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“DAY 1 REGENCY”

"Hearts in High Society"

— And I tell you no!-

— Could you stop being so irrational? — I speak with total parsimony.

— Irrational me?! Ha! Please- he was angry, his face showed it — Didn't you just hear that they are saying that I am not fit to take care of my kingdom! And you tell me that I am being irrational with that!-

— Prince, you know better than anyone that you are still a minor and the council cannot let you lead the kingdom just by your own good will, you must earn the merit of being a good sovereign - he tried to make the young man lower the fury that was trying to emerge inside him.

— hahahahahaha apparently cousin I think they saw that you are a chick so you can manage your kingdom as you wish! hahahaha-

— You better shut up Grimmjow!! If you don't want to!-

— If I don't want to, what?! Aha - he began to tease him - come on if you dare, you know very well that you still can't beat me even if you want to! You're a kid who still has a long way to go to defeat me! - he smiled arrogantly.

— Damn you!! How the hell did you end up being my relative!! You'll see!-

— Prince, that's enough - he raised his voice - now you understand why the council gave the instruction…-

— Damn if I know! Until I come of age you will be the Regent!!! Tsk! - he said, clicking his tongue trying to calm down as much as he could — it's just that I'm very upset, my father has died, the king is three meters underground! And they talk about who will lead the kingdom while we are still in mourning!! That's what has me pissed off, you'll see these old men of the Council! They are even looking for me already engaged to have offspring in the kingdom, shit! Don't they know that I have already chosen the princess of the Ice Kingdom?! She is the one I will marry, not another woman from God knows what kingdom it will be! -

— Prince Kurosaki, Princess Rukia is a good choice, and if you ask me I did not ask to be the regent, but you know well that I have served your father for many years, who trusted in my skills as a strategist and my knowledge despite my young age at that time, if I can argue it is likely that those are the reasons why I was chosen; regarding your relationship with Princess Rukia, you cannot choose until you turn twenty-one, and there are only two years left for that to happen, the princess you have chosen thinks that you could perhaps be the right choice, if you do not like the idea then you can simply dismiss him when he comes of age-

—For who you are Ulquiorra, are you talking a lot today? Is there something you're hiding from me?-

— Of course not, it's just that he's looking for answers and I'm trying to make him see reason and calm down, he can't keep acting like a little boy and fighting while arguing with Duke Grimmjow -

— Ulquiorra, why are you wasting your time with this idiot Ichigo? You know very well that if he is not suitable, the kingdom becomes mine! Hahahaha - he laughed loudly, while the orange-haired boy sharpened his gaze — Come on, don't look at me like that Ichigo, you know I'm joking, but seriously, your advisor is right, you won't achieve anything if you keep getting angry like you do-

— bu…-

— But nothing! before you continue, do you want me to list the reasons why you have not been taken into account and have been relegated while you reach the age to assume the throne? - he looked at the hazel-eyed boy who was frowning once again - One, that face you are putting on right now is the main factor, as the future king nothing should bother you! Two, you make a scandal with little things, I screw you over every five minutes and you are trying to hit me or say something, three you scream for every idiocy that happens around you, four despite your age you have not shown that you have merits of honor, come on, you are not going to rule if you have not even gone hunting with Kaien, commanding the squad of knights that he has, at this point at least one conquest or help to your people you should have made, I could continue listing, your infatuation with the Ice Princess is not the problem, it is her kingdom, if you marry her, you must open the policies between both kingdoms, and you well know that Byakuya Kuchiki He is not someone who is easily bent, you must start getting along with your brother-in-law if you want to open an improvement in politics and trade in both kingdoms- After listing each point with his fingers in front of the boy, he looked at his friend.

— You must accept that leaving Ulquiorra as regent is a good idea, maybe you will learn a thing or two about how to rule the kingdom with a cool head, it does not always have to be heart, you know well that reason is what must prevail, you have my support, but you must EARN IT, and that of all the old geezers on the council too–

— Duke Grimmjow is right, if he doesn't prove that he is capable of running the kingdom, then I'm afraid they will look for someone else who can do it-

— But there's no one else with royal blood, apart from me, Grimmjow and even Kaien!, and as far as I know, both of them won't do it, they respected my father too much to do something like that? Who the hell could take my place then?!- he snapped angrily again.

—The fact that you don't know beyond these two doesn't mean that there aren't more legitimate heirs to the throne, even if they marry one of your sisters and a boy is born, he would be the future heir while a regent other than me governs - his advisor sighed, thinking that he was getting nowhere with all this.

— Look Ichigo, you must understand that you must learn to behave, the kingdom is not a toy and you know it, sometimes you must rule with an iron fist, sometimes you must be impartial and other times you must think of strategies that achieve the best benefit, do not think that everything is rosy, you are almost an adult, you know what wars are and what happens in them, not in vain I have scars all over my body to tell you how raw they are, we are 10 years older than you, that is why we are speaking to you this way, understand once and for all that you more than anyone must learn to use every aspect that makes a king great!-

— Sometimes I'm surprised at how much Grand Duke Grimmjow has matured, it seems like it was just yesterday that I pulled him out of the mud when he fell while playing with his dog -

The blue-haired boy looked at him in astonishment as a blush of embarrassment rose across his face. "Shut up, idiot! Don't talk nonsense!"

— It's okay, I understand - he let out a sigh - it's just that I thought I could... that they would have more confidence in me, but I see that it wasn't like that... I feel like I've disappointed my father - he said a little melancholically.

— King Ishin would be proud of how he's taking all this pressure, trust me-

— Thank you Ulquiorra, you and Grimmjow have been the closest thing to brothers I've ever had, I'm grateful that you're here supporting me despite everything- he smiled at both of them.

Grimmjow with a smug smile and Ulquiorra the hint of a ghost smile that appeared on his face, showed the trust and friendship they had for each other despite not saying it very often, between them there was respect and affection in their own way.

