Chapter 1:Preface

During the mist of a battle with a hollow, I can feel something stirring in me and tearing me apart. Falling to the ground I clutch at my chest the pain becoming nearly unbearable as my vision blurs. The edge of my vision blackens as I watch Uryuu hits the hollow in the mask and it turns to ash. I clutch as my throat and cough loudly trying to bring air into my lungs as it seems to be pressed from them. Uryuu runs over with Chad by his side and they kneel worry creasing their brows.

"Ichigo are you alright you took a pretty hard hit? Ichigo!" I feel my hearing slowly fade from view and it feels like someone stabbed me through the heart. My vision goes completely grey and I feel my father's energy rushing toward me. Looking up I catch his eyes as they stare at me. Is this what it's like to die? My vision slowly goes black and I feel my chest rise slowly before becoming quicker and quicker as my hollow side surfaces to see what's wrong. Then, nothing; not even the air against my cheek or the annoying voice of Hichigo and the calming voice of Zangetsu.

Out of nowhere I feel a power rush through my bones and into my blood boiling in it for some time before Hichigo and Zangetsu return to me speaking softly at first and then growing louder as time wears on. Before my eyes even open my body propels me forward in pain and I grab at my heart as it races forward.

"Kurosaki-dono you must relax we cannot have you hurt yourself, I know it is painful but it is worse if you move!" A very flustered girl says pushing me back into a rather comfortable bed. She very pretty with bright honey colored hair pulling into a tie allowing the long strands to fall to the middle of her back. Bangs falling across her forehead curving around her crystalline eyes and framing them to look wide and innocent. I sigh and close my eyes for a moment trying to stay calm and relax to stop the pain.

"What is your name?" I ponder aloud she gasps and mumbles nervously much too softly for me to pick up. "Pardon?"

"My name is Yasu Kichura, Kurosaki-dono." She murmurs again but slightly louder this time. I open one eye and look at her noticing just how afraid of me she seemed to be. Her small feminine hands shook terribly and her wide eyes barely withheld the fear that seemed to radiate through them. Yet, every one of her movements was precise as if she was afraid to mess up or she had been doing them for many years. To calm her I try to push a small smile onto my face before asking my next question vaguely remembering the time Ruki told me that my smiles calmed people. Rukia would ask me to smile at the oddest of times but I did so understanding that she needed something from them.

"Why do you keep calling me that Yasu?" She looks at me wide eyed her lip quivering slightly and she looks as if she is about to cry. What did I say?

"I-I apologize, Kurosaki-dono, would you rather I called you something else?" I look at her slightly confused. She drops her head and eyes to the floor while sitting on her knees. Her hands roll around each other and she reminds me of a young child that has been scolded by their parents. I barely suppress the urge to chuckle at her knowing that it would only make her more uncomfortable than she already is.

"Please explain to me why you are addressing me as such I'm just a substitute soul reaper I'm no lord." Her eyes go wider, if that is even possible, as my father walks in and she stands and bows before walking toward the open Shoji screen kneeling and crawling out. She bows quietly before sliding the screen shut and I vaguely pick up on her soft steps fluttering across the wooden floors as she practically runs from my room.

"It's nice to see you up son." He says sitting down beside me and smirking. I feel a glare hardening my soft eyes as I stare at him demanding answers with just that one look. His eyes dart from mine and I can see a smile turning the corner of his lips. Ass it's not funny...I'm confused as hell.

"What the hell is going on, goat-chin?" I gripe and the harsh pain that comes with the harsh words removes the breath from me and I clutch my stomach in pain. My father chuckles and removes my hand from my stomach before waving a hand, glowing with kidou, over the area making the pain lessen until it is bearable. I sigh and relax into the bed my energy getting increasingly lower with each movement.

"Ichigo please don't be angry that I never told you about this but you are the new Spirit King. You mother was the younger sister of the former Spirit King and he didn't have any children because his wife died young and he refused to remarry so you are the only male heir. I didn't want to tell you because your mother didn't want you to be burdened by all of this until it was absolutely time. Your uncle was very old and just died recently. I'm not of this family's blood so I can't take the throne." I could feel my eyes slowly widening before I shut them completely and let out a harsh breath at my father's annoying nature. Opening my eyes I allow my emotions to calm practicing the techniques Yoruichi had been teaching me to control my temper.

"So my uncle is dead, what about my human life?" My dad looks away from me and I get my answer. My human body died but my soul didn't. I look to the window along the wall to my left before asking my next question. "How did I die?"

