AN: Heya everyone, after rereading Coercion I have made some minor changes. I wasn't happy with the way I wrote it and have cleaned it up taking away a bit of what I wrote and added some new material. Instead of a sequel the story is now continued and will be much longer. (As was originally planned.) sorry for the wait, I hope you all enjoy :D

Chapter One: An indecent proposal

"It's not fair!" Isshin Kurosaki cried loudly as his eldest daughter Ichigo attempted to snatch her school bag from his ironclad grasp.

"You're such an Idiot Dad! Give it back now or I'm gonna be late for school again!" She snarled then aimed a kick at her old man's stomach.

"Why are you so mean to me my child!" The doctor bawled loudly as he took a foot in the belly and went crashing to the floor. Ichigo smirked as she watched him splutter and twitch. Then quickly swiped her satchel from his now limp grip.

"You're such a pain in the ass." She muttered then stepped over him and out the front door. As she made her way down the garden path she heard him cry mournfully after her.

"All I wanted was to hug you my daughter! Mother our children are so cruel!"

Ichigo huffed loudly in exasperation. Why did her father feel the need to constantly smother her? If the old man wasn't trying to hug her, then he was trying to launch super daddy love kicks at her head.

Ichigo groaned as she looked at the time on her flip up phones screen.

"Crap! If I don't hurry I'm gonna be late." She leapt over the garden fence and took off down the street at a dead run. If she missed registration again her home room teacher was going to kill her for sure this time.

She was half way there and making good time to boot when a man appeared in front of her out of nowhere.

"Renji!" Ichigo cried as she stumbled to a halt and barely avoided crashing into the tattooed lieutenant before steadying herself. "What are you doing here?" She demanded, eyeing the man questioningly.

"Late for school again?" The Soul reaper asked his voice filled with mock reproach, which was betrayed by the childish grin on his face.

"What do you want Renji?" Ichigo asked as she brushed some errant strands of orange hair away from her face. She wasn't in the mood for a verbal battle with the man, and preferred to get to the point rather than waste any more time.

"My Captain wants to see you. He said it's important." The lieutenant droned. His smile disappeared and was replaced by a deep scowl. Obviously he was not frilled that the Kuchiki noble had once again made him the errand boy.

Ichigo recoiled, what could Byakuya want with her? The man made it no secret that he despised everything about her.

"Why?" Ichigo decided it would be better to find out what was going on before deciding to obey the Kuchiki Lords unusual request.

"I dunno." Renji griped. "It's not like he tells me these things, but he said you have to be at the Kuchiki manor in an hour. It sounded pretty serious I've never seen him in such a bad mood before."

"Not even the time that I 'not so accidentally' spilt tea on him?" Ichigo jibbed lightly.

"Not even when you spilt tea on him." Renji smirked. Ichigo was unnerved. Renji's overall mood seemed very subdued and Ichigo found herself curious as to what Byakuya had said or done to make him so melancholy.

"I really should be heading off to school." Ichigo sniffed as she unclipped the combat pass from her skirt belt reluctantly.

She pressed the small devise against her chest and sprang out of her body; then quickly turned to catch the now unoccupied corpse before it hit the ground. After setting it casually against a nearby wall she used flash step to go home and grab Kon. She arrived back at the scene within a few seconds and pulled the angry Mod soul out of his lion toy form and dropped him into her bodies slack mouth.

The mod soul immediately jumped up a disgruntled look on his/her face. Then after looking down he immediately grabbed her body's breasts a huge lecherous smile plastered across his face.

"I can look at myself naked!" He cried happily as he squeezed her assets together.

"Get your hands off of those you perverted little shit!" Ichigo roared as she wrestled Kon's wandering fingers away from her girly parts.

"Look, I've got to go to the soul society, and if I come back to find you doing sick things to my body again I'll super-glue you into a baby doll and give you to Yuzu!"

Kon immediately stopped struggling; a sour look across his face as his hands dropped limply by his sides.

"You spoil everything Ichigo." Kon huffed indignantly.

"Whatever. Now get to school and tell the guys where I am going." Ichigo ordered him. "And don't do anything illegal!"

