Bear in mind, throughout the story, that Ai's name means 'love' so there is usually a double meaning whenever the word 'love' is mentioned.
Group of women accompanying Ai in her dance have their lyrics italicised. Ai's singing is not italicised.
Chapter 9
The Song That Started the Legend
Ai stood from her swing quickly and, as she approached her desk, she blew out a few candles that had leant her light to study in the nighttime. As with every object in the Tea House, her writing desk was not as it really seemed for she lifted up the table top to reveal a hidden compartment underneath. The desk was aged and enchanting, a pale wood painted white which was now chipping and fading, but the hidden compartment was clean and well-kept for Ai had made good use of it over the years. With a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure there were no prying eyes, she reached out for some books on her shelf that she had stolen from Megumi's private library. Ai placed them in the hidden compartment quickly and shut the unconventional "lid" to her desk.
As she crossed her room, the cold sunshine of the morning was beginning to creep in. The mornings at the Tea House had always seemed slightly grey and dull, for the place truly became alive in the nighttime. Unlike the Palace, this place reveled in chaos when the sun set, for now it seemed empty and asleep. It seemed to fit her mood perfectly.
Upon approaching the door, Ai looked over to her mirror; she wiped her eyes hurriedly and tied up her hair in a loose ponytail before opening the door slowly. She had only opened it a few inches before a hand began to sneak its way through the crack, it was holding onto a porcelain mug.
"A peace offering; warm milk and honey, it was your favorite." A voice spoke softly and, despite herself, Ai walked away. She left the door ajar in an attempt to be as welcoming as she felt and went to sit on her bed. Megumi walked in, revealing that the hand with the mug belonged to her. Ai's sensei looked forlorn. "Still not speaking to me?" Ai avoided Megumi's gaze and looked down to her crocheted blanket. The girl began fiddling with a hole she had made when she tore the blanket in her childhood; picking at the soft cream yarn with her delicate fingers. Megumi went to stand in front of her; "will you at least drink something?" Megumi held out the mug and Ai, knowing that at this stage she was only being childish, took it gratefully but remained in stubborn silence. Her teacher took this to mean that they had reached some common ground and so sat down next to her student. "What is it that has you so afflicted, dear one?" Her teacher reached over and brushed hair from her face as Ai took a sip of the warm drink.
The same question, over and over, for days. Even after they had argued, upon re-entering the Tea House, into the early morning! Megumi had forbidden Ai from meeting with the Kazekage for the foreseeable future; it was dangerous for the both of them. The blue-eyed dancer had refused to accept this and she was not likely to back down any time soon.
A few moments of silence passed before Megumi sighed; "it seems our chirping skylark has left us for a mute." The elder courtesan reached down to the floor and picked up two small boxes that Ai had not noticed. "Perhaps she will grant us one last exchange upon seeing her gifts." Ai, out of curiosity more than materialism, looked up at her sensei with a wry smile as Megumi gestured to two packages in her lap, beautifully wrapped in ivory paper and tied with a silver ribbon. She handed the smallest one to Ai.
Ai took the package and eyed it with scrutiny before delicately pulling back the ribbon and deviling into the small silver box that was revealed as the ivory paper fell away. Flicking the lid of the box open, she peered inside. Her eyes flashed as she looked up at Megumi with a large smile and moved forwards to embrace her teacher who laughed heartily.
"I am glad you approve," Megumi smiled and stroked her student's hair, "wear it proudly," she whispered as Ai pulled away from her, beaming.
"I shall." The young dancer said happily and removed, from the antique box, a small silver band, the middle of which housed a single diamond; it was an armlet. In the courtesan community, a teacher presented her student with her first armlet following her recognition as an established dancer; it was true that Ai was yet to seduce anyone but her skills were unmatched and so, to Megumi, it only seemed right. As Ai would become more experienced, her lovers, her customers, would add diamonds and further bands to the armlet and it was this that showed the ranking of a courtesan. Megumi wore seven thin bands on her left arm, tied with a single ribbon, diamonds in each band, shining and glittering, showing to the world her skill. "The other?" Ai looked to the other, larger gift in Megumi's lap and, with a gasp of remembrance, Megumi handed her the box.
