"My Lord Byakuya-Sama," Kalon greeted with humility, his spiritual pressure exploding in bursts so that Byakuya couldn't misinterpret his demeanor even if he wanted to ignore it. Like an overwhelming perfume pervading the space, Kalon's spiritual reiatsu oozes submissiveness, regret, and respect in equal quantities. When Byakuya walked in through the screen doors, his cousin was standing in the middle parlor room, a bear space designated as a meet and greet for guests at the Main House. According to the rules of hospitality, when a guest is received honorably, the room's space will be filled with accommodating seating and refreshments, symbolizing openness. If they are not welcomed, then the space remains bare during or before an audience. This signals to the guest that his or her presence is unwanted or who they wish an audience with is unavailable or doesn't want to see them without having to state one's displeasure outright. It is to the benefit of the gentleman or lady to have the opportunity to bow out gracefully and leave the manor without suffering discourtesy or loss of pride. Kalon would not be so easily dissuaded.
Byakuya was told by his servants that his cousin has been waiting for him for over an hour, and he told them that he would be content to wait for days, standing on his feet or sitting on the floor in the parlor room, if that's what it takes to see him. Byakuya didn't put it past Kalon to make good on his word and do just that if he refuses an audience with him now.
Bowing at the waist in the presence of his Lord, Kalon continued to ooze grace and sobriety in his mannerisms. "Thank you for allowing me to be in your presence in light of the recent rift between our households. Your grace is immeasurable, dearest cousin."
This is one of the reasons why Byakuya hates Kalon. The man is stubborn to a fault and chooses to ignore the rules to get his way. When they were giving out Kuchiki stubbornness, Kalon made sure to get his portion and triple it. That aside, how can someone disguise their very spiritual pressure to match the tone in their voice when they don't mean a word? Kalon Kuchiki can paint his reiatsu to fit the situation, and none but a master in reiatsu perception can fine-comb out the duplicity. If Byakuya was not used to Kalon and his many faces, then he would immediately believe the man's sincerity; he's that good.
Others would have seen the bare parlor room and taken the hint within the first 15 minutes. Even if he had been waiting for the arrival of the Lord of the Manor, the servants are highly trained, and they would have at least extended the comfort of a cushion and a cup of water while he waited as the barest minimum. But nothing of the sort had been given to Kalon, and yet here he stands, bowing obsequiously in Byakuya's presence.
Byakuya sets aside his feelings of annoyance with his cousin and resolves to be pragmatic and quick in this situation. Whatever game Kalon is playing by coming to his home a day earlier than Byakuya would bother to consider him, has barely scratched the surface.
"You are early." Byakuya kept his tone impassive.
"And I'm lucky not to be thrown out on my ear for my presumptuousness." The man spoke lightly, straightening to his full height, his thin lips flashing a smile, but Byakuya kept his face stoney. "I took it upon myself to muscle my way into your manor, but only to beg for your forgiveness on behalf of my household. I hope the letter preceding my arrival was received without disapprobation."
"The only thing I find distasteful is the recollection of your father's ill-mannered and vulgar remarks." Byakuya said testily, "What could my late wife ever have done to my advisor in her life or in her passing to warrant such desecration? As a member of your household and a beloved son, you should be able to answer me that, at least, should you not, Kalon Kuchiki?"
"My Lord!" Kalon gasped in bewilderment.
"Are you saying that you cannot tell me this?" Byakuya pressed, his steely gaze penetrating his cousin's emerald eyes. "You are a representative of your household and the son of my agitator, yet you cannot answer my most pressing question?" The lord of the manor arched a brow, the only change in his facial expression since the start of this conversation. "Then what is your purpose here, Kalon Kuchiki?"
"My wisdom has fled me, my Lord," Kalon said uncomfortably. "My father's actions were his own, but he is the patriarch of my household. It falls to me-."
"Is this what you came here to do? Waste my time with self-evident things?" Byakuya interrupted him sharply. "You could have saved yourself the trip."
Byakuya was not amused.