Ichigo watched as the Mod soul stomped away bottom lip stuck out like a petulant child who had been denied their favourite toy.

"I won't" Kon replied in a sing song voice before disappearing around a corner.

"I don't understand why you don't use chappy like all the other women." Renji stated as he removed Zabimaru and prepared to open a Senkaimon.

"I'd rather nail my tongue to a railway line than use chappy again."

Ichigo shuddered as she remembered the time Rukia had bought her one and how she had returned from her night time patrol only to find Chappy and Keigo playing kiss chase up and down her street.

Never again.

She stood back as Renji slashed Zabimaru in front of him and a newly formed Senkaimon appeared out of thin air. The two Soul reapers stepped through the open doors and made there way into the dark surging passageway between worlds. They arrived in the soul society shortly after.

The weather in Seireitei was pleasant. The trees had recently begun to bloom and the air held a certain weight that promised to all a glorious summer. Around the various divisions many men and women could be seen rushing about their day to day lives and occasionally pausing to enjoy the freshness of spring.

Ichigo suddenly felt ill at ease. She and Byakuya had never gotten along. Whatever he wanted to speak with her about must be important if he wanted to see her in person.

"Renji, why does he want to meet me at his manor and not the sixth division?" Ichigo asked curiously. "Once Rukia asked him if I could stay over for a couple of nights and he said a load of crap about exterminators and vermin control, at first I thought they where having the mansion fumigated, but then I realised he was talking about me."

Renji smirked upon hearing this then pondered her question for a moment.

"I have no clue. He always keeps his duties as a Captain and a noble separate. I've never heard of him inviting someone below the rank of Captain over to his manor before. Maybe it's to do with Rukia." Renji wondered out loud.

Ichigo smirked when she saw the tall brutish red head's eyes cloud over at the thought of his beloved childhood friend.

"Maybe you're right." Ichigo curled her lips into a haughty sneer "Stay away from my sister you vile human girl." she impersonated the tone of the Rukia's older brother. "Your disreputable ways are rubbing off on her. She no longer acts in a way befitting a lady of a Kuchiki Clan."

"What a shame." Renji said sarcastically; a toothy grin breaking out across his sharp features.

Ichigo knew that Renji no longer harboured any ill will towards his Captain, nevertheless the friends often found amusement in poking fun at the Nobles icy demeanour.

The two fell into a comfortable silence and took their time walking towards the Kuchiki mansion; occasionally stopping to talk with an acquaintance.

The grand Manor came into view long before they finally reached it and Ichigo felt her anxiety grow with every step that took her closer to its ornate gates. She soon quelled her growing disquiet by promising to herself that should the older man say or do anything spiteful that she would retaliate by shoving Zangetsu up his ass.

Comforted by that thought Ichigo found it much easier to step through the gates; which had been opened by some of Byakuya's purple garbed servants.

Once inside the towering walls Ichigo took her time to look around. The Manor house was huge, it's dark brown walls beautiful; yet at the same time foreboding. The surrounding gardens were magnificent, everything was immaculate, the grass was a perfect deep green, The Cherry blossoms were strategically placed along various pebbled pathways that curled around the expanse of land and several meters away a koi pond with crystalline water glittered peacefully in the sunlight.

It's too perfect Ichigo thought as she pictured her garden back in Karakura town which under Yuzu's careful administrations had turned into a fine patch of land. Personally Ichigo did not see the need for any of the extravagance the Kuchiki gardens displayed.

She was brought back from her musings when she felt Renji not so gently elbow her in the ribs. She turned to land a punch on the lieutenants jaw, but stopped when she spotted a stern looking man dressed in a pale blue, almost grey Yukata approaching them.

"Kurosaki Ichigo." The man addressed formerly as he inclined his head in the barest hint of a bow, then moved his hand to indicate that she should follow him.

Ichigo nodded and moved forward. She noticed that Renji was still standing by the gate.

"Aren't you coming?"

"No I'm gonna wait here." The red head replied as he gave her a small smile.