"It arrived this morning," the older courtesan said, nonchalantly and Ai, placing her armlet on the bed beside her, took the box and opened it. A small cream-coloured card fell into her lap and she picked it up to read an inscription, written in black ink, in filigree-like handwriting:
Perhaps a gold bangle would suffice as payment?
Ai put the card down with a frown and looked into the box. She removed a pair a silk shoes and a wave of recognition passed over her. "From the Prince?" She asked and looked up to Megumi who smiled.
"You have not even danced for him and yet he sends you gifts," she laughed, "if only I had been so talented in my youth!" Ai smiled down at the shoes. Silver silk with embroidery of silver thread; had she managed to make such an impression in two minutes of meeting? "Ai," she looked up as Megumi spoke in a serious tone, "the palace is holding a banquet for the young Prince, tonight, they have requested a dancer in honor-"
"Of course I will." Ai spoke sharply and stood from the bed. With her back to her teacher, she began to stretch. Megumi stood too and shook her head.
"Whilst I am pleased that you have regained your usual spirit, I am afraid that I cannot allow-"
"This is ridiculous," Ai turned to her, "I am the first courtesan to the Kaze-"
"It is too dangerous for you." Megumi pleaded but Ai placed her hands on her hips and stood defiantly.
"Under whose judgment?" She frowned.
"Under mine, my child; I cannot see you be put through so much stress again." Her teacher answered but it was not good enough for a girl as stubborn as Ai.
"I can speak for myse…" Ai's voice trailed away and her head turned to the direction of her open door. The first dance practice of the morning were beginning and she could hear the musicians striking their harps to familiar chords. The notes floated in on the morning breeze. "Is that-?" After a moment of barely thinking, Ai ran from her room.
"Ai!" Megumi shouted after her and rolled her eyes; this girl was running nowadays more than she was dancing.
The Tea House was once the pride of Sunagakure; it was built by an aristocrat who grew fat and greedy and spent his money on cheap whores and alcohol until he succumbed to eating himself to his grave. He had built it as a testament to his own legend; as a collector of fine and beautiful things the Tea House was filled with items from all over the world. With architecture common to the dessert interspersed with more Western decoration, the aristocrat spared no expensive and even had the audacity to cheat the dessert by placing a large fountain in the courtyard. In his will, he left the house to his concubines who saw no reason to stop working and over time, the class of prostitute reached its highest possibility and courtesans now inhabited the place. It was a building of ancient grandeur; with all objects and infrastructure now mere whispers of how grand the place was. The only rooms kept in the best condition were those seen by customers; there was no need for Megumi to spend more than necessary on maintaining the place. Even the courtyard that held morning dance practices now looked like the ruin of a castle with grey, stone arches crumbling and being overtaken by roses climbing their way into the cracks. The Tea House was a jungle, a war between stone and glass, with beautiful relics ageing in every corner and Ai ran through it all, barely noticing the shouts of people calling for her to stop.
Ai entered the courtyard to the shock of those gathered and did not blink twice as they gestured to her in alarm. She did not care for their whispers; her eyes narrowed on the musicians who avoided her gaze so she looked for the dancer who was practicing that morning. Many dancers fluttered in and out of the courtyard, looking like tropical birds for the bright colours they wore stood out against the grey stone that surrounded them. Only one girl was stood in the centre, preparing to dance.
Miko, a dancer with green eyes and chocolate brown hair, Ai's oldest and closet friend, turned upon hearing the hurried footsteps, to face Ai. Miko's eyes widened as she realized the poorly dressed individual was her friend, for it was a very rare sight where a courtesan was in anything other than her finery.
"Ai! Are you feeling bett-"
"What are you doing?" Ai interrupted. Miko's smile faded; it was incredibly out of character for Ai to be so aggressive.
"Whatever do you mean?" In the chill of the morning, those gathered in the courtyard shivered upon hearing Miko's dangerous tone. A few dancers even shuffled back
"I wrote this song," Ai responded as Miko took a few cautious steps towards her, a thin smile spread over Miko's face.
"I will be performing at the palace tonight and we did not want such a beautiful song to go unsung."
"Then I will sing it." Ai snapped as Miko let out an airy laugh as though shooing away the idea.
"Megumi-sama has instructed me-"
"I will sing it." Ai repeated. The two friends stared at each other a moment longer before Miko's look of surprise was replaced by something Ai had never seen before. The green-eyed girl slinked over to Ai and shook her head.