After his chat with Captain Ukitake provoked his ire, Byakuya was seeking the solitude of his gardens when he returned to his home. But before he could have his privacy, he had to make a quick stop at his barracks to check in on his subordinates. It was a normal day at Squad Six, and Lieutenant Abrai seemed to have everything in hand as far as his scrutinous eyes could see. There is no need for him to be there for the remainder of the day. But as soon as he arrived at the main gates, his guards were expeditious in apologizing for allowing Kalon and a large retinue from his household into the Main House. Between their explanation of how Kalon managed to get past their guard by boldly using Byakuya's name and the accident of his birth that made them cousins, Byakuya decided that he would put an end to this audience swiftly.
By 13 hells! He needed some time to think while simultaneously balancing everything else in his life. On his way back to the manor, one of his spies reported to him about the rumors that were starting to zigzag up and down the nobility about him and Rukia being lovers and pretending to be brother and sister all this time. How they came to that conclusion from the leaked meeting results from yesterday is beyond his understanding. All in all, Byakuya is not in the mood to entertain Kalon and a covey of his spies while they bivouacked in his home, hiding behind a subterfuge like this.
"What was I supposed to do? Enlighten me, cousin, I beg of you." Kalon's words suddenly veered into a caustic tone, then he took a deep breath and calmed himself. Since Byakuya came into the room, Kalon has not moved from his position. Now he moved a step closer in the direction of his lord, while still maintaining a respectable distance. "I'm here before you with my pride at my back, resolved to go on my knees and press my forehead to the floor at your feet on behalf of my household, Byakuya-Sama." Kalon's voice had such a command of sincerity, and the composition of his spiritual reiatsu challenged Byakuya's judgment, knowledge, and experience with his cousin's infamous characteristics. "Instead of sitting in my estates, twiddling my thumbs, or sending you token apologies by appeasing your ire through expensive, meaningless gifts, I'm here in person, dealing with a mess, not of my making; I wasn't even present when my father..."
"That is no excuse."
Kalon inhaled a long breath at the interruption. Kuchikis detested being interrupted or having their sentences completed for them. Byakuya knew he was being rude, but in this context, he had every right to be. "My Lord, I am outraged," his cousin began carefully, "and I cannot begin to imagine the immensity of your anger at hearing a trusted advisor speak so callously, not to mention dishonorably against your late wife's memory. Had I been at that meeting yesterday, I would have been no less shocked, appalled, and ashamed of my father's conduct than I was when word of it reached my ears."
"And I'm supposed to swallow your words and believe them for truth? What evidence have you to convince me of your sincerity? I remain unmoved." Byakuya informed his cousin, whose green eyes grew large and unblinking, affecting so much emotion in them as he took another step closer that it was as if he was staring at Byakuya's soul core. That one step felt like it closed off a piece of the distance they'd been maintaining all this time between each other.
"You ask me what evidence?" Kalon dropped the pitch in his voice to an intimate whisper, his pupils bouncing back and forth as they searched Byakuya's eyes, staring into them. "My dearest cousin, I am here! Though I anticipated a less than hospitable welcome at your home, where I would be at your mercy at my arrival. When I left my estates in the West, I came to your manor in blind faith, with hope in my pocket and determination in my breast, to beg my cousin, the Lord of my clan, not to punish the rest of my household for the actions of its patriarch. Unbeknownst to me what your reactions would be at seeing my face considering that it is my father that offended you so egregiously. Yet, here I am." Kalon said with emphasis. "What more evidence can I provide? As my Lord, please tell this humble servant, and if it's within my power, I will bring it to you, should it convince you of my earnestness."
Byakuya held his cousin's gaze, thinking. Curse him, he's good! Frustration lurks at the edges of his emotional constitution. What the hell was he supposed to say against something like that without coming off as autocratic?
From the moment Kalon engaged him in that letter he sent, there were rules that both parties had to obey according to the prerequisites of the nobility. Byakuya could continue to be aggressive toward Kalon as much as he liked. There's nothing in the rules of hospitality that stipulated that he had to extend his forgiveness expediently, but civility between gentlemen must be observed, especially when one party has already made a physical effort to make amends.
