Simple Like Tea

When Byakuya strode towards the Kuchiki house, people knew he was angry. As he passed, servants scurried out of his way and lesser shinigami walked faster in the opposite direction. The frustration and fury was radiating out of his very pores, he knew, but not even the years of self-training could force him to maintain his calm now.

As he made his way to his private chambers, his heart hammered in his chest with a fury that he had long forgotten. In the back of his mind, he worried he might do something rash, but the little voice was drowned in the tidal roar of his rage. He was seeing red by the time he opened the door to his sleeping chamber and saw elder Genichi sitting in his most comfortable reading chair as though he had every right to be there.

“These are my private quarters,” Byakuya’s tone was deadly. “This is my sleeping chamber,” he emphasized the words, hoping to see some measure of shame in the elder’s expression, but all he was met with was a level gaze.

“You have been avoiding the family meetings,” Genichi began, “and you have been shirking your clan duties.” His lips twitched with the barest hint of a smile when Byakuya clenched his fists angrily.

“Surely you know that this isn’t the place to discuss clan business, Genichi-dono. It is best to broach whatever complaints you have against me at the next clan meeting with the rest of the elders.”

And Byakuya would be sure to be in a captain’s meeting at the time and conveniently unavailable.

“The elders feel that your inability to shoulder both your captain’s duties and your clan duties simultaneously must be… out of your hands. We are certain that despite your best efforts, your busy schedule has left you little time for long ceremonial meetings to discuss building extensions for the Kuchiki house and whether Futaba-san should be allowed to marry her commoner flame.”

Byakuya’s fingers twitched ever so slightly as though to reach for his zampakutou. The Futaba issue had been raised at every clan meeting for the past month, a constant thorn in his side alone because Kuchiki Futaba wanted to marry a commoner, as he had once done. He had angered the elders beyond reason back then, and now they taunted him with their refusal to allow Futaba’s marriage. She would elope eventually, they were all aware of that, but dragged the issue on regardless, all but publicly flogging her for her choice in mate.

What was more, the old windbag had spoken as though he had read Byakuya’s mind, and he again wished to press his zampakutou to the old man’s throat.

“The issue cannot be skirted any longer, Byakuya-san. The clan law is clear on this issue. You must take a wife and produce an heir. The Kuchiki bloodline must continue to walk the court of pure souls for the next thousand years, as it has done for thousands of years before. If you fail to produce an heir, the bloodline will be threatened.” Genichi gripped the arm rests of the chair, anger apparent in his voice. As he clung to life, well past a thousand years old, he was determined to see the Kuchiki house cling to life as well.

Byakuya was no fool, and he was no stranger to duty. “Kuchiki Rukia has just taken a human husband. She will no doubt produce heirs to walk the human world.”

Genichi snarled openly. “Kuchiki Rukia is not of the Kuchiki blood. She cannot produce any heirs that could inherit anything. She was adopted into the clan for personal reasons, and as a result of her marriage is no longer a Kuchiki. You speak of Kurosaki Rukia now, and any heirs of Kurosaki Rukia will be Kurosaki heirs.”

The easy way he had dismissed Rukia as some kind of stray pet temporarily housed with the Kuchikis and now given off to a new home made Byakuya want to throttle the man, but he instead sat in another reading chair, not quite as comfortable, but placing Byakuya at above eye-level to the elder so that he could look down at him in comfort. “The world has changed. Suitable women to carry the Kuchiki heirs are not so easy to find. They are weak and of a poorer substance than women used to be. There is no suitable match to be found among them.”

“The council of elders disagrees. There are suitable matches in Unohana Retsu and Soi Fong.”

Byakuya had to keep his face from contorting in anger. The women were as different as could be from one another. Unohona Retsu was a powerful captain, but not of noble blood, and Soi Fong was barely just that, a member of the lower branches of a lesser noble house that had started out as part of a bodyguard escort. But both were women of high rank, and both showed exceptional strength and cunning. It seemed that the elders were trying to steer him into a marriage that would produce a powerful heir. An heir produced from the marriage of two captain-class shinigami was almost certain to be one of the most powerful shinigami in history. Yamamoto-Genryusai had been the result of such a marriage, though that had been a difficult piece of history to obtain. He knew that the commander-general discouraged any such matches. Was it because he did not want to contend with anyone usurping his position in the future? Or was there something else to it that only he knew?

Byakuya had a sudden insight into the situation now, however. If the next commander-general was a Kuchiki, the clan would become not only the most powerful clan in soul society, but the most powerful clan in the court of pure souls as well. It would take hundreds of years for a plan like this to manifest, but the elders were known to think at least a thousand years ahead concerning every issue.

He didn’t like it. If that was indeed the elders’ plan, the Kuchiki clan would become too powerful. It would upset any balance of power that currently existed. While Byakuya detested the thought of any of his clan members being tried and sentenced for crimes they committed, he was disturbed by the thought of the Kuchikis being free to do whatever they wished with no threat of punishment. The idea of Genichi and the elders being as good as kings in all of soul society smarted. Was that really what they were after?