"He has not been invited by Lord Kuchiki." The man stated as he turned on heel with Ichigo reluctantly following closely behind.

The man led Ichigo into a very grand looking entrance hallway; where she removed her sandals and was presented with a pair of house slippers that looked as though they were worth more than her year's allowance. She slipped them on and continued to follow the man throughout the breathtakingly beautiful hallways of the Kuchiki manor.

It is so much bigger than my house. Ichigo thought as she fiddled with her ponytail. Heck it's nearly as big as my school.

The hallways were large and the occasional servant could be seen tending to the various precious heirlooms and flowers that stood proudly on display.

The blue, grey yukata man suddenly knelt beside a finely painted paper door and grasped it's ornately craved handle and slid it open

"My lord, Kurosaki Ichigo has arrived." He spoke politely his manner a world away from the one he had used to address Ichigo and Renji.

"Send her in Yagari." The velvety tones of Byakuya Kuchiki replied.

Ichigo made her way towards the room and stepped in, yukata man Yagari excused himself giving her an unpleasant look as he left.

She began to feel very uncomfortable upon seeing a stern looking elderly woman, with silver hair pulled tightly into an overly elaborate bun. She was dressed in a fine dark green Kimono and sat ramrod straight on her kneeling cushion.

Byakuya and the woman turned to look at her in union. Ichigo suddenly wished she had redone her ponytail before entering the room. She felt that her own clothes were ratty and poor compared to their extravagant garments.

"Kurosaki if you would take a seat." Byakuya spoke quietly, a strong hand gesturing to a kneeling cushion near to his own.

Ichigo looked at him and was pleasantly surprised when she saw that he was not wearing his Captains Haori nor was he wearing his Shihakusho; but was instead wearing an elegant royal blue kimono and long white Haori with the Kuchiki clan symbol emblazoned on the back.

She stared at him as she made her way to the seat directly opposite his and settled down. His Kenseikan were neatly perched upon his head and his ever present scarf was hung as always gracefully around his broad shoulders. It was true that this look was not a far cry from his usual Captain's grabs but she had never seen him in anything else and so the change was as a result quite profound.

Ichigo tried to resist the urge to fidget as she felt two sets of staring eyes weighing upon her.

"You are no doubt wondering the reason as to why you have been summoned here." The elderly woman spoke bitterly. Her voice was cold and reminded Ichigo of a particularly nasty teacher she had when she was little.

"Yeah, I was." She replied as she looked at the woman nervously.

"I am Lord Kuchiki's great Aunt." The woman stated coldly. "My name is Kuchiki Momoko."

Ichigo nodded her eyes straying to Byakuya, who for once was actually looking back.

"We have called you here to discuss a proposal of marriage." Momoko announced.

Ichigo scratched her head and gave the woman a look that said 'what are you on about'.

"I don't understand what this has to do with me." Ichigo grunted as she looked between Momoko and Byakuya.

"Silly child, the proposal is to you." The woman snapped as she scowled haughtily at her.

"What're you talking about? No ones asked me to marry them." Ichigo snorted as she felt anger boil inside of her chest. She barely knew this Momoko woman and already she disliked her.

The older woman huffed loudly.

"Lord Kuchiki is asking for your hand in marriage you ignorant girl." Barked the older woman; her voice was filled with spite and her eyes narrowed in disdain.

Ichigo carried on staring at the woman as she tried to process what had just been said. The substitute then froze her eyes growing wide with shock.

No way, it wasn't possible this was some kind of joke right? It had to be.

Ichigo looked over to Byakuya who looked back at her calmly his dark eyes filled with their usual cold detachment.

"You wanna marry me!" Ichigo nearly shouted at him. "You hate me, I hate you! This has to be Joke. Well ha, ha you got me. I never knew you had a sense of humour Byakuya."

The cold look she got back from Momoko and the Captain were enough to quash any hope the teen had of it being a weird prank.

"I can assure you that this proposal is genuine." Byakuya droned.

His tone was that which one would usually reserve for when explaining things to a young child, and only caused the emotional sea within her to grow more unsettled.