Byakuya had anticipated that this was the maneuver Kalon would take from the moment he intercepted that letter, just not a day earlier. They both knew that if Byakuya chose to arbitrarily throw Kalon and his retinue out on the street in front of Kuchiki Manor, it wouldn't take an hour for the gossip to spread throughout the Seireitei about the inhospitality of the Lord of the Kuchiki Clan, who was wrapped up in his emotions too much to be civilized. It's not hard to imagine the adjectives members of the peerage would associate with Byakuya's name: despotic and tyrannical would be the meekest of them. Byakuya had no doubt Kalon would gleefully instruct his retinue to blow up the encounter between them incredibly out of proportion, too.
Seven hells, this man irks me.
"Aniko," Byakuya called to the screen door after a length of silence hung between them, his eyes never leaving Kalon's. A second later, a female voice responded softly, though the door remained shut.
"I'm here. What is your command, my Lord?"
"Refreshments for our guests," Byakuya said succinctly.
"Right away, my Lord Byakuya-Sama. And what are your instructions for Lord Kalon-Sama's and his retinue's accommodations, my Lord?"
"Extend our hospitality. They've traveled a long way to see me, personally."
"Consider it done, my Lord." Was the response before Byakuya felt her presence disappearing to complete the task.
Kalon bowed at the waist again. "I know your forgiveness is not yet earned, but for the courtesy of staying in your presence if only for a while longer, I am truly grateful, my Lord."
Byakuya said nothing, just took the measure of the man before him, respectfully bowing his dark head; no doubt his face said something different.
Solace will have to wait while I contend with the serpent in my midst.
Two servant maids called at the screen door before pulling them apart, carrying in cushions and a long, dark, low table made of the finest mahogany and varnished to a pleasing luster. Byakuya sat down first on one side of the table, then gestured to his guest to do the same across from him.
Two other maids came in after the first bowed their heads and exited. These two carried steaming plates of tantalizing dishes, freshly prepared by Kuchiki Manors' famous kitchen staff. A brazier with ember coals, the height of the table, was positioned to the right of Byakuya, and a clay pot kettle with water was placed atop the heat. An exquisite porcelain kettle had pride of place in the middle of the table, waiting patiently with tea leaves, for the water's boiling point.
"Keep an appropriate distance away from this room," Byakuya told the last pair of servant girls when their work was done as they stood with heads bowed off to his left.
They bowed again, mumbling, "Yes, my Lord." before shuffling out through the doors, sliding them closed behind them.
"Go ahead," Byakuya indicated to his guest to start eating before him and he felt something shift in the man's spiritual reiatsu. It was a subtle shift, almost imperceptible, but Byakuya noticed it immediately.
"Your servants are, as always, well trained," Kalon observed as if it were his first visit to the manor.
Byakuya remained silent.
Kalon cleared his throat softly. "With my Lord's leave then. Thank you for the food," he said graciously, taking up his chopsticks and digging in.
Since his meal with Mito this morning and its forceful removal from his stomach thanks to his grandfather's antics, Byakuya had not tasted anything. He was too upset after his meeting with Ukitake to remember a response like hunger, much less registered it in his stomach. It was only after the food trays were brought in and the smells tickled his nostrils so enticingly that he realized that he was starving. Flashstepping takes energy, and using spiritual pressure requires a lot more energy that needs to be replenished by rest, meals, and meditation.
Naturally, Kalon was suspicious of his actions, and that bit about him going ahead to eat before his host had even picked up his chopsticks- given that Byakuya outranks him in status- was to put Kalon off his game, at least that was the plan. But for a few moments of busying his chopsticks and savoring his food, Byakuya didn't care if Kalon ate his portions of the meal or just stared at him as he devoured his. Apparently, he wasn't just craving solitude.
Three taps on the edge of a bowl with his chopsticks signaled the end of the meal, and the last two servant girls again appeared, sliding the screen doors open, then setting out immediately to remove the dishes. When the empty plates were cleared away and both men took a moment to exhale over full bellies, Byakuya poured the tea, first for his guest, as is proper for the host, and then a cup for himself. Throughout their quiet meal, Kalon followed his host's lead and never offered to open a bead of conversation or make a remark. Even his chopsticks made little to no sound as he used them to grab morsels of food from the porcelain bowls.