— Well, then, Mr. Regent, what should I do to learn from you? — he said, smiling.

— Believe me, this is an honor, but a great responsibility, and I hope that the two years will pass soon so that the true heir can be returned to his rightful place.

— Father, is this necessary?

—What's bothering you, my dear? — he looked at his daughter as she paced around the large throne room.

— It's just that... I thought... well... actually... - she tried to speak coherently but she was afraid of making her father angry, he was a very good man, he always was with her, but he was also a king and as such he was ruthless and powerful when he wanted to be.

— Come on, sit next to me, calm down and tell me what's wrong. — Although her voice sounded authoritative, it was tinged with affection.

— I'm sorry, father, but is it necessary for us to go to that kingdom? To… to meet my fiancé? - a blush rose on her cheeks — I… I don't think that… it's a good idea- her voice was getting lower and lower.

— I understand, but the kingdom of Soul Society sent me a letter, I know that the king recently passed away and that the heir cannot rule his kingdom yet, but they have chosen a Regent and from what I know he is someone very capable even for his age, I would like to know the truth and exchange some ideas with him, but you are right a union is very hasty, you are barely seventeen, although if you ask me I married your mother when she was your age and you look like her when I met her-

That made the young woman feel very good, as she was having many doubts about her future. Would she marry without love? Honestly, it was not in her plans to do so, but that is why she needed to know who the young man was that they wanted to marry her in the future.

— But still, father, you and mom got married in love, didn't you?

— Well, if you're right- he put his hands on his daughter's- let's do something, let's take the invitation, meet the young man and if it seems good to you and you approve it, you go ahead, if not, then we'll see what we can do with that kingdom, in any case we have trade to offer and political ties without the need for a real union, although if that were the case, it could strengthen our kingdoms further- he mentioned calmly.

— Okay, I think we can go and I'll give Prince Kurosaki a chance… if he's not what I want… then I won't continue with this - she looked at her father - thank you for always being so understanding - she hugged him tenderly while he returned the hug and kissed her head.

— Your mother would be proud of how much you have grown and matured — she said in the middle of the hug.

— Thank you…- he moved away a little, looking into his father's deep brown eyes - and when do we leave? -

— In three months, the regent appointed by the council has been in power for six months, but it seems that there are still things that he is handling and it will take that long for them to be able to attend to us, even though the invitation arrived much earlier -

— I understand, I imagine it must be hard for him, if you say he is still young, how old will he be? -

— From what I know of some of the emissaries, it seems that he is a young man of about twenty-seven years old, also that he is someone who has a particular face and also has a cold and distant appearance - he laughed quietly when he remembered something - it even seems that they call him Empty Prince or something like that -

His daughter also laughed when she heard what her father said. "For someone so young, he shouldn't be like this." She put her hand on his lips. "Maybe it would be good if we could invite him here sometime, maybe we could show him that there is nothing good inside the Void. I would even ask Nelliel for help for that."

— Daughter, stop the mischief, okay? -

— Okay, dad, whatever you say -

They both laughed complicitly, they loved each other and that was what was important, they were always there for each other, understanding every aspect that their status as royalty allowed them, before their kingdom "Las Noches" they were very loved, the king's implacability, his intelligence and his power as a sovereign was greatly admired, and his loving and big-hearted daughter was the perfect combination to reign over them, it is because of them that no other kingdom had faced them before or ever, because King Sousuke Aizen had been the best king that had arrived in a long time.

— Welcome to our lands, King Aizen and Princess Orihime — he greeted politely and bowed appropriately to the greeting before royalty.

— The pleasure is our Regent Ulquiorra Cifer - he greeted politely giving a small smile, he looked around and when his daughter was at his side he took her hand.

— A pleasure, Mr. Cifer - the princess's greeting was not long in coming, lifting the hem of her dress slightly and bowing slightly.

— The honor is ours, princess - he looked directly into the young woman's hazel eyes - comments do not do justice to your beauty, without a doubt, not even the most beautiful paintings and poems of the hills facing the cliffs with the ocean as a muse could match your true beauty -

The young woman in question could not hide the blush that settled on her cheeks, she had met many young men as part of the etiquette of royalty, some who even at this point were still pretending to get her to marry, but no one had spoken to her with such subtlety, without ignoring the deep voice of the young man in front of her, not to mention matching his beautiful appearance, his hair as black as night and those eyes, with an incredible tone as green as the thick forests in front of his kingdom, without a doubt she was also amazed by his presence, so much so that she could not even articulate a response to the young man's flattery.

— My dear? - the king looked at his daughter, one did not have to be wise to be able to observe the impact that the Regent had in front of her, internally he knew how to appreciate that the young man had a very good education and even good taste - he raised his hand in front of his lips and cleared his throat - this to bring his daughter out of her reverie.

— Eh?! Oh I'm… I'm sorry! - she said sadly, hiding her face behind the fan she was holding. Her father chuckled.

— Don't worry...- the black-haired man tried to sound friendly, he was about to continue but the trumpets were heard announcing the next visitor. Everyone looked in the direction where a large white carriage with golden lines was stopping, right where King Aizen's carriage had been before.

— What? - he asked quietly without showing it, he was confused.

Announcing the kingdom's crier, he mentioned the names of the other visitors

—His Royal Highness of the Ice Kingdom, the Heir to the Throne Kuchiki Byakuya and Princess Rukia have arrived!!- was heard, while those mentioned got off the carriage.

Both wearing matching white outfits, with some black lines on their suits, they looked imposing, elegant and overly refined.

— I didn't know we wouldn't be the only guests, the letter we received didn't mention that this was a party - said the King, looking from the corner of his eye at the Regent who returned his gaze.

— A thousand apologies, Your Majesty— he bowed deeply— I'm afraid I wasn't careful and put both dates together, but don't worry, believe me, you're more than welcome— he clenched his fist without anyone noticing how upset he was, because he knew very well that he had been very meticulous, and the fact that they were here only meant one thing, and that was that the crown prince had put his hands in this matter.