"The Kazekage has cast quite a spell on you, hasn't he?" Miko whispered and flicked her eyes over to the crumbling arches behind Ai to see Megumi stood, watching the quarrel, wondering how far Ai would go for him.
"Whatever do you mean?" Ai asked with a sickly sweet smile.
"One moment you are completely passive, letting the waves of the day wash over you as we all try to coax our moon down from the night, and yet," Miko took a step toward Ai, "you cause such a storm at the thought of another girl dancing for him." Ai remained silent; Miko had no idea what she was up against.
The blue eyed dancer knew what her friend was doing; she was trying to get a rise out of her so Megumi would see that Ai was still emotionally vulnerable when it came to Gaara. If this happened, Megumi would replace Ai, out of the need to protect her, with the next best dancer. That was undoubtedly Miko and Ai was determined not to let him get away. She had to see him. Ai was being flooded by an overwhelming and incomprehensible feeling that she was trying to deny; she needed him.
"Well, I can see you are as stubborn as ever, Ai." Miko said cheerfully and closed her eyes with a smile to signal surrender. "Of course I would never get in your way," she gestured to the centre of the courtyard, "please, begin your practice; you have not danced for a few days." Ai smiled at her as Miko walked past her to go out of the courtyard but as they became level, the look in each other's eye was far from friendly. Upon entering the archways, Miko went to stand with Megumi and both watched as Ai began to instruct the musicians and called one of the younger dancers out assist her.
In the half-lit darkness of the arches, Megumi and Miko exchanged a glance.
"Why are things playing out this way, sensei?" Miko asked innocently and pouted as Megumi did not respond. "Why is she the one-"
"It has to be her." Megumi responded wisely. The teacher of courtesans contemplated a moment, wondering how much to tell Miko. Megumi was playing a dangerous game, the pieces of the chess board had been put in place nineteen years ago and she was simply taking the first move. The rest was up to Ai and Gaara…but how much should she give away to Ai's rival? What would be the benefit in hinting at the plan that was slowly revealing itself to the world? "There is more to Ai than you know, Miko, more than even she understands." Megumi spoke softly, delicately, daring Miko to ask more. The girl fell for her teacher's ruse.
"But why did you make me pretend to take over her dance? And why did you forbid her from seeing the Kazekage, only to give in a few days later?" Miko crossed her arms in annoyance and blew a straying strand of hair from her face.
"Because now," Megumi sighed and placed a hand on the wall next to her, looking out to Ai, "she will pour her soul into every note."
"But why is it so important that Ai be the one to dance for the Kazekage?"
"It is written in her destiny."
"How so?"
"You remember the story I told you as a child," Megumi spoke with a small smile; "Ketsueki ai no dendetsu(The Legend of the Blood- Love)?" Miko took a moment to think before it registered with her.
"The story between the Gods?" As Miko spoke in barely a whisper, Megumi nodded.
"The love capable of starting or ending all wars." The elder woman sighed and looked to the crumbling stone that she was leaning against. The arch had carvings of flowers, fading and crumbling away, giving way to the real roses that were pushing their way through the cracks, towards the light. Such a delicate shade of pink, the roses unfurled and cowered in the breeze of the desert. "It is their story. I am sure of it." Megumi said with a small smile.
Miko looked out at Ai who was bossing her entourage of dancers around and raised an eyebrow. "How can you be so sure?"
"Her father forewarned me." As Megumi said this, Miko's eyes widened.
"Her father?"
Dinner was passing him by; the Kazekage sat with his council, siblings and royal guests in the hall where auspicious dinners usually took place. His Kazekage hat hung on the back of his chair as Gaara suffocated in the traditional robes that he had grown to hate. His back straight, his hand stretched out, holding the small clay cup of sake that had been poured for him. Gaara lowered his head slightly and Temari, who was sat on his right, could sense the dark clouds that were around him; the Kazekage's mind seemed to be elsewhere for he took no notice of the jubilant hubbub that surrounded him.
He stole a glance at the clock; the hand that counted down the minutes seemed to be moving torturously slowly. It was almost nine o'clock. It was almost time.
