Byakuya's anger seethed beneath his skin. He had been not only deceived but had been forced to forget events....no not events, moments of his life. He touched the gem in the ring that the High King had given him to inform the royal when he had the Smith in hand. She would most definitely be in hand soon. The messenger appeared immediately with a small smile on his face but then it became perplexed as he looked around.
" Tonight at the dance, she will be with me." That made the messenger give him a startled look. "You didn't touch her did you?" Byakuya snarled. "As if I would touch such a loathsome creature." That made the messenger tense even more then before. Then smiled and bowed. " Then here. Have the first of many." He handed the captain a golden scroll with the imperial seal. Byakuya opened it and lost all his anger in one word. Marriage. His eyes looked at the messenger and back to the scroll. "This is a royal invitation to the High King's wedding. I did not know he was taking another bride." The messenger shook his head. " You did not hear then that he has decided that her head would be better on her shoulders and in his bed." Byakuya paled. No he had not heard. "As to the deal you made with him. He will keep it but it will take longer then anticipated as the smith is needed to perform the process. Don't worry the beast will do as it is ordered to do and its not as if you care about the thing. Loathsome creature were your words after all." Byakuya tightened his hold on the invitation. "You expect the rest of the royals and society to bow down to this demon? The High King asks too much." The messenger bite down hard enough to bled his own lower lip. "Whatever you do my lord is fully up to you, but without her you will get no dead wife returned to you. You will get only a rebel's death if you speak out....Ha!Ha!Ha! A Kuchiki gone rouge now that's funny. Now if I'm right dances start at around 7 and end at around mid-night. We'll be there when its in full swing, easier to blend in and escape with the article. We won't even need you there to hand her over, but it would help. Can you imagine it? There she is all made up, perfumed, dressed to seduce a snake from its own skin, music, lights and her eyes ….oh those eyes. Just like her mother's. Beyond any treasure. With that hair of fire she'll make all the other wives bow to her in shame of their own lacking tresses. What a shame she won't live a very long life. Only enough to give the High King a child and then its off with her head. Can't have too many smiths. Just one and with a new born it'll be easy to control, like a beloved pet.With you there someone she has come to think of as a friend, betraying her, she'll be all that much more pliable. You reapers do not fail. No not at all. It was a reaper that betrayed her people and why not have one finish the last of them. In fact you're doing her a favor, killing her in the end will give her what she's wanted for so long. Really I shall have to have the High King grant you a special post....no an elevation, yes you will be promoted and welcomed into his inner circle along with.....oh I can't say anything about that part of the plans. I have yet to make the arrangements. Thank-you my HIgh Lord Kuchiki." With that the long winded messenger dissolved into thin air.
Jamie looked at herself in the mirror and felt herself more alive then she had ever felt before....she saw his face again it was slightly red from the blush that was creeping over his face.
"Would you do me the honor of keeping me company at the school dance two nights from tonight?" Rukia had fainted at her older brothers request when Jamie had walked her home as she had been headed to the park for a run. Rukia had come after her to get the answer out of her own mouth when apparently she'd woken up to find a note that had said Byakuya had gone out to find suitable attire for these modern day school dances. The p.s. had been only one word. Yes.
Now Jamie looked at herself and couldn't help but feel as giddy as the 16 year old she'd played for centuries. She knew there could be nothing more then a few moments here and there that later tonight she would have to erase from his mind to keep him safe....her safe. "Don't you dare cry! " Rukia yelled as she entered the bathroom unexpectedly, even as she herself was crying. Jamie smiled. "But I'm so happy and its not like I'm not wearing waterproof mascara." Rukia dabbed her eyes. "That's fine for you but I'm not! I'll ruin my face if you don't stop it right now!" Jamie gave her a compact. "Rory!" Rory popped from around the corner of the bathroom. Her tears of joy evident. "I heard. It won't take me long. I did mom's in less then 10 minutes. Yours won't take 5."
Abel picked up Uryu, Chad, Ichigo, Renji and the rest of the men of their group before taking them to the spring gala. "Where are the girls?" Renji asked with some trepidation. Abel turned to them with a smirk. "Hey I tried, but Jamie's men refused to allow any of the girls to ride with us ruffians. You'll meet them at the dance, dinner will be provided by Rory's catering at the dance so you know it'll be stellar...." His eyes sagged to the car floor. Ichigo put a hand on Abel's shoulder. "She'll be home tomorrow, I'll leave the two of you alone for a day." Abel shook his head. "She'll be sleeping most of the day and then doing home work. I'll just be in the way." Uryu eyed Chad. "Why don't you come out with us? We don't have girl friends at this gala. We're just coming for security reasons." Ichigo and Renji opened their mouths but nothing came out. Abel laughed.
"I got the car all weekend long where ever you want to go I'll take us."
P.B. and Mira drank the apple juice that the mini fridge in the limo offered while waiting for mom, Rukia, and Rory to climb in. Rory had been hired to cater the gala. "Can you believe he actually asked her out?" P.B. said. Mira blushed lightly.
"I could have told you he had the hots for her from the beginning. I saw him up close and personal and he was definitely feeling manly towards mom. Protective, not well yeah that too but don't tell that to anyone. Mom doesn't need the only man alive she's interested in to get scared stiff by us saying things like that." P.B. chuckled. "You mean he's more like you are. If instead of him we put you and instead of mom we said Jushiro…. By the way just how was he?" Mira dropped her smile. "What do you mean? How was he?" P.B. smirked slyly. "Oh come off it. I saw the two of you go for a walk in the woods and come out more then a little disheveled. So how was he? Are you going to tell mom? Did he propose to you?" Mira stiffened yet couldn't hide the softness that the memory of that walk brought out in her. It wasn't that they'd actually done it, but rather how gentle he had been with her. How he'd listened and drew her to him in a hug that made her feel unafraid of him touching her. Jushiro had made a fragrant oil for her to use to clear her mind of bad elements in her past whenever they seemed to become overwhelming. That was why her clothes had been misleading. As for his, he'd become tangled in a thorn bush and had to be helped out from it by her. She smiled as she remembered using her first aid kit to clean their cuts and bandage them up. The only thing that had happened unexpectantly was that before they'd come back from their walk, she'd kissed him softly on the mouth. He had not moved an inch and when she was done she hadn't dared look at him. Hating herself for being such a failure. Until he had brought up her chin and eased his mouth onto hers going slowly until she responded eagerly and with his own skill. Quick learner. Jushiro had eased away first shaking slightly. "I...we have to stop or I....I ….we will go too fast. I want to get to know you, who you are, what you want out of your life. I want to be apart of your life." Mira had hugged him to her crying. He had used her to steady himself and comfort them both. "Are you saying you love me?" Jushiro had bent his head down to her ear, his nose breathing her scent in. His mouth hot and gentle, he could never be harsh. Not even to his enemies. A soft and gentle breeze would be all they would feel if even that when he struck she had thought. "Yes, I do. As strange as that may seem, it is the truth. I love you, my mirror."