The good thing about his face not showing much of the emotions was good, so no one would know that he was about to explode in anger, never but never would he make an affront of that type to any king! I mean, everyone deserves respect and sending sovereigns an invitation to hospitality for several days at the same time was not what should be done, each sovereign deserved time and dedication, as he said, it was only done that way at parties, events where several rulers could meet with the characteristic of first seeing how the kingdoms were composed and making sure firsthand the magnitude of power they possessed in each of them, of course it was also the perfect moments to exchange sons and daughters in exchange for ties with themselves, and clearly as in this case, it was not precisely that, but it was a way to try to open relations with the Kingdom of Nights, but now with this mess how to show the King that they are a serious nation that seeks the best alternatives to cooperate and unite their ties in terms of politics and trade.

King Aizen stepped closer to the nobility who had arrived right in front of them.

— Prince Byakuya -

— King Aizen -

They looked at each other intensely, some knew that there was a kind of rivalry between the two kingdoms, but not to the point of war at least.

— It's a pleasure to see you in good health, the Crown Prince said.

— I say the same, and how is your father? I have heard that he no longer travels because of his health, that he is a little delicate - I speak slowly - I will ask the gods for his speedy recovery-

— I appreciate it, you're right, you're no longer up for these long trips, so I'm taking on these roles that apparently will soon be my complete responsibility-

— Your Highness Byakuya Kuchiki, it is a pleasure to have you with us, I regret this inconvenience, that both sovereigns are in our empire at the same time- he intervened.

— Regent Ulquiorra Cifer - the prince quickly looked the young man up and down - I see that you have done very well, congratulations on your mention - he looked away as he searched for his younger sister.

— Rukia -

— Nii-sama - he spoke quietly - it is a pleasure King Sousuke Aizen - he made a very proper and elegant bow before the brown-haired boy.

— Princess Rukia, the pleasure is mine, you are a very beautiful young woman, compared to the immaculate glamour of snowflakes- said the King.

— I appreciate your compliments, and…- he looked to the side, and saw the young woman who was with the older man — I think you must be Princess Orihime, isn't that true? - he spoke subtly

— Oh yes... I'm sorry, Prince Byakuya - she looked at the aforementioned - Princess Rukia - she bowed, she looked nervous, and how could she not be, if she rarely attended formal events, her father always indicated that she could miss it, because she always felt a little self-conscious with a lot of people around especially if there were etiquette involved, she would prefer to be free running in the field barefoot if the crown were allowed to perform such actions.

— Apologies again sovereigns, please let us go to the living room, I will send for the prince to accompany us - he walked forward a little, not leaving aside that he took a small look at the young woman with orange hair, he sighed internally knowing the reason for the change in the Kuchiki royalty's schedule.

— Hinamori - I said and a small young girl quickly approached

— Yes sir - he bowed.

— Please go prepare the hall and… - he came a little closer so that only she could hear him - prepare more food, the prince was up to his old tricks again, send for him and have him get to the great hall as soon as he can, let me know before he arrives, I must speak to him seriously - he said the last thing harshly.

— Okay sir - he couldn't help but recoil in fear, he knew the young man was kind but when he got angry, that was another story.

— Well? I'm still waiting for your coherent and justifiable explanation for this uncomfortable and irreverent situation - the black-haired man spoke harshly.

— Oh come on Ulquiorra, don't get angry... this is just part of the plan - the boy in front of him mentioned without any regret.

— What plan, if I may ask? -

— I'm just trying to let everyone know who my future wife will be, you said it yourself, I must improve my relations with Byakuya and what better way to invite them, I wasn't going to wait another six months to see Rukia -

He let all the air out of his lungs, he was furious but he wouldn't show it, not like that, not in that way, he really wondered sometimes if Ichigo understood the concept of maturity and responsibility before what it meant to become King. He looked at the shine in his eyes, even though he didn't handle the issue of feelings like the rest of the people did, he knew that the boy was deeply in love, but precisely for that reason he was doing crazy things that would only bring problems to the kingdom.

— Listen… - I try to start.

— What the hell did you do today Kurosaki Ichigo!! - he came in raising his voice.

— Grimmjow? What the hell is wrong with you? Don't go screaming like a madman, don't you see that we have guests?! - he reproaches his cousin.

A vein could be seen with the naked eye, he was holding back right at that moment for whatever his subconscious was thinking — What did you say? -

— I said stop shouting, we have guests - he mentioned again - are you deaf? Did you forget that important visitors were arriving to the kingdom today? -

— Ulquiorra please tell me that you did not agree with this immense idiocy that my brainless cousin committed in the name of God knows what! -

The green-eyed man just watched him, he was quiet even for his own good, if he opened his mouth, he would probably later regret what he said, he didn't act on impulse, he thought and looked for the best possible alternatives to solve problems, only this time, it was beyond his sentimental knowledge the idiocies that people in love committed.

— For the love of the gods, what's wrong with you two? Isn't it a good idea to start showing my relationship with Rukia in public? —

— And you're a complete idiot! You still ask? This is honestly the main reason Ulquiorra is the Regent! How the hell did you think of having both kingdoms that don't get along so well in the first place, showing your intentions to marry another princess when the main one chosen by the council came to visit to approve or not the engagement! You're humiliating King Aizen and his nation you piece of animal!

And it was at that very moment that he realized the magnitude of his actions. He looked worriedly at Ulquiorra, who only shook his head and sighed imperceptibly.

– For God's sake, what did I do? I don't want to start a war… what do I do? -

—And now you ask? Seriously, you're an idiot. — His cousin looked at him irritated.