“There is a more suitable match in Unohana Taichou’s lieutenant, Kotetsu Isane,” Byakuya supplied in an attempt to test his theory.

Genichi’s wrinkled face made another expression of displeasure. “Byakuya-san, please refrain from choosing lesser-ranking women than yourself. As it is the council has made more than enough allowance for your… tastes. Your match may not be from the rukongai unless she is of noble birth, and not from the court of pure souls unless she is of your rank.”

While this seemed to leave Byakuya with endless choices, in reality it left him with only two. The nobles of rukongai had no eligible daughters, and only Soi Fong and Unohana Retsu were of his rank in the Seireitei. The other noble clans had been pushing their eligible sons and even their heirs into marriages with women of no noble birth at all because of the lack of potential wives among their own numbers.

Kuchiki Futaba had been a powerful leverage tool for the elders, and they had dangled the prospect that she may wed one of their sons in front of the other nobles when a particularly difficult favor was asked or when an important political maneuver had to be made. Since the news of her liaison with a commoner spread, her usefulness to the elders had diminished. When they no longer had use for her, they would discard her and leave her to spend the rest of her long life as an unwed childless inconvenience that would eventually wither away and die.

The girl would elope, he knew for certain. She would leave behind all the luxury and power of being a Kuchiki and marry her commoner flame, and her name would be stricken from the clan records and eventually forgotten. For her to go through with it, Byakuya imagined she must be in love or something like it. A pang of hurt ran him through the heart when he remembered how in love he had been with Hisana. He would never find that again, he was certain.

“If I am to marry against my will under such restrictions, I have conditions.” Genichi looked as though he had just caught a whiff of a vile smell.

“The Council of Elders does not pay heed to ‘conditions’ from one such as yourself, Byakuya-san. Surely you are aware of that.”

“And surely the Council of Elders is aware that as the current heir of the Kuchiki clan, I do not need the council’s permission to marry whomever I choose. Surely the council is aware, and perhaps the council would have no say should I choose someone who does not fit your… requirements.” Byakuya was pleased to see Genichi squirm.

“What sort of condition is it that you have, Byakuya-san?” Genichi spat his name as though trying to spit out an ugly taste, clearly unhappy that he was forced to listen to Byakuya’s demand.

Byakuya pretended to consider. “Whomever I choose within the limitations given me by the honourable council will be at my discretion. And whatever heirs are produced of the marriage shall be educated and raised in the manner that the mother and I see fit; without council interference.” Genichi looked like he could swallow a sword and spit out thumbtacks, but Byakuya wasn’t done. “Also, Kuchiki Futaba will be allowed to marry the man she chose with the full support of the entire clan.”

“You shameless dog!” Genichi was on his feet, fists clenched in anger. “Do you think you can impose your will on the council? Do you really think that one such as you has the right to tell me what to do?” He looked like he was thinking of striking Byakuya, and the thought amused the younger Kuchiki. He made no effort to keep his amusement from his face, which only seemed to outrage the elder even more. When Byakuya thought Genichi was about to fall over dead of rage, he finally spoke. “Fine. Your demands will be met, but you will marry within the council’s limitations within two months. Two months! If you fail to, the council will arrange the marriage for you, and Kuchiki Futaba will never see the light of day again.”

Byakuya’s lips twitched ever so slightly in a snarl. “Please leave my bed chambers, Genichi-dono. It is late, and I need to rest for my duties tomorrow.”

Genichi seemed to compose himself before reaching for the walking stick leaning against the chair and standing as straight as his bent back allowed him to. “You will take a wife, Byakuya-san. You will fall in line and respect the authority of the elders. This I guarantee you.” With that, he limped out of the room, shutting the door loudly behind him.

Summoning the servant and asking him to bring tea, Byakuya eyed himself in the mirror again. That bumbling old fool of a man. How dare he try to manipulate him? He could snap his spindly little neck like a twig without even leaving his seat if he wanted. The stupid sack of bones wanted Byakuya to fall in line, did he? To respect the authority of the fool elders and their fool plans.

His reflection in the mirror glared back at him with a smoldering hatred in its eyes. He was a man alone, but he was not going to lie down and let the elders run his life. He would defy them yet, if it was the last thing he did.




TBC


AN/ Another short one, but if you put this one and the previous short one together, I suppose it'll be substantial enough for the week.

For continuing reviewers, thank you! I'm really glad that I've been able to maintain interest, despite half the time not knowing myself what's going to happen next. One reviewer has expressed curiosity over who will end up with Reiko: Byakuya or Renji. If I have it my way, that question won't be answered until the latest possible moment. I want to keep the suspense alive for as long as possible. In other words, I'm not sure yet who I want to pit her with. ^^

For the lurkers, thanks for reading! Tune in next week.