Aizen waited in his throne room for the arrival of Ulquiorra and his fraccion. Time ticked slowly by. When Ulquiorra did not show audience with his fraccion moments after the twenty-four hour limit; Aizen rose to his feet stepping lightly toward the exit of the room.
“Men talk of killing time, while time quietly kills them.” Aizen murmured under his breath.
Ulquiorra stood in the dark recesses of Aizen's throne room. The pillars welcomed him with stony arms and didn't ask much of him, only that he linger for a while in the lonely expanse of the room. But Ulquiorra was not one to keep trivial promises. He broke the silent vigil and made his presence known behind his lord.
"Lord Aizen."
Aizen did not turn to look at the espada as he spoke only one phrase, asking only one question, "You conceal your reiatsu. Why?"
A wise and calculated question revealed the growing distance between the king and his eternally crying vassal. It uncovered the truth belying the real problem. Secrets. Ulquiorra opened his cold, dead lips.
"Does my action call my character into question? Am I not free within my own home?"
Aizen quickly turned his eye lying squarely on the espada, "you tread lightly in 'my' chamber. When you enter here; you are in neither Hueco Mundo nor Las Noches. You are within 'my' realm and in my realm you obey 'my' law." Aizen paused showing neither anger nor contentment as his next question flow from his lips.
“Where is your fraccion?”
Ulquiorra glided smoothly around the inevitable question like a raconteur spinning a well known tale.
"I have done what I think is necessary," He paused and allowed the silence to swell.
His encounter with the Riddler had stung a minor chord in his heart and he knew it was a matter of time before he disappeared within himself. The time he spent listening to her insanity was wasted and abused.
"You have done what is necessary? And that is?” Aizen questioned.
"Does the wind answer to the rain? Or the mountain make the valley known what actions it will use? Just as nature answers to no one, so do I. What I have done is what I will not have to answer for."
Aizen narrowed his eyes slightly at the espada brushing past him, "your fraccion. 'My' Seraph. Had better materialize. 'Soon'. Or there will be consequences far beyond your control, Ulquiorra.” Aizen paused in his next step as he slightly looked over his shoulder at Ulquiorra, “and you and your fraccion will be the ones paying the price.”
While unbeknownst to both, the Riddle watched from the shadows as the espada rises against his King.
Aizen was right. 'His' kingdom, 'his' territory, 'his' chosen, 'his' rules, but not 'his' possessions. Like a child, Ulquiorra knew Aizen coveted power. He knew Aizen watched the Soul Reapers with an envious eye and in his heart relished the disdain he harbored for their harmony. Ulquiorra knew this. He knew a great deal of things, but none as vital as his secret.
A secret he would take to his grave. His second grave. The grave in which he dug for himself and Aizen.
It was only a matter of time and that was a commodity Ulquiorra had harvested for such a moment as this.
So Ulquiorra held his tongue and watched his liege stride confidently from his throne room. The game of cat and mouse had only just begun and he felt confident of the hand he played. The gods were definitely in his favor.
Aizen watched the overly confident espada saunter from the throne room. Aizen leaving him to believe he had the upper hand in hiding away his beloved fraccion. Aizen smirked even gave a slight laugh as he spoke in the now silence of the room.
“Foolish. His newly found pride will be his downfall.”
Aizen himself then walked from the room.