— Well, we can't do anything now, we already have everyone here, so what we have to do is avoid making this bigger and, above all, turning it into a public humiliation - he looked at the young man and narrowed his eyes - as for you, I thought you had learned something from the lessons I was giving all this time, let me tell you that this does not add any merit for you, in fact, I feel disappointed -

The prince felt very bad, he did not believe that his actions could be interpreted like that, first he wanted to make it clear that the only woman for him was Princess Rukia, but it was not right for the other kingdom to feel ignored and offended by his such motives.

— For now, everyone is in the great Hall, we must attend to them and you - he called the young man - will be polite and will not commit any more nonsense during the three weeks that they will be here -

— Okay - he said, his head down - and Ulquiorra… I… I'm sorry -

The older ones looked at him and then at the young man. Maybe something good could come out of this. After all, the only way a boy can measure the value of each decision he makes is by making mistakes and bearing the consequences of them.

— Okay, let's go, they are waiting for us -

— A thousand apologies for the delay, I was attending to an emergency, but it has already been resolved, dear guests, some of you already know him and others don't, I present to you the crown prince Kurosaki Ichigo -

— It is a great pleasure to have such distinguished nobility as guests, Your Majesty King Aizen — he bowed to the elder — Crown Prince Byakuya — now he bowed again to the aforementioned young man.

He moved to where the princesses were sitting on either side of the table. "Princess Orihime, it is a pleasure to have you with us, illuminating us with your beauty." He placed a chaste kiss on the back of the maid's hand.

Then he moved to the other end and approached with great delicacy - Princess Rukia, not even the most beautiful rosebush along with the peonies could compete with your resplendent beauty - he placed a chaste kiss even with the slower action than with the other young woman, he looked intensely into the violet eyes a perceptible shine in both was noticeable from a distance, even making both young people sigh quietly, not going unnoticed by anyone.

The young woman with hair like the sunset couldn't help but look away, what was she doing there anyway? Wasn't it obvious that the young prince had already chosen a wife? She didn't even want to guess what her father was thinking at that moment, she looked this time at the Regent, a tall, gallant young adult and even noticed the half-curve of his lips, right, he was upset, why? Was it because of the prince's action? She continued to watch him even when he cleared his throat a little.

— I'm sorry, excuse my boldness, Princess Rukia — the orange-haired man spoke quietly.

She slightly moved her hand away, and placed it at the height of her chest hoping with that to calm the beating of her heart, a blush appearing on her white cheeks — do not worry, Prince Ichigo -

— Once again, I appreciate you being with us and my most sincere apologies for having brought both visits together, it is not our intention that you might feel a little uncomfortable, I will be at your complete disposal if you have any comments on this matter and the best dispositions to rectify this situation - said the black-haired man with a bow.

— Don't worry, young Ulquiorra, I think we can get something out of this meeting, isn't that right? Prince Byakuya? I've wanted to meet with your father for a long time, but given the situation it would be good if we could both talk, what do you think, Young Ulquiorra? - the brown-haired boy mentioned.

— You are certainly right, there is no reason to wait for the conversations, we can take advantage of the fact that we are here - said Crown Prince Byakuya

— I really appreciate the trust you are placing in us, we will make you feel as comfortable as possible -

Everyone nodded at the young man's words.

A few days passed since they arrived, the hospitality of the Soul Society kingdom was impeccable worthy of royalty as they were, there was no complaint beyond both guests being there at the same time, but the young Regent had managed to get everyone comfortable and satisfied with the treatment, even trade ties were achieved, among other points that the three kingdoms could complement each other, there were treaty signings and they were looking forward to collaborating with each other for any situation that might happen to any of them. This while the young crown prince Ichigo was tasked with accompanying both princesses on all their outings, although he would have to be learning about alliances with the kingdoms, he could not just leave the young women who had arrived precisely for him, for the purpose of marriage, or at least for some who came to idealize them that way.

The orange-haired girl, when she saw the prince, did not hesitate to admit that the young man was handsome, but even so, butterflies in her stomach as her mother said, she did not feel them; in fact, for some strange reason they looked alike physically, orange hair, hazel eyes, anyone could pass them off as simple siblings, but they did not know how far from reality they were if they were to even think about it.

How many days had it been now? About eight maybe, and she had to admit it, she was bored, she walked through the garden corridors behind Prince Ichigo and Princess Rukia, she had taken the young man's arm, they were chatting pleasantly, they seemed happy but she was bored, honestly this was not the idea she had in her plans, at least she thought she could meet the prince and see his qualities and if he was a good prospect, but looking at them again she admitted that there was already a winner, and that was the brunette, so why fight for someone who had already made her choice? she would be a fool if she did, as to end up unhappy, with a broken heart at the expense of him even being able to take a look at her as a woman. She regretted having told her lady-in-waiting to stay at her father's castle, as she thought she would be with the prince all the time. How wrong she was. At this point, she honestly didn't like the idea of being a bad third, as she had once heard from the young ladies in her castle.

As she listened to the rhythmic laughter of the two young men in front of her, she looked away at the garden, that was more interesting to observe, she was distracted while walking that she didn't notice that the princes had retreated down another corridor and she continued in a straight line until she collided with someone.

— Oh... I'm sorry - she said the moment she felt some arms holding her, preventing her from slipping, since she was right on the curb of the hallway.

— Don't worry, are you okay?

— Re… Regent Ulquiorra - she stared at him - I… I'm so sorry - she immediately moved away from the touch of his hands, she felt a tickling precisely where he was touching her.

— Excuse my boldness, he hastened to say.

— No… no, it’s my fault, I wasn’t paying attention -

The young man nodded to avoid disturbing the maid, looked around and noticed that she was alone — May I ask, and Prince Ichigo? -

Hearing this, she also looked to her sides. She didn't realize when she lost sight of them. She sighed in defeat. She had gotten lost. "I think I lost them," she said, embarrassed.

The Regent mentally shook his head, the prince was not keeping his part of the deal and that was to take care of the princess as well.

— Don't worry, I'll escort you to your room and send for you to come and get you.

