CHAPTER 1: FOREST

"Kurosaki-sama please don't go any further!" called a girl with a sweet voice, her smile was bright as her eyes, her hair with the color of the sunset was adorned with flower pins and roses. "Please Kurosaki-sama, you're Father will be angry if you get lost again" she tried but knew too well to force her words in the thick brain of a 7 year old with the curiosity of a giant cat, sighting she turned to her garden to collect lilies and abelias to color the castle and fill it with perfumed air.

"It's okay I won't get lost!" cried Kurosaki Ichigo running fast towards the so banned woods. He was a lively and happy child, beloved of his mother and the successor of the Kurosaki House, lords of the lands of Karakura , a powerful town in Tokyo bay. The youngster like any of his kind loved wondering close to the forest and following beautifully flying insects, such as the purple butterfly he was following at that exact moment. Thought, walking and walking around he never noticed how half an hour later he was way deep in the forest, in an unknown place for him. The tall trees wouldn't allow the moonlight to reach the ground, "How it became so dark so quickly?" cried Ichigo in fear.

"Inoue-san... where are you?!" called Ichigo walking and stopping to try and hear his governess voice, "Inoue-san!" a shadow moved and he turned, was his beloved nanny? or was it a monster?, "INOUE-SAN!" cried louder but there was no answer "Inoue!... I'm scared!" he cried but there was nothing but silence. He cried long and hard until his throat was horse and his eyes burned, he didn't know for how long, but in the end, exhausted and hopeless he cuddled close to a tree were the only moonlight ray hit, with no strength to keep on crying.

"Inoue-san..." he sobbed feeling the damp ground, his body chilling over it, he closed his eyes and trembled. But then when a soft hand petted him on his head he looked up. "Shh stop crying little one, Are you alone?" said a girl, and he felt his eyes filling with tears, the girl smiled sweetly at him, she was about his age, with short dark blue hair, fair skin and piercing blue eyes. She was dressed in the common wealth style, with a simple yet beautiful dress with pink flowers. When the tears threatened to fall again she smiled and petted him. "Don't worry I'll help you find your way home again, okay?" she said and taking his hand he pulled him to stand up.

Once standing up, holding tightly the girl's hand Ichigo felt safe and less scared and nodded drying the tears from his face with the back of his free hand. "My name is Ichigo what's yours?"

"I am Rukia, is good plea-sure to meet you" she answered back rolling the words slowly to vocalize them well, her accent was thick but Ichigo found it lovely so he smiled back. "Rukia-chan are you an angel?", the girl looked back at him for a moment and then laughed heartily, "I'm no angel, I'm Rukia" she beamed and Ichigo laughed too walking by her side.

He told her about the great fortress, the wall of stone right at the beginning of the forest, she showed him a path were brief moonlight rays hit against rocks and earth to give it a magical touch. It was still dark and they moved slowly, but never letting go of her hand Ichigo found it fun and wonderful, forgetting completely his need of his Inoue-san or his home. "Rukia-chan you're so brave living in this forest!"

"I know," agreed Rukia, "but that's because I have my Onii-chan with me, he tells me everything of the forest so I never get lost and know my way home."

"So your Onii-san must be very brave too," said Ichigo and Rukia smiled proudly lifting her chest and walking long quick strides. "He's the most bravest brother in the whole wide world" she said and he knew she was right, he sounded pretty much the most bravest brother in the whole wide world.

"But then if you're not an angel, Rukia-chan, do you want to marry me?" Ichigo asked stopping for a moment, Rukia felt the tug of her hand and turned to see Ichigo's hopeful eyes, "Father says one day I'll have to grow up and marry someone, and I want to marry an angel like my Momma, you're not an angel but you can become one," he said his expression serious, Rukia looked down at the floor and back to Ichigo's eyes, considering her answer. No one had ask her to marry her before.

Ichigo taking both of her hands, childish determination in his face. "You saved me, you have to marry me"

The logic was undeniable, Rukia's brows furrowed and she nodded seriously, "I'm only Rukia and no angel, but okay" she said and Ichigo smiled happily, "But we must live in the forest! My brother said that when he'd got married he will live here too so we'll all live together" she said holding back Ichigo's hand.

"Mmm," Ichigo thought deeply, the forest was a scary place and father hated him being there, but maybe if Rukia was with him again father wont hated it that much, "okay" he agreed and kissed her right cheek in promise, "On my 18th birthday I will search for you and we'll marry, okay?" he said and Rukia smiled back "Don't forget you have to say yes"

"I'll wait, and I'll defiantly be the most good wife" Rukia said and taking out from her pocket a large necklace with a seashell she put it on his neck "this is a promise you can't forget" Ichigo touched the hard shell and nodded solemnly. "…then take this!" he said taking out from his finger and placing it on her ring finger, a gold band with a solitary blue diamond embedded in the center, the ring was far to big for her small petty hands, but she keep it there, squeezing her hand tight in a ball for it to remain in it's place. "It's my Momma's so you can't lose it," Rukia looked at the golden ring and she smiled wide and happily, "Okay!" and both started walking again hand in hand.

