the abrupt silence caused a chill to run down the Princess' exposed legs. Encountering a sense of deja-vu from the night she was attacked, Orihime's stomach began to tighten into knots. However, there were normally four guardsmen posted at her doors at all times. Was there truly any reason for concern to doubt her safety if four men were defending her from outside? Should there be an intruder or threatening presence, she trusts they would make the right choice in keeping her safe and out of harm's way.

With this thought in mind, the Princess decided the person who was waiting for her to open her door was probably not someone she should fear. Nevertheless, this did not mean she would be careless when allowing the unknown visitor inside. Although uncertain as to who may be standing in front of her bedroom, the aristocrat cautiously laid a hand on the doorknob while her heart pulsed inside her ears. As she turned the handle, she held her breath only to let go of it a second later when she noticed a familiar outline positioned near her door.

"Kurosaki-kun…?" Orihime murmured, with a hint of confusion present in her tone.

The shadow did not speak a word to her. Instead, the figure's shoulders began to shake as it snickered and cackled like it had been possessed.

Before the Princess was able to react to the strange behavior, the boy pushed aside her door with one hand and grabbed Orihime by the neck with the other. Immediately, the defenseless girl scratched at her captor in order to break free from his grip. Regrettably, her actions only spurred on the demon further for his fingers tightened around her throat as he threw her against the wall and held her in the air.

"Listen here, Princess," the intruder mocked as the maiden kicked her feet out to inflict damage, "I am the one true King and what I say goes, you got that?"

After his threat, the girl was able to get a glimpse of the person who was holding her against her will as he locked eyes with her. The similarities between Ichigo and this man were very much alike, however it was obvious to her that this animal was not the peasant she had kissed in the afternoon. Rather, this person's skin was the color of snow and the same could be said of his hair. Furthermore, his pupils appeared as a golden hue in the light, but the pupil itself was shrouded in black.

Wincing from the hot touch against her neck, Orihime struggled to get out her words as the hand stayed firmly wrapped around her throat.

"A-are you…the one…called…Shirosaki?" she coughed out between gasps of air.

At the recognition of his name, her tormentor grimaced with pleasure over the fact that the terrified girl knew of his presence despite never physically meeting.

"I'm honored," he declared with sinister delight, "But unfortunately, that won't save you from what I plan to do with you".

Following his proclamation, Shirosaki took hold of the sleeve of the Princess' nightgown and ripped it from the seams. Hurling it to the side, he proceeded to clutch her collar of the dress and tore open the buttons. With the top of her chest uncovered, the distressed maiden quickly came to realize what was beginning to take place.

Despite her efforts to escape the monster's grip, Orihime's vision had started to turn blurry. Subsequently, the hand was still forcefully choking her neck and she could not remove it. As time progressed, she was losing the energy and the ability to drive away her attacker.

Eventually, the future Queen drifted into the state of unconsciousness. However, before she did so completely, the last image she recalled was being stripped of her remaining nightgown. Once she felt the callous hands touch her bare body, Orihime accepted the slumber she had involuntary been given with gratitude, for she could not bear to witness the impending assault.

As per normal routine, it was Tatsuki's responsibility to wake Orihime and prepare her for the day ahead. Having gathered clean towels for the bath, the dutiful handmaiden made her way up to the Princess' private corridors in the morning. As she turned the corner to her friend's bedroom, the items she had been carrying fell to the floor without a single thought.

"What in the hell happened here?" the tomboy shouted upon discovering the lifeless bodies of the guardsmen scattered about the hallway. There was blood on the walls—as well as on the floor—splattered in several different areas. The scene was too gruesome for the girl to handle. However, even though she felt pity for the men who had sacrificed their lives for their Princess, the fact that they had been killed in action did not give Tatsuki much reassurance as to the whereabouts of Orihime. Had her friend been taken in the middle of her sleep? Did she scream for help and she failed to hear her desperate pleas? With these thoughts swirling in her head, the maid ran to the ajar door that remained untouched by the blood.

Putting her fears aside for the moment, Tatsuki entered the room with little apprehension. Immediately upon her intrusion, the mature adolescent sought out clues to the events that unfolded during the attack. To begin with, her eyes were drawn to the tattered clothing on the floor closest to the door. She bent down and picked up the pieces of the nightgown she had given to Orihime the previous night to wear.

"Who would do such a thing?" the friend pondered out loud to herself.

As soon as she verbalized her anger, a moan came from behind her. The sound startled Tatsuki as she jumped back onto to her feet. She whipped her head around and spotted a body shuffling around in the covers. Rushing over to assist, the handmaiden grabbed the sheets and pulled them away from the disorientated individual. After unwrapping the person from the sheets, Tatsuki's eyes widened in horror.

"Oh my gosh, it's you?!"