— Oh no! Please no…-

— You are right, how bold of me, I will send a lady to take her -

— No! I mean, it's not necessary… - she lowered her head a little embarrassed.

Ulquiorra watched her, that innocent and sweet look, a pang came, he instinctively brought his hand to his heart, what had that been? Ignoring the feeling he continued talking to her.

— Princess, I can't leave you alone, even though we're in the castle, it could be dangerous for you -

She shook her head again. “May I make a request?”

— Uh? -

— I don't want to be a bother, but can I accompany you? -

— What? - I ask, bewildered. — I don't understand, what do you mean by "come with me?"

— Regent Ulquiorra…-

— Ulquiorra -

— Huh? -

— Just call me Ulquiorra, princess -

— Ul… Ulquiorra? - without knowing why, her heart began to beat fast, a small blush appearing on her cheeks — … okay, but if I have to call you only by your name, you do the same too -

— A fair deal, I don't see why not, if that's what you want - I look at her - now, explain to me what you're trying to ask me? Orihime -

Even though she became even more nervous hearing her name under that deep, masculine voice, she tried to compose herself and continue her conversation. "I want to accompany you, because I'm bored," she finally said. "Please don't send me to the prince." She lowered her gaze and continued. "I understand the circumstances of my arrival here, but you, more than anyone, know that it's a waste of time for me to stay here."

— Prin… -

— Let me finish… please… - the young man nodded - Prince Kurosaki and Princess Kuchiki understand each other very well, I just don't want to keep accompanying them, I get very bored, but I have been able to observe you a few times - a pink tint of shame settled on his face - I won't apologize for that, but yes, I would like to be able to help you -

— It is an unusual request, I am sorry that you are being insulted, believe me, it is not our intention - she bowed deeply - and on behalf of the prince I also apologize, but I do not know if I can let you accompany me - she tried to dissuade the young woman from her idea.

— Please, I know you think I won't be of any help, but believe me, my father has been my tutor in many of the duties of royalty, as well as how important decisions are when thinking about what's best for the kingdom, believe me, I would feel more useful if you let me help you -

- But -

— The king left yesterday for an emergency, if you remember, and he asked you to take care of me and not hesitate to ask for my help if necessary, do you remember? -

— Of course princess, I remember, but even so, putting you in a situation with such commitment, I wouldn't feel very comfortable, you are our guest anyway -

— Oh please, believe me, I'll be of help to you! - I look at him - please don't send me to spend the rest of my time here with Prince Ichigo and Princess Rukia, I don't want to bother them anyway... - in her own way she was begging to be of help to the young Regent.

He couldn't help but let out an imperceptible sigh, this young woman truly left him speechless, there were few occasions like today when they could talk, she was determined and very persistent, very good qualities in a ruler.

— Okay — he said as he turned around, the maid gave him a wide smile, she was able to achieve what she had been thinking about doing for days — please follow me this way, right now I'm heading to the throne room, I have some business to take care of —

- Yes of course -

The princess showed him a radiant smile, one that he didn't think he had seen since he arrived, so internally he felt good, and why not, in the end it was part of making his guests comfortable and at ease, or was there another reason why he thought that way?

Once in the Hall, Regent Ulquiorra attended to many matters, being a ruler is an exhausting and very delicate task to handle, since you must act as a judge, fair and impartial, so that both parties or each person feels that their problem has been resolved in a good way, without harming them in the process.

Mostly they were villagers who asked for audiences, they came to argue about land, cattle and other goods with their neighbors, as well as merchants who wanted the same working conditions as those who had years of having their businesses, as well as some problems between villagers looking for solutions to their problems of shortages or at least charity to get ahead while they look for the best alternative to be able to survive on their own, some cases should not even be reaching a resolution by the Regent, but apparently the elders of the council loved to put the young man in a complex situation whenever they could.

At one of the hearings a foreign merchant arrived offering a good deal, he came from another kingdom and explained the way to make riches in the lands of Soul Society, if the young man was not so calculating and thought very well the whole proposal would have been easy to deceive him, but for him it was not the case, even so, he had to admit that Prince Ichigo if he were in charge at that moment, would have fallen for the merchant's trick. The young man had to do something about the matter, but how to check the actions of the man who had arrived, if he wanted to prevent others from falling for his tricks he had to think of a way to arrest him and sentence his actions, without showing that he was using his sovereign influences for it.

— Uh? - he coughed under his breath. — Regent Ulquiorra - the young woman called.

— Oh, Princess, excuse me, I think you must have gotten bored with this. If you like, I can ask them to take you to your bedroom so you can rest — the boy said in a low voice so that only she could hear him.

She frowned and looked at him. Annoyed? Maybe it was her imagination what she saw, so she asked him to speak.

— Please let me handle this — he pointed at the situation.

- As? -

— Let me talk, I think I know what you're thinking, let me handle it, I promise I'll help you -

Not very convinced, he let him take charge - okay -

— Thank you - he smiled, then stood up and stood in front of the merchant, putting on a stern and serious look - How are you Mr. Jerome Guizbatt -

— Eh? Excuse me, Your Royal Highness, I think I didn't hear your name. It's a pleasure to be in front of such beauty in this kingdom. — The man said, bowing.

— Don't you recognize me? -

— A thousand pardons your royal highness, my mind is a bit foolish and this servant has forgotten where I may have met you on some of my travels, if you have gone outside these borders, perhaps it was in the kingdom of King Jugram, or in the plains of the Karakura Crystal Kingdom - he bowed in front of her as an apology - again forgive this foolish servant who does not remember you -

— Okay, I'll refresh your memory Mr. Jerome -

Ulquiorra didn't understand much but one thing he was sure of, was that the princess's attitude at that moment was extremely incredible, such rigidity and authority when speaking, was not only disturbing but an exquisiteness seen in the front row, she was cold and calculating just like her father Aizen.