"Ichigo, when your Uncle died all his power was passed down to you and as your soul grew stronger your human body couldn't contain it and it slowly ate away at your human body and the seal placed on it until finally the seal broke and bam you died. Urahara is making a new gigai for you to use when you visit but you have no choice in the matter of the throne, also you will be married." I shake my head vehemently. What about Rukia? That bastard has known I've loved her for years now and he just now springs this shit on me if I wasn't in so much pain I'd kill him. I clench my fists and he scoots a bit away from me before settling down again. I suppose he sensed the hostility that is rolling off of me in waves. I release a breath again and think through everything. I should probably get all the details on this before I over react...yes Yoruichi has been trying to get me to think before acting as well.

"Dad...who will I marry?" He chuckles softly and I turn to face him. His eyes are alight with something reminiscent to laughter but not quite laughter...amusement maybe? The old man is senile anyway so what does it really matter. Should I even be listening to a word he says?

"You will get to choose between all of the noble families, each one has a suitor picked out for you and you will meet each of them until you find the one. Yasu is your servant and Haruto and Kenshin are your body guards. They will tell you everything you need to know but keep in mind they will also do what you say and you do not always have to listen to them... promise me something Ichigo." I sigh and try to nod before giving up on trying because it would be useless considering how stiff my body is. He chuckles dryly before shaking his head at my problems. The old bastard doesn't even try to help me he just sits there and laughs. Fucking asshole...

"Sure what is it old man?" I finally give up on him and roll my eyes at him. He laughs and talks very softly so no one can hear. It is so soft that I'm tempted to lean in closer to him but stop myself from doing so knowing that the pain will be very punishing.

"I want you to promise me you will have a little fun every once in a while and not lose who you are because of the crown, if you lose yourself you lose everything. I promised your mother I would get you to promise me this one thing." Looking up at him and grimace slightly at the mention of my mother. I miss her sometimes.

"Dad I promise that I won't let it go to my head. Tell Yuzu and Karin I love them okay? Every day?" My dad sighs and nods before gently hugging me so not to hurt me more and walking out stopping briefly to bow at the waist and close the shoji screen to my recovery room. Two shadows pass the first door and stop at the second to kneel and bow stiffly. One is huge and towers over the other. The second shoji screen slides open to reveal to bowing men who crawl through and then bow again before the smaller one turns and shuts the screen. They rise from their bows and sit staring at me.

"Kurosaki-dono we are your body guards Haruto and Kenshin." I laugh softly and wave my hand at them. They stare at me quizzically probably thinking that I lost my head or their new king is some crazy bastard.

"Stop bowing, for one, and for two call me Ichigo, I hate using formalities although I should get used to it because I can't tell that to everyone can I?" Haruto shakes his head 'no' and I chuckle dryly. They move to sit against the walk and Yasu comes back in to rewrap my bandages. She follows the pattern Haruto and Kenshin did before walking to my side and slowly lifting me to rewrap the bandages around my torso and chest.

I look over into her bright cheery eyes and she deflates a bit before ducking her burning face and working much quicker on my bandages. "Did anyone else come here with me?" She looks startled and nods slowly.

"Y-yes Kurosaki-dono, Shihōin-sama and Urahara-sama were here while you were recovering but they left before you awoke." I push a smile onto my face as she finishes trying to ease her fear but instead she blushed a bit before hurrying out completely forgoing formalities and simply shutting the screen. I stare at the shut screens before shaking my head and bit and turning back to the two silent men. I use my hands to push my body up into a sitting position ignoring my screaming body for a better look at the two. "Can you two tell me about the finding a bride part of the whole marriage thing I'm a little sketchy on that."

I scratch the back of my head and Haruto nods quickly and begins speaking. "Well each family of noble blood chose one suitor of the female gender to represent their family. You will meet them for a day or less and if you do not like them we may leave, it will not dishonor the families because most have other males lined up except for a few. Kenshin isn't the only one the Kuchiki house?" The bigger man nods and stays silent.

I take in their appearances and they sort of remind me of Kenryuu and Enryuu. Haruto is smaller than Kenshin with long shaggy blonde hair and dark blue eyes while Kenshin is larger than him with black hair that spikes all over his head and dark brown eyes. Kenshin has a black shield tattooed on his upper right arm while Haruto has a black dagger on the wrist of his left arm. While Haruto is a bit smaller than my size Kenshin towers over both of us and is slightly taller than the doorways. They are exact opposites and Haruto speaks more than Kenshin, actually Kenshin reminds me of Noba and Chad a little bit, silent but safe.

I suppose I'll have to tell Rukia, or maybe not...well we'll have to see who's from her house first now won't we. I hope for my sake its Rukia or I will tear the entire Seireitei down until she is mine.

"Um Haruto could we possibly go to the Kuchiki house first to get it over with, Byakuya is one scary guy and I just want to get past him, plus Renji will probably be there and I totally have to rub this in that bozo's face." He looks to Kenshin and they nod at the same time...creepy.