"The reason as to why you have been asked is simple. There are no other eligible brides available and the elders of my family have demanded I seek a new partner. You were chosen by them for your abilities, your status as saviour of the soul society and the fact that you are of a Captains level in power. That and you are still young enough to be educated in a way befitting a noble."

"Since when did you care about what they thought? You married your wife and adopted Rukia." Ichigo exclaimed angrily. her cheeks were beginning to grow hot and her palms began to sweat.

"It is the law that I be married. To go against that law would allow the foundations of this noble family and others to crumble."

Ichigo was suddenly reminded of the day she and Byakuya had fought on top of Sokyoku hill.

How can we expect others to follow ours laws if we are not willing to follow them ourselves?

Ichigo realised that this was all to do with the Vow Rukia had told her about.

Apparently Byakuya had made it on his parent's graves and swore that he would never again break the law nor bend it. Ichigo remembered this information; as it was the reason Rukia had forgiven him for allowing her to be sent to her death.

"But I don't want to." Ichigo stated as she tried to discreetly wipe her now sweaty palms on her clothing. She felt incredibly trapped and wished that this was all nothing more than a crazy dream.

Ichigo suddenly started to laugh it was not a joyful one; but rather a nervous one. She gasped for breath as she replayed what had just been said.

"Byakuya would you please allow me a moment alone with this girl?" Momoko asked.

Byakuya nodded then quickly rose to his feet and after sliding open a door; which lead to a garden, disappeared from sight.

Ichigo stopped laughing immediately as she felt the woman's winkled hand grab her wrist. She was reminded of bird of prey as she watched the woman's nails dig firmly into her skin.

"I would be very careful if I were you child. This is the closest the elders and I have gotten Byakuya to an agreeable partnership in decades. Believe me child you are not my first choice and never could be. Yet he has settled upon you and has agreed to go through with this wedding. We have put nearly a century of effort into reaching this point. Trust me when I say that if you do not agree to this proposal then a very unfortunate accident may befall your family and friends very soon."

Ichigo ripped her hand from the woman's grasp and stood, her body shaking with rage.

"Are you threatening my family?" Ichigo hissed. Her reitsu began to rise and in the back of her mind she could feel her inner hollow stir.

"No. I am saying that they are already threatened. With one word I could bring an end to all that you hold dear in life. You have no Idea the distance the Kuchiki family's influence extends. However if you were to agree to this marriage, Which I am sure you will, think of the benefits, you would want for nothing, your friends would want for nothing and your family; when they pass on they will not become separated, they will not have to live in the Rukon districts and you will all be treated to the protection that a Kuchiki is entitled to; from the day of the marriage."

"You can't force me to marry someone!" Ichigo spat as she turned to leave there was no way in hell she was going to listen to any more of this nonsense.

"The Nobles have much influence over Seireitei. Do not think for one moment that if you walk out of this mansion that you may ever return to the Soul Society. I can have your powers sealed and have you fed to the hollows, you and those that you love."

Ichigo turned on heel and grabbed Momoko by the front of her extravagant dark green kimono and stared intently into the woman's beady black eyes.

"You wouldn't dare! You don't have that kind of power!" Ichigo growled.

Momoko stared at her completely unperturbed by Ichigo's threatening aura.

"I think if you love them then it would be wise to ensure that they have a safe future rather than no future at all."

Ichigo felt her anger and resolve bubble down to an unsure pang in her gut.

Momoko smiled like the cat that got the cream, and slid a piece of paper on the table next to Ichigo.

"You would sign this and return home; once you are married you would remain here and try to inspire my nephew enough so that he may finally give this family an heir."

Ichigo wrinkled her nose in disgust at the thought of inspiring Byakuya Kuchiki to do anything, but then her hands slid from the woman's Kimono as she felt herself give into the fear of losing her friends and family.

"Also think of Rukia. I know how deeply you care for her. If you were to be married to Byakuya then she would be free to marry the man that she loves." Momoko whispered slyly.