— Remember visiting the kingdom of Hueco Mundo six months ago, you requested an audience with King Sousuke Aizen, offering the same business that you are showing here today - he made a gesture with his hand - at that time you were denied such an offer, but you no longer insisted to the king, but instead went directly to some villagers -

— What? - the merchant looked at me in astonishment. — I… -

— I'm not finished, so I ask you not to speak - he mentioned coldly, his inquisitive eyes towards the man - The villagers believed in his words, they offered their cattle, lands and others had to sell much of what they had, he offered heaven and earth with his business, but in the end he just left leaving them penniless - he spoke with disdain.

— Your Royal Highness, allow me to speak, that was not entirely true... who told you about that? ... believe me, in that kingdom there are only hypocrites and slanderers, of course I helped them and gave them what they deserved, I have not left them with anything - he began to speak desperately, what he heard did not go according to his plan, and all that was left was to lie so that he could at least get out of there and find another place where he could steal with his lies.

— You dare say that in MY KINGDOM we are all liars! – she said angrily.

Ulquiorra, who was watching everything, decided to get up the moment the princess raised her voice. She looked back at him and asked him with her eyes to let her continue.

— Your… your kingdom? … it’s… you’re Princess Orihime?! … but… but how? As far as I know, you haven’t married the prince of this kingdom yet, and there was no way you could be here?! — he spoke hastily without thinking about what he was saying.

— Then accept that he went to My Kingdom and did what I just expressed -

The merchant's face fell when he realized what he had said, his plan was being ruined, he had to find a way out of this and quickly to flee from that kingdom immediately, he would even have to figure out how to change his appearance and his name again.

— Princess, please listen to me, I'm not saying that in your kingdom all people are like that, but you must understand that those who came to accuse me were only slanderers, I spoke to them about the risks when doing business, and they all agreed to take them, the market was bad on that occasion and I tried not to leave them on the street, I gave them what would be their share and even out of my good will I gave them a little more - she tried to lessen the situation, from one moment to the next her expression changed from one of astonishment to a gloomy expression.

— Don't try to fool me, Mr. Jerome! - she remained impassive - I knew many of those you are mentioning who were hypocrites, several were peasants who brought food to the palace, do you think my father would not have noticed if they had deceived him, also as you say, there are risks in their business, just as you described to Regent Ulquiorra - she took the length of her skirt, carefully and began to walk down the steps until she stood in front of the merchant - now say again in front of my face that everything I have said has been pure slander - her expression returned from a smile of self-sufficiency, she knew she had him cornered, from the moment she arrived and began the story of the business, she remembered what happened in her kingdom, even with pain she found out that one of the elders who participated in the "business of the foreign merchant" when left with nothing with the last cents bought a lasso and ended his life, knowing that someone came to cause harm and pain to humble people who only wanted to get something to leave to their families children or grandchildren, but having lost everything, they took with them even the desire to continue existing, remembering the suffering they were leaving their families.

She couldn't help but clench her hands, burying her nails in her palms, she was furious, she always said that if she found the culprit she would make him pay for the pain and tears he left in her domain.

The man in front of her didn't avoid putting himself in a hostile posture, if in the end he was going to fall for his actions at least let him do it taking something with him, he just got furious when he heard the last thing and more when she stood in front of him, he was already fed up! — Very well princess! Not very brave! Ha! always the same all the damned ones of the crown believing themselves better, that's why I started to cheat and steal, IF NO ONE GIVES ME ANYTHING I'D BETTER TAKE IT! - he roughly took the young woman by the arm.

It was seconds, but the Regent did not know when he reached him, he could only watch as he pushed the man away with a blow to the face, his face of disgust could not be hidden, without any other expression he only looked to the sides and with his gaze asked the guards to take the man, several placed their swords at the height of the merchant's neck, in a threatening manner, in case he tried something else.

— Damn it! — The man held his face but felt a liquid dripping from his nose, he looked at his hand and realized, blood?! — Damn imbecile! You broke my nose! What the hell are you protecting? That bitch?! In this kingdom I haven't done anything so you can't touch me! Believe me, I'll go to every empire and put this damn place in the worst shape, you'll see! —

— Guards! Capture this man - he stood in front of the princess and raised his arm preventing him from approaching again - You are wrong about one thing - he spoke coldly, his voice more pronounced and serious - we have treaties with the Kingdom of Hueco Mundo, what you did there, you can also pay for it here, and not to mention that you dared to harm the Princess, in a deliberate act against the crown, your sentence is already given -

— What?! - he said, trembling with fear upon hearing everything. —No... it can't be - he instinctively brought his hand to his neck.

— Correct, your sentence… is Death - Ulquiorra looked back at the princess who still had her face down and taking his arm, he narrowed his eyes and turned his gaze to the man - believe me, you will pay dearly for this, take him away! -

And as the guards took the man away, screams and shouts could be heard throughout the hallway until he was taken to the cell.

He immediately went to the princess and gently took her arm. The young woman looked at him again with a resigned smile, her eyes wet with the tears she was holding back. "I told her..."

— I'm sorry! - she apologized - I thought I could handle it like my father, but I think... I think I still lack character - a couple of tears came out of her eyes - sorry -

— Princess, you have nothing to apologize for, thanks to you justice was given to those who were affected by that man, but if there is one thing I must call your attention to, it is that you put yourself at risk, I don't want to know what your father will say when he finds out -

— Don't tell him! Just say what is necessary, don't tell him more, I know him too well and I don't want to cause them any trouble -

— Princess….- he looked at her frown — Orihime is fine, I won't say anything, but promise me you won't do another stupid thing like this -

— I promise! — His eyes sparkled and he smiled widely. How she could be smiling at what had just happened was quite an enigma to him.

— Come on, let's get her checked out. I won't let your father return with any damage. I gently took her hand and guided her. — Do you always do these things hastily? — I asked without looking away.

The princess just laughed under her breath — Do you want me to tell you Ulquiorra? -

And yet he knew that from that moment on, since he started treating her that way, things would go in another direction, not expected by either of them.