The Kuchikis are a notoriously quiet breed, and Kalon was no exception, matching Byakuya's silence for silence as they sipped from their tea cups leisurely; neither offered to open a line of communication, at least not by speaking. From the moment Byakuya stepped into the room, the unspoken conversation between both men was in terms of body language, eye movements, power, and control, all thickly layered under a sheet of etiquette and decorum.
Seeing Kalon's tea cup depleting, Byakuya picked up the porcelain kettle from the middle of the table once more, offering to pour a measure into Kalon's cup and another for himself.
"Received with thanks, my Lord," Kalon said appropriately, his fingers holding his tea in the correct gesture to receive from his high-ranking host; four fingers wrapped around the side of the cup, the other four at the base, thumps extended. That's the thing about Kalon, he's always so appropriate. In his bearing, he is politically correct by noble standards.
Byakuya inclined his head in a slow nod in response.
"I cannot apologize adequately enough, my Lord Byakuya-Sama." Kalon chanced to say.
Byakuya merely took Kalon's measure over the rim of his teacup after refilling it. His cousin took that as a signal to continue.
"Besides the antipathy influenced by past leadership, I speak on behalf of my Cadet Branch when I say that we would never make an enemy out of the Main Branch family."
Byakuya nearly scoffed at that. Always playing the fool to catch the wise.
Kalon did not need to bring up the past 'antipathy' as he styled it in this instance between their houses, though it seemed innocently delivered enough. If Byakuya was an idiot, he would think the man suicidal for pouring more hot water over his head while he boiled in the pot. But that's not Kalon's game.
"Then why did Kaito say those things about my wife and my sister?" Byakuya asked again. "There are no servants about, so you may speak plainly, this room is safe enough, free from the wings that might carry gossip into the ears of the idle. Search for my servants' spiritual pressures if you doubt my word."
"How pernicious that would be to my goal of acquiring your forgiveness to dare to doubt your word, my dearest cousin," Kalon said smoothly.
"Then you may rest your concerns and be honest with me," Byakuya said pointedly. "Can you be honest with me, Kalon?" referring to his guest informally for the first time. "Why did your father speak so abrasively against my late wife? As your Lord, I demand a satisfactory answer to that question."
Kalon immediately noticed the informality because, in the process of taking his last sip from his cup, his hand froze at the mention of only his first name on the lips of his host.
"I honestly cannot say," Kalon replied, putting his teacup down and spreading his hands wide in a helpless gesture, "my father, as you know, doesn't regard me as a 'beloved son', cousin." He reminded Byakuya, sniping back at him for his earlier comment. "So I would not be in his confidence or privy to any of his thoughts." The man said, his voice bitter.
"How does he see you?" Byakuya asked promptly, watching the man's eyes, the movement of his fingers—anything that gave the slightest hint that his words didn't match. So far, he had come up empty-handed.
"In less savory ways, unfortunately," Kalon chuckled wryly. "When my father thinks of me, Byakuya-Sama, it is as his mess cleaner, his footstool. In polite company, he might consider me his son, but only in proper polite company. There, my complete honesty. Does that satisfy you, my lord?"
It did not, and they both knew it.
Byakuya narrowed his eyes at Kalon. "Were you hoping for me to pity you or your wretched life by telling me that?"
"No, I'm being honest. Am I correct in assuming that's what we're doing? being honest with each other?" Kalon arched his eyebrows and then asked, "Are we having a man-to-man or soul-to-soul talk without power prejudice? Because I can speak on behalf of myself without guessing at my motivations or speaking untruths."
"But you cannot speak on behalf of your father or his actions. Then why come to my home with empty apologies?" Byakuya asked casually, pouring another round of tea for both of them.
"That is a fair question," Kalon admitted. "Though they are not empty." Then his tone abruptly changed. "Tell me, my Lord Byakuya-Sama, in the spirit of our transparency with one another, is it my honesty you seek to hear, or has some imaginary deceit poisoned your ears against the truth in my words, if I may be so bold to ask?"
"That's impertinent," Byakuya said flatly.