Soon enough the fortress wall were at sight, Ichigo beamed and letting go of Rukia's hand run in to it calling his governess name, "Inoue-san!" she was right at the entrance, her eyes red as her cheeks for searching so long and hard in the forest. At hearing her name Inoue turned instantly with hopeful eyes, Ichigo felt like crying and run towards her both falling in a tight embrace.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Ichigo cried hiding his face in Inoue's shoulder, she had knelt on the ground to hold him, "I won't do it ever again!" Inoue only petted his head and caressed his back crying and giving silent thanks for the Kami's who gave her beloved child back. "It's fine, you're here... you're here"

Following the sounds people gathered around, some sighed and some laughed, everyone was weary and happy, finally finding their young master.

"Ah! Inoue-san you have to meet her!" beamed Ichigo turning to see where Rukia had being left, "Meet?" Inoue quickly followed Ichigo's line of view but there was no one in sight. "She's gone... Inoue-san she was here, she helped me come back," Ichigo looked in to the forest but there were no shadows or sign of her, "Who Kurosaki-sama?"

"My waife Inoue-san!" he said still trying to find her and Inoue smiled tenderly, "It's said wi-fe young master and I didn't know you had already chose one," Inoue said raising over her feet and taking the child in her arms to carry him back home, "Yes I did and she said yes and when I grow up I'll see her and we'll be marry," he explained happily and Inoue nodded in agreement, smiling at the child's innocence, for she believed it had being all a dream.

- 0 -

Deep in the heart of the forest, following a trail of oaks and wind whispers Kuchiki Rukia run towards her home, jumping from rock to rock with a big smile on her face. She had never felt so happy, of course her older brother gave her a life of comfortable bliss, they had barely any money yet they were together and that was all she needed. She hadn't met their parents but his older brother, Kuchiki Byakuya had told her all about them, and when she needed to be scolded he furrowed his brows and growled, and when she needed a hug or a kiss he was always tender and caring, always there for her. He had worked hard to build for themselves a house, deep in the forest they loved so much.

I have to tell Onii-chan! She thought and when the trail opened and she was able to see the round face of the moon she stopped, trying to catch her breath she arranged her dress. She tidied up her hair and tied the ring with an old rope she used to carry her home key around her neck. This way, I won't ever lose it. She started walking again. The house was small, made of wood with a stone chimney, it was surrounded by a garden, with the beginnings of an orchard at the left and a path of flowers to the right. A perfect place for an angel, she thought happily and opened the door quickly. "Byakuyanii-sama! Byakuyanii-sama! You won't believe who I met today!" she called merrily closing the door, but there was no answer back, no scolding from coming back late or worry words for meeting a stranger in the forest, there was only the ticking of a clock and ragged whisper. "Byakuyanii-sama?" she called again searching for her brother's tall figure.

Why was his brother not home yet? She worried giving two doubtful steps forward trembling, there was no fire, his brother always lighted the fire before she came back so she would always find the house warm and cozy. She could smell saffron and peppermint, her eyes adjusted to the moonlight distinguished potatoes and onions, the ingredients for their meals still laying on the table, she gave another step and was about to call again when something rough and large was placed over her mouth and nose. "..." she struggled against it with all her strength, her hands hitting the arm and hand that kept it in place, trying to move it away. But soon she was loosing it, her limbs following to her sides, her mind numbing. The man behind her let her fall and suddenly there was light in the house, she noticed many men she had never seeing before, with scarred faces and wicked grins, her body trembled but she could not feel anything anymore, the last image in her mind to engrave was the lifeless body of his brother, soaked in his own blood, laying on the floor. Onii-sama, she cried, yet she could'nt tell if she had said it or only thought it, her mind drifting away.

Disturbed dreams mixed with memories became dreadful nightmares, the young child woke and slept with no understanding of what was real and what wasn't. At some point she knew she had being put inside a room full with people, misfortune beings sold or lost or taken away from their homes, their hushed voices and laments singing tormenting lullabies to her broken heart. When she was able to wake up, conscious of her surroundings she found herself tied up, pulled and pushed by the force of the sea under the ships floor.

Byakuyanii-sama... Ichigo-kun... She cried, resting her cheek against the hard wood until there were no more tears and she fall asleep again.

Author's note: And finally it's this fanfic's time to be edited, yay! Hope this new version I'm starting of this fanfic is way better and fills you with raw emotions. Read and review please.