Another week and things had changed, no one believed what they saw with their eyes, firstly Princess Orihime spent more time with Regent Ulquiorra, he for his part seemed not to be bothered at all by her presence, even those who had the opportunity could notice how well they worked as a team, with audiences, and quick solutions for the kingdom, that too after the black-haired man gave Prince Ichigo a good lesson because in the first place he would have to be taking care of the princess, which was why now the position had fallen mainly to the Regent.

— Well, tomorrow we have the hunt, and now I ask you to be careful with both of them - she looked accusingly at the young man.

— I've already told you a thousand times that I'm sorry! - he gestured dramatically. — Please Ulquiorra, we can't just forget about it. - the aforementioned only narrowed his eyes skeptically, but still let the boy continue. — Okay, okay, fine, I'll keep an eye on both of them. Happy? - He crossed his arms with a pout on his face.

Imperceptible sigh — Prince, you know better than anyone that this is important, you have already chosen a perfect maid, there is no problem but even so, there is little more than a year left until you take the throne, I am only asking you to be more responsible, stop playing around, be grateful that the princess has been very cautious and immediately understood what was happening between you and Princess Rukia, but stop making her the talk of the town, she does not deserve to be spoken ill of when she has been mainly the one who has helped us the most in many decisions -

— Ulquiorra, can I ask you something? — the orange-haired man looked at him seriously — I know you'll say I'm immature and whatever you want, but I think I have a lot more experience in this than you —

- Hmm? -

— What I'm trying to tell you is, do you like Princess Orihime? - he spoke bluntly.

— What nonsense are you talking about? - he replied.

— I told you, I'm more of an expert on this subject than you, why don't you admit that you like the Princess? Or rather, why don't you ask for her hand in marriage? -

— You know that my patience has a limit, and this includes that limit, please how do you think he could claim Princess Orihime? - internally he is in a mess, like her? claim her? how to even think about that, well, it is true she was not indifferent to him, she was good company and she was not noisy as some thought, she was quiet, attentive, cheerful, curious and she achieved what she proposed, it could ... it could be that if he really liked the princess? ... - he mentally denied - but even if it were like that, what would she think of him? she could not even feel the same, plus there was the fact that she was Crown Princess to the throne but what about him ... Who was Ulquiorra Cifer?, now a Regent but what about after? simply an advisor to the king, yes good position, but after all he had no royal blood, and without a dowry to offer or a kingdom to grant ... then how does he even have the nerve to imagine something like that.

— Oh come on Ulquiorra just admit it -

— What stupidity -

— Because you refuse to accept reality -

— Because there are none to accept, so if you'll excuse me -

— Damn it Ulquiorra! Come on, don't be so apathetic about this! -

— Prince, I ask you please… not to meddle in my affairs — he spoke coldly.

— What? But Ulquiorra - I try to make him understand.

"I said that this is it," he left without listening to the young man's reply.

As he walked to the garden, he was thinking about the matter. Feeling? Loving? In terms of feelings, he was like a child, he didn't know anything about that. He had read some books, but beyond that feeling, which didn't exist even in his adolescence. He came to consider that at some point he would marry a woman who was a good candidate to have genes that would leave good offspring, even though it wasn't even in his plans to have that kind of ideas at the moment.

Once he reached the garden, he observed the princess, near Princess Rukia and Prince Ichigo approaching them, even with the reason of the young man with orange hair, he had to discard the idea as soon as possible, he would not even think what King Aizen would say if he were to propose such madness in his eyes.

— How ridiculous - I say quietly, it was better to continue with the current plan, finish this remaining year well and try to teach the prince to be a good ruler for his people.

— Princess Orihime? Are you okay? - the young man with orange hair asked worriedly, he looked at Princess Rukia who had a worried look and turned his gaze to the young woman with hair the same color as his.

— Prince Ichigo, yes... excuse me - without looking into her eyes, she answered. If someone observed closely, they could notice at a glance the young woman's strange gesture, somewhere between embarrassed, sad and nervous.

Not very convinced, he nodded. "Okay, it's about to begin. Let's go look for our horses. This day will be exciting and fun," he said happily. He took Princess Rukia's hand. When he offered his arm to the other young woman, she denied it and just followed them.

Once everyone was on their horses, they were about to start the hunt. They would go with some soldiers for protection but mostly it was just about hunting a wild boar or a fox. Their dogs were already ready. The Princesses did not enjoy those distractions but as part of the protocol they had to accompany the prince to said event.

Inside the forest everyone followed the hunting dogs, attentive to any movement, all except one, a young woman with hair like the sunset, - Please, how do you think I can claim Princess Orihime? - Her thoughts were fixed on what she heard, she was looking for Ulquiorra so they could go hunting together, but she didn't forget what she heard, she closed her eyes tightly even listening to the echo of that conversation.

— Why don't you admit that you like the Princess? Or rather, why don't you ask for her hand in marriage?

— You know that my patience has a limit, and this includes that limit, please how do you think I can pursue Princess Orihime? -

— Oh come on Ulquiorra just admit it -

— What stupidity -

— Because you refuse to accept reality -

— Because there are none to accept, so if you'll excuse me -

— Damn it Ulquiorra! Come on, don't be so apathetic about this! -

— Prince, I ask you please… not to meddle in my affairs — he spoke coldly.

— What? But Ulquiorra - I try to make him understand.

"I said that this is it," he left without listening to the young man's reply.

— I... What do I feel for him? - she whispered to herself, she knew they had gotten along, in their own way but they did, love? She didn't know yet, but if there was one thing she was sure of it was that her heart beat strongly every time she saw him, and without mentioning his voice, hearing his name under that manly and deep voice created sensations that she never thought she could even feel... but when she heard the conversation he had with Prince Ichigo, the only thing she achieved was that her heart hurt, did she want to cry? Of course she wanted to, she wanted to get out of there, get to her palace and throw herself on her bed and cry for days if possible until she got rid of the pain she was having, it was hard for her to breathe, is that why books describe love like that? A sweet but agonizing feeling?