"Is it?" For a nanosecond, all traces of civility and decorum abandoned Kalon's voice. Then, as if noticing his slip, he spoke again, his tone more composed. "I thought we were being honest. Perhaps you are hoping to listen to me utter a thread of confirmation to whatever notion has set your mind against me and whatever I say. Whether that's from the actions of my father, my household's past actions, or some gossip filtering through sycophants and lickspittles hoping to gain your favor by wiping their feet on my name, I, personally, have not done anything to you to deserve this ill-treatment from my cousin and Lord."
"What imaginary ill-treatment are you trying to mark here?" Byakuya said in a dangerously soft tone. "If anything, I am offended every time you deflect my question, refusing to give me a straight answer to something so simple that a child could respond better. At every turn, you've been trying to direct this conversation the way you would have it. Yet you claimed to have come to my home to beg my forgiveness on behalf of your household. Do you think me a fool?"
"Do you think I'm one?" Kalon reposted, leaning in against the table, his right hand splaying fingers across his chest. "I'm speaking from experience, cousin, because I know you're meticulous, and you'll notice the smallest flaw in my demeanor. I also know that you are as unforgiving as a snowflake's chance in hell when it comes to deceptions, I'm already in hot water with you because of my father, Byakuya." Kalon said this boldly, causing his cousin to arch an eyebrow. "How can you expect me to put my foot in my mouth, as well?"
That's the third time today someone has referred to me without honorifics. Byakuya grumbled to himself in his thoughts.
"The Lion's importance is appreciated only by the Lion," Kalon quoted. "Though my father is a great man, he is not a benevolent one, but he's still my father, my superior, and my patriarch. That does not mean I bear him any great love, but I respect his office, and I respect him because that is what I was thought to do. That being said, I will not sit here and speak on behalf of his actions when the scales are not balanced in my favor."
"Oh?"
"Yes, cousin. How would they put it in the World of the Living? How do they say it? I will not bullshit you? Yes, I think that's the phrase they like to use." Kalon smirked while answering his question. "If only Lady Rukia were here to correct me if I've misspoken. A pity, I was hoping to see her today."
The mention of Rukia was such a smooth injection into the conversation that Byakuya's spine stiffened slightly, but Kalon easily picked up on that single change in his physiognomy, and Byakuya watched as something flickered in his cousin's green eyes.
"To what end?" Byakuya asked, pouring as much practiced nonchalance as he could into his tone. What in seven hells are you up to, Kalon?
"Why, to extend my apologies, surely." the man said innocently. "My father's remarks were no less scathing toward her, and as I mentioned in my letter, as a further expression of my sincerest apologies, though it is a small token and could never fully express my regret on behalf of my household, I intend to host a ball in honor of her coming into the Age of Maturity this middle summer. Unfortunately, she's in the World of the Living, she goes there quite often, does she not? No other lady of the nobility is so versed in off-world travel as Lady Rukia, I hear."
"She is." Byakuya narrowed his eyes. Probably with that brat, Ichigo Kurosaki, even now. Recalling Captain Ukitake's presumptuousness about Rukia's relationship with that Ichigo further pissed him off now that it had some time to soak into his memory. The man didn't even have the decency to deny my accusations about his meddling.
"My cousin, have I said something to offend you?" Kalon said, looking confused.
"Not in particular, why do you ask?"
"I just felt anger flash in your spirit," Kalon answered.
"Surely you misinterpreted it," Byakuya said, daring his guest to call him out on his lie.
"Certainly," Kalon said, quickly agreeing but not sounding convinced.
"You'll be leaving in the morning?" Byakuya said after a stretch of silence lengthened between them. He made it sound like a question, but they both knew it was more or less an order.
"Alast, I must beg for your indulgence, cousin," Kalon said sheepishly.
"Why is that?"
"Well, I would like to personally impart my sincerest apologies to Lady Rukia as soon as she gets back from her—" he trailed off, seeming to search his vocabulary for the appropriate term. "Forgive me, my Lord, but the servants were not clear on her reasons for going to the World of the Living when I inquired about Lady Rukia's whereabouts earlier. Could you perhaps enlighten me, cousin? It's my understanding that you visited her captain on just that matter this afternoon. If it's not too impolite to ask, was he able to shed some light on why she's in the World of the Living at present?" Kalon asks, sipping from his teacup, which has barely any tea in it.
