Separate Worlds

The king was dead. It happened during the night, while everyone was asleep.

XXX

The king walked through the corridors of the castle, thinking of the future. How would the world be when he was gone? When his son was on the throne instead of him? Would the kingdom fall or prosper? The king shook his doubts. His son was a fine young man, and would one day make a great king for the village of Karakura. Karakura Village: the homeland of the king and his family, along with the villagers. Karakura was not a large city, but everyone who lived their was happy. This was enough for the villagers, and it made the royals happy that their vassals were happy. The king did not dread what would happen when he left the throne. However, the king did not believe that the period that he was pondering would come quite so soon.

An earthquake awoke the prince from his slumber. He quickly used the reflexes he had built during his training as a knight to duck under his bed for safety. The tremor ended after a few minutes. The prince quickly rose from under the bed, and quickly went through the castle to check on the wellbeing of everyone else in the castle. Everyone seemed to be all right. Just when the prince was satisfied that everyone was going to be all right, a servant approached him.

"My prince, I bring grave news," the servant announced, bowing deeply. This was mostly so he didn't have to look the prince in the eyes.

"What has happened?" The prince asked, terribly worried.

"The king is dead."

"…"

"My pr-"

"How did it happen?"

"He was walking through the castle when the earthquake hit. We believe he was crushed by a falling suit of armor."

"…"

"My prince, are you aware of what that means?"

"…"

"My prince?"

The servant was surprised to find the prince suddenly crying into his arms. The servant smiled sadly as the young man let out his tears. More servants gathered around, and spoke soothing words of comfort to their new king. When the prince regained his composure, he stood tall and his face became solemn. The prince let out a sigh, and faced his servants.

"For now, our first priority is to ensure everyone's well being, but in the morning we begin preparations for the king's burial."

The servants bowed to the new leaders, and they exited, except for the servant who had brought the new in the first place.

"Tell me, have my sisters been informed as well?" The prince asked.

"Not yet, sir."

"Bring them to me. I will tell them."

"Yes, sir."

XXX

The news had been conveyed to the twin princesses. They mourned alongside their brother, and two days later the entire village of Karakura attended the king's funeral. The villagers stood in a circle at the top of the hill where the late queen, Masaki, along with the rest of Karakura's past royals were buried. Twelve knights carried King Ishiin's body, and as they did, the circle opened for them. The casket was crafted from fine glass, and embroidered with gold and silver. The gold was inlaid with emeralds, and the silver implanted with rubies. The casket was lowered into the ground. Villagers, nobles, and royals alike said their final farewells to their king. As people dispersed, only the prince remained. The prince kneeled in front of his parents' tombs. He was worried, to say the least. What did he know about running a kingdom? What would become of the kingdom? The prince's mind swarmed with questions, but he would make it. He had his sister's to support him. They would be there for each other.

XXX

The prince was now walking down the aisle of he throne room. He sat down on the throne as he observed the nobles watching him. They watched with such cold gazes, as if they expected to fail in his duties. If he failed, then the people would reject him as king, and one of the noble families would take power. Unfortunately, that was the cold world of politics, and the prince knew it. That's why he would succeed. He wasn't about to give those heartless politicians the satisfaction of his failure. The prince bowed his head as the priest placed the crown atop his head. The prince looked up again and rose as he took the scepter in his hand. He faced the gathering, retaining a straight face to spite the nobles. Then the head priest spoke:

"All rise, and hail your new leader: King Ichigo Kurosaki!"

All hail King Kurosaki!" The congregation called out in unison.

Yes, now Ichigo was king. The entire kingdom had made him into a spectacle as a child. His orange hair was the strangest sight to see in a royal, as most royals had the dominant trait of dark hair, with the occasional blonde. But never in the history of the royal family had their been a royal with such bright orange hair. Now that young boy who had been so adored was king, and the villagers were ecstatic. Not only had Ichigo been thought of as attractive as a boy, he was considered the most benevolent prince in the history of Karakura. When the prince was a child, he loved to walk the streets of the village. On his first visit to the village, just a few days after his sixth birthday, he wanted to visit the bakery. His servants bought him a pastry and a loaf of bread to take home to the castle. As the prince walked back through the streets, towards the castle, he saw one of the paupers of Karakura. The man was sitting in the dirt, leaning against an alley wall. He sat staring into the bakery; he was obviously hungry. The young prince asked for his loaf of bread, so the servant. Confused as to why the prince wanted it, gave it to him. Ichigo took the bread and walked over to the man. The servant put his hand on his dagger in case of foul play. Ichigo called out to the man, who looked at the prince. When the pauper recognized Ichigo, he put his pace in the dirt and bowed to the prince. Ichigo told the man to rise. The man complied, and Ichigo held out the bread to him. The looked at the bread, and then to Ichigo who nodded. The man took the bread, and thanked Ichigo repeatedly. The villagers saw and retold this event. Ichigo did many more good acts throughout the village, and earned his reputation as a kind, caring man. Now that kind, caring man was king.

XXX

Ichigo sat in his office, signing the daily amount of papers that flowed in needing the king's permission for various affairs. Ichigo did this in the morning, so then he could have they rest of the day to spend as he pleased. When he finished, he made his rounds around the castle. Today, Ichigo walked down to the Knights' Hall, where the royal knights trained and held committee. He had a special errand to complete today. He knocked on the Leader of the Royal Guard's door. He was met with a gruff "Enter." Ichigo entered the room, and the Head Knight looked up at is guest.

"My-My king, I an honored by your presence," the Head Knight stammered, surprised by his guest. The Head Knight was a man named Grimmjow Jeagerjaques. He had electric blue hair, and was known for his skill in combat. It was true that Grimmjow was an expert with a sword, but what he was truly renowned for was his man-to-man fighting. Grimmjow's most well-known moment was when he personally defended Karakura from twenty-five invading knights armed with swords, shields, bows, and arrows with nothing but his bare hands in the middle of the night when he had no time to retrieve a better weapon. It was the middle of the night, so no others guards were awake. The feat had put him in the infirmary for a month, but he had saved Karakura.

"Sir Jeagerjaques-"

"Please, call me Grimmjow."

"Grimmjow, I am aware that there is a knight named Chad Yasutora in your ranks, am I correct?"

"Yasutora? Yes there is. Why?"

"I would like him to be my personal body guard; he knight that is always by my side. Is this agreeable with you?"

"Of course, my king, but may I ask why."

"Chad and I met as children. I snuck out of the castle once, and I saw a gathering of rowdy boys causing trouble in the streets. I tried to stop them, but I was outnumbered. They were too drunk to recognize me as the prince, so they were beating me pretty badly. Just when things were getting bad, Chad came out of nowhere, and backed me up. Both of us put those guys in their place. We had plenty of adventures after that, until he entered training to become a knight, that is."

"That's quite a story. I had no idea of your and Chad's friendship. You see, he never talks."

Ichigo laughed. He remembered how silent Chad could be. Grimmjow left the room, and returned with a tall, muscular boy with dark skin. The boy's hair covered his eyes, and he said nothing when he entered. Ichigo stood up and slapped the man on the shoulder.

"Chad! How've you been?"

"Ichigo? You remember me?"

"Of course, Chad. Just because I'm king doesn't mean I don't consider you a friend."

"I always knew you would make a great king. Why do you want to see me?"

"I want you to be the knight that is always by the king's side. My bodyguard of sorts."

"Why me, Ichigo?"

"You're the only person I ever trusted in a fight."

"It would be an honor."

"Excellent! But you have to promise me one thing."

"Yes, sir?"

"Don't be so formal."

"Right."