"Kazekage," a voice brought him out of his thoughts and he looked to his left, to see Prince Nobutara smiling at him with that welcoming, open manner that the Prince had mastered. "You have become not only the youngest Kazekage in history but also the youngest Kage the world has ever known." Gaara nodded his head in thanks to Nobu's words, "tell me: how did you manage such a feat?" The Prince spoke with such ease at these gatherings; Gaara had been kept away from such things for so long that he found it difficult to be as at ease as the Prince was. It was the hardest part about being a Kage, in Gaara's opinion; the social, public-side of things was complicated and new to him. Nobtara was handsome and charming; he was almost the exact opposite to Gaara who remained quiet most of the time, isolated, unwilling to make himself known for fear of being shunned.
Temari watched her brother eagerly; over the space of only a few months she had seen Gaara change and shift to become the Kage that sat before her. The blood-lust was gone, replaced by the desire to be recognized by his village and those who once feared him. Gaara was calm and contemplative... not of late, granted, not since she came into his life. That girl was slowly unravelling what had taken years to tie up. Ai was a bizarre conundrum; Gaara seemed to come back to life when she was near and his siblings saw him happy for a few moments. The problem was- Gaara seemed to come back to life when she was near. Temari sighed and looked up quickly as Gaara opened his mouth to speak.
"With a lot of determination, Nobutara-san," Gaara spoke in that usual soft manner, aware that all eyes were on him, "Sunagakure became lost in the shinobi world; marred by lies and violence, it is my goal to re-establish our village and regain the honor we have forgotten." Gaara's words were met with a murmur of approval.
"Spoken like a true Kage," Baki said and raised his glass to the Kazekage, others around the table followed. Gaara felt more at ease; so he was getting better at this.
"Shall we retire to the courtyard?" Kankuro suggested cheerfully, much to the annoyance of Temari who shot him a look to silence him but it was too late. The puppet master grinned at his sister apologetically as everyone around the table stood upon seeing the Kazekage stand. Dinner was over, Temari remained in her seat, her lips pursed. The dancer from the Tea House was said to be ready for nine o'clock and, as the blonde looked up at the clock, she saw the clock strike nine. The guests all left the table smiling and talking happily; excited to see what the Tea House, which had a reputation like royalty, had to offer. Temari stood eventually as a group of women walked by her and she joined their group with a flase-smile. At least Ai was not dancing.
The performance was to take place in a stone courtyard that was situated in the back, private quarters of the palace. White stone arches lined the courtyard which was left open and empty for occasions such as this. The arches housed the seating for the royals and shinobi that would watch. The white stone glittered in the candlelight which was flickering and teasing fireflies as they dared to get too close. White birds that inhabited the courtyard fluttered away as they heard approaching footsteps.
Prince Nobutara entered the courtyard behind the Kazekage and looked up at the night sky that the desert had to offer. He frowned; no moon again tonight. Other than that the Palace was quite beautiful; strange that a Kage should have such a splendid home, considering he was merely a shinobi, not of noble or royal blood. But Sunagakure did have one of the earliest established dynasties in the world, perhaps the palace was simply a testament to the nobility of old.
Everyone went to take their seats on cushions surrounding the clearing in the courtyard, all hidden in the shade of the arches, waiting with baited breath to see who was coming to sing for them that night. The Kazekage and the Prince sat beside on another, the sand siblings beside their brother, members of the royal house by their prince. Musicians entered the courtyard and sat opposite the gathered guests, followed by courtesans who bowed and took seats behind the musicians. It began with the tinkling of anklets.
Gaara closed his eyes; that sound, it called out for him but she was not there. Where was she? He opened his eyes and could see the bright colours that the Tea House women wore but he could not see one that looked like her. None shone, like Ai did. None bit their lip in that seductive, mischievous manner that she did.
Perhaps she had not come. Perhaps, like always, he had scared someone away. Why did they run from him? At the thought of this lonesome and overbearing inevitability, Gaara bowed his head as something in his chest constricted and twisted in pain. Would he ever see her again? That skylark? That teasing summer breeze? Did she hate him? Did she long for him like he did for her? Did she think about him at all? He had never got to ask her, had he, what that feeling was that showed in her eyes when she kissed him?
"On the desert plains there sat Love," Gaara looked up at the sound of her name and saw, whilst he had been lost in his thoughts, that the performance had begun. The dancer in front of them who had her head bowed, had an entourage of women behind her, their voices stretched out into the night for him.
