Waking up during the middle of the night became increasingly common with me now these days. I've never had this problem before and didn't know how to handle it. I sighed and turned on my other side, only to jump at the sight of paleness.

I kicked him awake, "What the hell are you doing in my bed?"

Hichigo grumbled and pulled the cover closer towards his body. "I got tired of sleeping on the cold ass floor. Besides, it's a king size and you're small enough to let me have the other side."

"Great. Now your stealing the other side of my bed AND my covers."

"Here, let me do this."

He pulled me over on his side as he gently let me rest my head on his chest. I was surprised at how warm he was compared to the frozen frost of my room.

"W-what are you doing?"

Hichigo chuckled and pulled the covers over both of us, "This makes it even between us. I get a bed, and you finally get a sense of warmth. I say it's a good deal."

"Yes... it is."

I didn't say anything else as I let myself drift off to sleep. It was strange. I found myself sleeping easer with Hichigo at my side.

Was this a sign?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later in the morning I found Hotaru in the hallways on his way towards a meeting. I stopped him in my tracks, not wanting to let him go before I give him a piece of my mind. But I was stuck trying to get their loyalty. 

"Hotaru, can you show me the way to the meeting room?"

He rose a single eyebrow at the mention of the meeting room. His pale hair shined dully in the candle light, "You? The meeting room? By the way, why are you out of your room?"

"I'm the princess around here, and I should freely go about the palace if I want too."

He chuckled at me, like I was some short of child wanting their toy from the evil adult. "Finally growing a backbone now, are we? Fine, I'll lead you to the meeting room, but don't blame me if everyone points you out. I even wondering if his majesty will object to you being in the room."

I grinded my teeth, "Thank you. Now, shall we get going?"

Hotaru threw me a pity smile as he leads me down the hallway. I swear each hallway was either colder than the next. I was getting use to the temperature around here, but I am dying for some sun and sunlight.

The meeting room door was large with arrow carved on the side, but in the middle and broke apart was a cursive A. I'm guessing letters mean business here and by rank as well. Hotaru opened the door as light flooded into the hallway.

First person I saw was Yhwach, carefully giving instructions around a plan to invade the Soul King Palace. Once I came in everyone, even Yhwach, stopped talking. I gazed around there faces and saw some I either knew would hate me or enjoy my company.

A cloaked figure stood at in the back with his eyes peering out of his hood. The sensation gave me a chill down my spine before I saw one with darker skin. He wore a cow-boy hat and had his left eye crossed out with an X.

With others around me I saw as one waved at me. He had 60's hair slick back but with a single piece of his black hair resting on the bridge of his nose. "Well, well, the princess finally comes out of her cambers. Name's Askin, your highness." 

I was thrown back at his attitude. Laid-back and amazing for a war meeting, but I gave him a nod. "Nice to meet you."

Out of the corner of my eyes I could barely make out the others, but one of them had saggy long midnight hair along with two tongues. The other wore a Viking helmet and a red cape that touched down at the bottom.

"Your majesty, are you sure about the princess being in here?" It was another guy at Yhwach's side. His hair was pale blonde, but his striking baby blue eyes were the most that stand out for him. He was the closest to his majesty and, judging by his rank, was the most loyal out of all of them.

Yhwach didn't say anything and continued to stare at me. I felt the air of tension drive down upon me as I wanted to back out of the meeting room, but I knew I had to be here for Uryu's and my own sake.

"Well," Hotaru said, "seems like I should escort her highness back to her room."

He grabbed my arm as I growled at him. "Don't touch me."

I heard other around me snicker at my furiousness of tone. I hated the way they all looked at me, a weakling girl trying to get anything because of her royal post. Hotaru began dragging me out with force, but I managed to scratch his cheek.

Blood dripped heavily down his cheek. It formed as a teardrop and tried up when it finished making its trail. He touched his cheek as it turned pinkish red. "Why you..."

I didn't know what happened next, but I saw a shadow come out from under me and take shape and form. It was Hichigo as he stopped Hotaru from slapping me across the face. Hichigo glared at him before easily pushing him back with his strength.

I could hear the others in the room gasping and mumbling about this new guy around me. Hotaru growled when making eye contact with him. "You... what are you doing here?"

"I became (y/n)'s zanpakuto a while back."

"Impossible!" He screamed, an irk mark appearing on his temple. "A Quincy shouldn't have a zanpakuto as a weapon! It's a bow!"

"Enough," Ywhach spoke.

Voices quieted down instantly at his voice. He walked over towards me and Hichigo, studding him from head to toe. Every sense inside my body yelled this was a horrible idea.  Hichigo was never supposed to reveal himself in the first place, and now-

"Since you have Ichigo Kurosaki's zanpaktuo at your side I will allow you to step out into the front lines with my Sternritter."

Before I could speak Hichigo beat me too it, "Just hold on here royal pants, since when will I be protecting her in the first place? Zanpakuto don't protect, we only battle alongside our master."

"I don't need the future too see inside. Knowing you are a part of Ichigo Kurosaki, even as his counterpart, I sense inside you have the same instinct."

"Your majesty," The blonde from earlier came to his side. "Are you sure about this? Trusting a filly soul reaper's zanpakuto not only protecting the princess, but battling alongside the Sternritters at the Soul King's Palace?"

"Haschwalth, you of all people should know why I trust her."

The man fell silent and nodded. "I understand."

"Wait," I finally spoke for the first time. It felt as if a century passed by. "I don't understand what you mean by that."

Ywhach smiled at me, cold and unloving with evil behind his sentence. "Why, you're going to be the next Almighty, the letter A."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hotaru lead us back to my room, occasionally glancing back giving Hichigo dirty looks. Hichigo didn't pay no mind to him anyways, but once we were locked back inside my room he started questioning me.

"What the hell does he mean by you becoming the next 'Almight'?"

"Does it look like I know?!" I whispered yelled, making sure Hotaru wasn't listening behind the door. "And what were you doing?! I don't care if that asshole slapped me! You shouldn't have even intervened!"

"Excuse me, princess. If I didn't come out in the first place you probably wouldn't have been granted a spot in the front line!"

"Damn you!" I screamed at him, tears falling out without control. "I don't need you constantly showing me up! Hotaru is already draining my powers from me and I don't know what to do about it! I'm sorry I was raised in a house hold where I didn't know Quincies or Soul Reapers exist! I never wanted to be here in the first place, you ass!"

I panted heavily from my outburst. Hichigo just stared at me with a smug smile, irking me by the second. "What are you so smug about?!"

"You. Just you and how you yell. It's like a bunny rabbit wanting its carrot, but gets eaten by a wolf."

In the heat of rage, I socked him in the jaw, but that only left my knuckle bruising. "That's it! You're sleeping on the floor forever!"

"Fine, whatever. At least I don't have to sleep with a blanket hog."

I ignored him and jumped into bed, blowing out the candle, glaring at him, and finally, closing my eyes to sleep. I could hear him mutter under his breath and grabbing the cushion from the couch.

After everything the meeting held today, the only question burned inside my mind... 

Why did he protect me when he knew he would become caught?