Lamenting Enchantment (A Bleach/Ulquihime fic)

Chapter 21

This is not my story! All credits go to The. Teal. Rose. on Fanfiction.net. This story belongs solely to the author.
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  227 Chapter 21: Solitary Path
Chapter XXI

Solitary Path

There is no greater sorrow than to recall in misery the time when we were happy.

- Dante

Ulquiorra stood in his chambers, eyes set on the window beyond which he viewed the sands of Hueco Mundo. They were out there, drawing closer.

It had only been a day since the arrival of Inoue's friends, and since his last encounter with the woman he had not returned to her cell.

Clutching a hand, he closed his eyes and attempted to cast all thoughts of her aside.

However, the image of her hair, billowing within the sunlight from the other day and the smile she had reserved only for him continued to plague upon every vision within his mind.

He felt an unusual longing to feel upon his hand her skin, soft as it was, and to run his fingers through the scarlet tresses he had come to intensely admire.

Angry with the woman for choosing her comrades, yet still holding onto the allure she had instilled within him, the Espada was both frustrated and confused.

It did not matter that she couldn't escape him, for if she no longer desired his presence it was an empty victory, of which he took no pride.

He never thought it possible that his disposition and entire existence could arrive at such a point. He was completely weak and entirely different from what he once had been.

He found himself resenting Inoue for that.

He was ashamed of himself for allowing her to infiltrate his soul and mesmerize his mind to such an extent.

She had seemed happy with him, but he also knew that her emotions resided at different levels, of which she was not always aware.

Kurosaki Ichigo arriving in Hueco Mundo had reminded her of all she had once felt, and in doing so, her feelings for himself had been eclipsed and forgotten.

Were feelings really as unreliable as that, or was it simply due to her whimsical nature?

Ulquiorra hardly knew, as emotional experience was still a brand new concept to him.

However, the one consoling fact about the entire ordeal was that her friends would not survive for long. Already, Nnoitra and Grimmjow were readying themselves for a confrontation with the intruders.

They would not serve as a hindrance to he and Inoue much longer.

He had to wonder if things would ever be the same between them though, even after all of that.

There was something so remotely despicable about the darkness that had consumed his soul. He detested in it and...reveled in it.

He far preferred the warmth and light that she had previously instilled, and found himself longing for that with surprising intensity.