Ichigo suddenly had the image of Rukia and Renji leap unbidden into her minds eye. It was true, they would be free to marry. Rukia had admitted to Ichigo several months ago that the only reason she could not tell Renji of her feelings for him was because her brother was not married, and in case he never did she needed to be free to marry a branch member of the kuchiki line to ensure the continuation of the prestigious family.

Ichigo mulled it over, her heart thudding like a drum inside her chest.

She did not know if this hag's threats were real or not but she could not risk it. She had heard from Rukia of the lengths to which the Noble families had gone to in the past to ensure their will was done.

For the first time in years Ichigo actually felt like crying. There didn't seem to be much she could do. She couldn't tell anyone in the Seireitei that she was in a sense being offered a shotgun wedding; for who would believe her over the word of a Kuchiki?

But leaving the human world and becoming the arm candy wife of Byakuya Kuchiki, it was too painful to think about.

"There is one question that must be asked before we proceed any further. Are you a maid?" The woman's dark eyes took on a steely tint as she scowled at the teen.

"What are you talking about?" Ichigo snapped.

The older woman huffed loudly and she gripped the rich green material of her Kimono tightly with her winkled, liver spotted hands.

"Have you been bedded by a man?"

Ichigo went bright red and shook her head her fiercely. Did this woman think she was some kind of tart?

"No I have not." Ichigo scowled her cheeks felt as though they were on fire. "Not that it's any of your business."

"It is my business; it would be appalling for Lord Kuchiki to lay with contaminated goods. Although it does not matter; if you are telling the truth I shall have nothing to worry about. If however you are being deceitful Byakuya will be the first to know and I doubt he would take kindly to that type of trickery, you would be cast out and forever disgraced."

"I am not some Whore!" Ichigo raged. She felt fury eat at her insides like a burning inferno. How dare this woman insinuate she was some kind of streetwalker! She then felt horror.

If I had lied I would have been able to get out of this, it's too late now. Ichigo gripped her face in exasperation. Momoko was clearly as manipulative as she looked.

"If that is so then all I have to wait for now is your answer to this proposal." The old buzzard snapped as she held an ink brush towards Ichigo, motioning to the paper scroll on the table.

There was a long silence; the teen took several deep breaths as she weighed the situation.

"Fine I'll do it." she could not believe the words had left her mouth. She shuddered in horror as she imagined what her life would be from this point onwards, and bit her lip to hold back a scream of rage that threatened to tear out of her throat.

Momoko stood gracefully and walked through the doors that Byakuya had disappeared through earlier.

"Nephew, she has agreed." Momoko stated her voice oozed with the smug tones of victory and Ichigo felt the sudden urge to run her through with Zangetsu.

Byakuya re-entered the room not long after his great Aunts announcement and sat is his previous place.

Ichigo was all too aware of their eyes on her as she wrote her name with a shaking hand on the indicated line. Once she had finished she watched as the paper was handed to Byakuya who signed the paper; although his hand strokes were more assured and masterful than her own; almost illegible scribble.

Byakuya looked up from the paper as Momoko took it and placed it in an engraved silver tube.

His grey eyes met hers and it suddenly dawned on Ichigo that she had just singed away her life. She was now engaged to Byakuya Kuchiki.

She wondered how she was going to explain this terrible mess to her family and friends and winced when she imagined their reactions.

They would with no doubt be furious, hurt and confused.

"The wedding shall take place one week from now. You shall be required to stay in the soul society." Momoko said as she stood to leave.

"But I thought I was allowed to go home before then?" Ichigo growled her stomach clenching with disappointment.

"My dear with all the preparations required you shall have barely enough time to eat. Let alone frolic around in the world of the living. You are also not to attend to any of your duties as a Substitute Soul Reaper until after the wedding" Momoko turned to Byakuya. "I shall have a formal announcement made and send the customary invitations to the Captains of the other twelve divisions."

"Of course, thank you." Byakuya replied his deep voice completely devoid of emotion.

Momoko walked towards the door but before exiting the room turned to look at Ichigo.

"Byakuya, would you please have someone come and clean her up. She looks disgraceful." The older woman sneered.

"Of course I shall." Byakuya replied.