Something like amusement was in the man's tone, which Byakuya didn't like one bit, but like everything with Kalon, it's always more than skin-deep.
"The captain of squad thirteen," Byakuya said, straining to keep his tone measured, recalling the man's face during their conversation to drudge up his disfavor, "acted according to his best judgment as Rukia's overseer after she single-handedly defeated a company of hollows, gave her a reprieve."
"Because she overheard the choice bits of the meeting thanks to my father's calloused words involving her name." Kalon quickly added on.
Byakuya's silence met his cousin's inquiry.
"Oh, come now, cousin," Kalon said exasperatedly, "it doesn't take a genius to figure that out. Lady Rukia was present at the meeting, though she was dismissed early before my father dropped his comments. She's a young girl—I beg your pardon—a young woman with young woman curiosity. It's obvious that she listened in on the rest of what was happening, careful to conceal her spiritual pressure. The meeting doors are wide open for any passing servant to hear what's happening in a gathering that is supposed to be clandestine. Outraged and humiliated, she gladly took on the suicidal mantle of heroics to work her frustrations out on. Those poor, lumbering hollows had no idea what had come for them until it was too late. Honestly, you really should be more considerate of your security, would you not agree, cousin?"
"How perceptive of you, Kalon," Byakuya said, feeling on edge and a little exposed in front of his cousin's sharp mind.
"You give me too much credit, cousin." Kalon demurred, turning the compliment aside, saying, "Simple deduction—truly, a child could figure that out."
Again, Byakuya took the measure of this man before him and, not for the first time, felt his guard doubling since he entered this room. In some part of his mind, not annoyed with his fellow captain, Byakuya was thankful to Jushiro Ukitake for sending Rukia away like he had because, as things stood, he didn't want Kalon anywhere near his sister.
"You don't have to see Rukia, I will extend apologies on your behalf when she gets back from the world of the living."
"And cheat me of my sincerity?" Kalon sounded affronted. "With all due respect, Byakuya-Sama, I must protest. It is my responsibility to correct my father's error. Even as the head of the clan, that is not your duty and can never be your duty."
"I'm making it my duty." Byakuya stood to leave. "You'll be on your way back to your estates in the west by tomorrow afternoon."
Kalon gasped, and stood as well, "I'm sorry." he said, his shoulders falling back and his chin stubbornly raised. "I cannot agree to that."
"You would fare better if you did not attempt defiance with me this day, Kalon Kuchiki," Byakuya said warningly.
"You want to rob me of my chance to make amends on behalf of my house for offenses that offended not just you but especially your sister and her sister's memory. Why would you try and take that away from me?"
"Try? My word is final." Byakuya said it uncontestably.
"It cannot be because you, my Lord, with all your power as the 28th Head of the Kuchiki Clan, have no jurisdiction over the elements of hospitality and rights of another house that claim that which is theirs," Kalon's brow furrowed, and an expression of realization came over his face. "Are you?" he asked, stopping himself before scoffing in disbelief.
"Am I what?" Byakuya snapped impatiently.
"If this is too impertinent to say, I apologize in advance with all sincerity, but, my Lord, are you trying to keep me away from your sister?"
When silence met his question, Kalon blew a breath. "I thought we were being honest here; foolish of me to believe that for even a second. I suppose honesty equates to being exposed to your critical perusal, looking for something out of place about my character, when really it didn't matter what I said, lies or truths, because you've already made up your mind about my reasons for coming all this way."
"Are you quite finished?"
"No, my Lord, I'm not. But I want to thank you in advance for your hospitality, because if it means receiving your forgiveness at a later date for my impertinence, for my father's indiscretion and ill-mannered words, then so be it. You'll have to bear seeing my face for a while longer, becauet I, Kalon Kuchiki, will do my duty as the designated representative of my house. That is what I set out to do, and that is what I will do, regardless of the consequences, my Lord. Surely the great Byakuya Kuchiki, a monument of principle and law, can respect that."
"Hide behind the walls of hospitality and duty for as long as they will be your shield, Kalon, but I warn you now: when I find out what you're really after by coming here to my home, pretty words will not save you." With that, Byakuya left the parlor room with Kalon once again, bowing at the waist behind him.