— Princess Orihime! — the orange-haired boy shouted — Don't go so far away! —

— Princess! - the young Kuchiki also said -

— Huh? - she grabbed her horse's straps, and without realizing it, her horse's leg stepped on a snake that was hidden in the undergrowth. It immediately rushed to bite the animal's thigh, which began to neigh uncontrollably in pain. — No... I can't control it... please calm down - she said, scared, but the horse, due to the pain, began to run uncontrollably.

— PRINCESS!!! - shouted Prince Ichigo.

— What do we do Ichigo? - said the young black-haired girl scared.

— Damn, please get help, I'll try to reach her, please be careful -

— You too, please, come back safely — she said with tearful eyes.

He held his horse's straps tightly and made a movement to indicate to the animal that it should run with strength.

— HELP!!! PLEASE HELP ME! - the young woman screamed, her tears coming out, she was scared, she almost never rode and that was the main reason, she was afraid that the horses would lose control, and just today because she was distracted, she didn't notice the danger around her — HELP!! ULQUIORRA PLEASE SAVE ME!!!- she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Ulquiorra, who was up ahead watching the activity, heard screams. He paid a little attention and managed to hear her voice and her name. He didn't hesitate for a minute to move his horse in the direction of the screams. He managed to see Prince Ichigo. Upon seeing him, he only said enough for him to understand.

—His horse was bitten by a snake, he's out of control!

— I didn't ask you to take care of her! -

— Damn! I know, it was just a second, damn we couldn't catch her! -

Both of them were hitting their horses with their whips, trying to catch up with him, but the animal was running so desperately that not even branches or bushes could slow down his pace.

— PLEASE STOP! PLEASE! HELP ME! ULQUIORRA PLEASE HELP ME! - despite the tears that blurred his vision, scrapes from the bushes, cuts from the branches, he continued trying to stop his horse.

— ORIHIME! - the black-haired man shouted without hesitation.

Upon hearing his voice, she looked back and saw him, they were coming with Prince Ichigo, with all their horses galloping, her face lit up with hope — ULQUIORRA!! -

— We must try to reach her, remember that there is a cliff ahead - said the orange-haired man

— Shit! You're right - while trying to catch up with her, he was thinking about how to prevent her from falling into the cliff, it was more than fifty meters high, if she fell there, it was impossible for her to survive. Then he saw a group of bushes — That's it! -

— ORIHIME PLEASE LISTEN TO ME! - I screamed — I NEED YOU TO JUMP! -

— WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU ASKING THEM FOR?! HAVE YOU GONE MAD?! - the prince shouted.

— Shut up! - ORIHIME, NEXT TURN ON YOUR LEFT SIDE, JUST JUMP THERE ARE SOME BUSHES -

- I'M SCARED! - she replied, holding the animal's neck uncontrollably.

She had doubts, but also fear inside her, and did not know what to do…

— TRUST ME! DO NOT BE AFRAID! -

That was enough to give him a little confidence - OK! - and when he saw the turn, and a clearing up ahead he understood! It was now or never, so with all the strength his legs could give him, he managed to get on one side of the horse and when he saw the bushes he launched himself!

She fell into them and rolled a few meters still, at least the flight of her dress managed to cushion the fall a little, when she looked ahead terrified she saw that her horse fell down the cliff, she only heard the neighing of the animal moving away, she closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands, she began to cry uncontrollably.

Ulquiorra when he arrived, jumped off his horse and ran to where the young woman was — ORIHIME! - he found her crying inconsolably, her clothes torn, her arms scratched, her hair tangled - God! God! Please God! - he came right to her, took her hands off her face and hugged her tightly — I'm here! I'm here! It's over... it's over... calm down... - she continued crying uncontrollably but now on the young man's chest, she did not stop shaking, she was still scared.

— Princess! Prince Ichigo has arrived, are you okay? — Ulquiorra saw him and shook his head, it was better to let him calm down.

— Leave us, I will take her to the castle when she calms down, please ask the doctor to come, he must check -

— Okay — without waiting any longer, he went straight to the castle.

—Shhh… calm down, it's over… I'm here now - I caress her hair.

— I was so scared... I didn't know what to do... - she continued crying on the young man's chest.

— Calm down, I'm here, I won't leave... - he hugged her tightly again - God, I didn't know what would happen if I lost you... I can't... Orihime... listen... I... I don't want to lose you, just thinking about it terrifies me... -

- That? -

— Please listen, only at this moment do I have the courage to say it… I like you, I love you… I know I have nothing to offer you but if you accept me… I will be your humble servant for the rest of my life, I had never known feelings for anyone but now that I have them clear… For this heart… I want you all to myself -

The young woman was stunned, she didn't know what to say, more tears came out of her eyes, this time from happiness, she also felt the same — Me too... I love you too! And I don't want to go away from you... - she hugged the young man now — Please stay with me! Don't leave me... -

He took the young woman's face, her red cheeks as well as her nose, crying and fear had left her with that appearance, but despite that, for him she was still beautiful, he brought his face closer to the maiden, their breaths collided, their gazes intense and longing, their lips ended up joining in a chaste kiss, sweet and delicate, full of devotion...

They didn't know what the future held for them, there would be consequences to this perhaps, he was aware of the world that separated them, but one thing he was sure of and that was that he wanted to be with her, he didn't have to offer her, but probably his father could take it into account with the knowledge he possessed, a Regent pretending to a princess, at least until the Crown Prince took the throne, now it was only a matter of time before both of them had to fight for their feelings.

Hueco Mundo could have a Regent in the future, or it is possible that if the King allows it, he could be the next ruler in such an empire, it is something that time will be in charge of deciding.

END

#ulquihime #ulquihimeweek2024 #ulquiorra cifer #orihime inoue #bleach

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