The Demon King ( An Ulquihime fanfic)

Chapter Seven: Replica

A/N: Hey guys, so here it is, another chapter in this story.

Las Noches

She was staring at the wall, lying down on her bed. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, her hair a mess. It had been two days. Two days since she had moved from the spot on the bed. Two days since she had slapped Ulquiorra and Grimmjow had lost his arm. She hated it all, hated how Ulquiorra even. He was a monster, a scary demonic thing that was terrorising the earth.

Shivering she pulled her quilt up closer. She had been restless, sleep deprived even. Her health was deteriorating both physically and emotionally. She was becoming feverish from lack of sleeping, emotionally terrified. Hurt and betrayed, unsure even. She just didn't know anymore. It was exactly in times like this she wished Sora was still around. He always had advice for her. He even found the strangest ways to make her laugh or feel better when she was down or upset.

Sora always had her back. No matter what the problem was, he was always there. As someone who loved you should. That's what made him so unique and special to her. Thinking about him brought tears to her eyes, just when she thought she had no more tears to cry they came leaking out. She hated being so weak and vulnerable. Hated being so pathetic. Yet this was who she was, she couldn't really change now could she?

You're stronger than you think. Sora used to say to her. She supposed it was a quote from something, Sora loved quotes that held meaning. Rolling over she closes her eyes awaiting the darkness of sleep to claim her and take her away from this hellish nightmare. If for only a few hours...

The Past

She had been invited by the king to his palace. She knew not why, only he had requested her presence. She hoped he hadn't caught sight of her and decided he wanted her, not now. She was currently being courted and had grown fond of the man who called himself Ulquiorra. After that day in the festival and the kindness he had shown she just...she felt as if there was a connection there. Something pushing her towards him.

When he requested to her family that he wished to court her, well they had been delighted and so had she. Secretly, she had taken interest in him too. Every time he would visit or take her for long walks, going around in circles, she felt alive. Like the missing piece of the jigsaw that is her was found and completing her whole. Of course, he had his odd traits. Little quirks which she found she actually loved.

The king had sent a carriage to escort her over to the palace. The fancy ones she never thought she would see in her lifetime. In fact she never thought she would ever ride in one. That was a privilege in itself. Rolling up the palace she braced herself for what was to come. Outside a woman with the brightest teal hair she ever thought possible. A large smile was present on the woman's face.

The woman practically bounces over to the carriage and opens the door.

"Miss Hime. Welcome." She says embracing Hime in a hug. Her eyes widened in alarm at this sudden embrace. As if realising her mistake the teal haired woman pulled back and began apologizing profusely. Hime just nods on alert now and as confused as ever. "I'm really sorry, just the master said that we had a very special guest and when he told me of you I could hardly believe it. Now you're here and it's all so real. Oh I'm Nelliel by the way but you can call me Nel."

Hime smiles politely as she is led down the many corridors that made up the palace. It was like a maze, an intricate circuit of routes and passages with doors connected to various rooms. Now Hime couldn't say she was not intrigues for that would be a lie. A palace after all was so varyingly different to a small thatched roof cottage in a small town. Everything was new and different.