Ichigo felt like Getsuga tenshou'ing them both into the next century but held back. She could not risk the ones she loved becoming the victims of this bizarre turn in circumstance.

With one last disdainful look the woman left.

Ichigo sat with her soon to be husband; in a brutally uncomfortable silence. She had no clue what to do. Byakuya simply looked at her as though she were an object that he wished removed from his sight.

She fiddled with her Shihakusho as she tried to desperately figure out what to do.

How had everything changed so quickly in only a couple of hours? Ichigo wondered. Only this morning she had been happy, well as happy as she was normally. Many complained that she always seemed to have a constant scowl on her face and that it made her look constantly angry; now she guessed she would instead look constantly depressed.

Her anger returned and she stared daggers at the noble before her.

"The only reason I'm going ahead with this is because that demon bitch threatened to hurt my family."

Byakuya raised a thin eyebrow; his facial muscles twitching slightly in irritation.

"Do you not have anything with which to occupy your time until preparations begin?" Byakuya asked coldly. "I am rather busy and have no time, nor any desire to listen to your petty accusations."

Ichigo immediately jumped to her feet, fists balled in anger.

"It figures that you wouldn't have any problems with a shotgun wedding you stuck up bastard!"

"Is this conversation concluded? It is so very difficult to tell."

"Whatever. I'm outta here!" Ichigo shouted as she clambered to the doorway tripping slightly in her haste to leave. "Wait 'till Rukia and Renji hear about this!"

Ichigo knew Rukia was busy with her soul reaper duties and would not be off for another several hours, But hopefully Renji was still waiting for her outside.

"Do as you please. However I expect you to return at five thirty."

The noble cast the teen a piercing glance.

Ichigo's eyebrow twitched as she used what little restrain she had left to not kick him in stomach; or maybe his balls, but instead flipped him the finger and ran out of the Kuchiki manor like her ass was on fire.

She stumbled out of the front entrance after putting on her sandals and sprinted towards the gate and sighed in relief when she saw Renji leaning against a wall; chewing on a piece of grass.

"What's up with you?" the red head asked as he pushed away from his slouched position and spat the foliage onto the ground.

"I...I..."

"Well spit it out." The lieutenant asked impatiently.

"He asked me to marry him!" Ichigo roared as she covered her face with her hands.

"Well that's nice...wait...What!" Renji yelled his eyes were wide and disbelieving as the realisation of what she had just said dawned on him.

"And I had to say yes." she moaned.

Renji grabbed her shoulders firmly and began to shake her roughly.

"Ichigo you can't be serious!"

"I don't know, I mean yes, I couldn't say no and now the weddings in one week."

Renji recoiled; his face a mixture of astonishment and horror.

"But you hate each other!" Renji hissed as though he were trying to remind her of that fact.

"I know that, but what choice do I have?" Ichigo sniffed angrily as she tried to collect her senses.

"You had the choice to say no." Her friend stated his tanned hands planted firmly on her slim shoulders.

"No I didn't. I need to make sure my family are safe." She looked Renji in the eyes, her face filled with hopelessness. "Please don't make this harder than it already is." Ichigo begged.

"What do you mean; you need to keep your family safe?" the lieutenant squeezed her shoulders his eyes filled with concern.

"There was a woman there; she's Byakuya's Aunt or something. She threatened to hurt them if I said no."

Ichigo turned from Renji and punched the wall next to her. She felt momentarily better having found a way to vent her frustration but soon grimaced as pain coursed through her hand.

"And my Captain let her get away with it!" Renji asked in disbelief.

"No, He wasn't in the room when she said it, I told him after the hag left and he accused me of lying."

Renji let out a low growl then took her hand and gently rubbed her wounded knuckles.

"The Nobles are powerful Ichigo; you need to be really careful. They could make your life a living hell. They have ways of working outside of the law."

"I know." The girl mumbled her chest tightened as she realised just how precarious her position was.

"My Captain isn't a bad person, but I wouldn't wish a marriage of convenience to him on anyone; you're in for a really rough ride."

"I'll have you and Rukia, it won't be that bad."

"I hope you're right Ichigo, for your sake I hope you're right."