"Alone and peaceful, in the calm of the sands, she whispers a name,
In the torturous heat of a moonless night
She looks into the darkness, defiant, determined." The dancer sat still, her head lowered and in the darkness Gaara had this strange feeling, from her figure, from her smirk, that the girl sat in red was indeed Love.
Who is she calling for?
Who is it that has such a vigilant follower?
Tell us, who does Love await?" At the last syllable,the dancer lifted her head. Ai looked straight to him, for she had eyes for no one else, and upon capturing his gaze, the skylark sang:
"I beckon that which claws at my heart and stifles my breath;
Suffocates me in anguish and breathes life into me.
I await the Tempest." Ai reached out a hand for him.
"Come on to me, Tempest,
Save me from this burning desert,
Rain over me; stain me with your colour,
Steal me away with your callous words and beautiful song.
You leave me desolate, untouched, writhing in need,
If cruelty be your skill then teach me,
I am your undoubting follower." Ai bowed to him and Gaara had to close his eyes and take a breath for Shukaku trembled at her actions and Gaara began to feel that familiar ache, at her words.
"Teach me, you heartless storm, how it is you leave me breathless." She stood, the sound of her jewelry tinkling around her, the blood red colour of her skirt swept up of the white stone floor as she twirled and spun.
"Naiveté and lust breed merely dreams;
A tempest shall never descend into our world.
The desert shall never hear the drumming of thunder, nor the patter of raindrops.
Foolish one, beautiful one, you have fallen under some spell." The women, all dressed in white as though purposely trying to blend into the background, moved around Ai but it did not matter to the Kazekage for he could see only her. Ai laughed at their words and the gathered royalty and shinobi could see the courtesans giggling and applauding their comrade as her audience became captivated.
"I have felt the heat of a desert storm,
I have tasted it." Like a spark of electricity Kankuro realized that Ai's words were offering something more dangerous to her audience than anyone else suspected. He leant forwards to Gaara with an idea to get him to leave but the Kazekage predicted his siblings may interrupt and so tilted his head back to Kankuro with a look of annoyance; he was not going to be mollycoddled any longer. Ai was right; he had forgotten what it felt like to feel alive.
"I am but a victim of the tempest's curse and now
The thunder is here, it is my very heartbeat,
Rain sounds at my footsteps and lightning flashes here, in these eyes." Ai was slowly building a reputation that would lead to her downfall, in Temari's opinion, for she approached the Kazekage and the prince as though daring anyone to tell her not to get closer. She sat before the Kazekage and the two were finally face to face, after long, difficult nights of not being able to know one another.
Gaara had to break eye contact; those eyes with that look again! He couldn't stand what it did to him, what she did to him.
"Come on to me, Tempest," she sang but did not move, outraged that he could possibly tear his gaze from her but she knew, as did the other dancers, that her words would get to him.
"Rain over me, stain me with your colour," there was something in her words, like a spell, bringing up pictures of blood and pleasure and her and ecstasy.
"If cruelty be your skill then teach me,
I am your undoubting follower." She bowed before her Kazekage.
Teach me, you heartless storm, how it is to love you." The musicians struck the last note and Ai remained with her head bowed. Applause filled her ears, words of commendation and proclamations of love came her way but she waited for him to do something, to say something.
"Goodnight, Nobutara-san, until the morning." The Kazekage stood and walked straight passed her. Ai snapped her gaze up and turned to watch him leave, a look of distress slowly crept its way onto her face. She half wanted to scream at him; how dare he leave?! How dare he ignore her?! She saw his white robes steal out of the courtyard and up the steps to the Kazekage's quarters. Ai stood slowly; that egotistical, malevolent, discourteous-!
"I see the shoes I gave you were appreciated." Someone commented and Ai turned back to see the Prince looking down to her shoes. She suddenly remembered herself and swapped her look of utter outrage for one of happy surprise. The girl in blood-red bowed to the prince.
"Thank you, your highness." Ai remained stooped in her bow for usually royalty would say something to make you stand again but the boy said nothing. Instead, he put a finger to her chin and lifted her head.
"I did not catch your name in our first meeting." He whispered as those around them moved back into the hall where they had dinner. He lowered his hand from her face.
"Ai," she replied with a small smile.
"A suitable name," the prince said almost to himself.
"And you," for a moment Ai became lost in that mess of dark hair he had, "your highness?" She added.
"Nobutara-"
"Prince?!" Someone called out for him and the two turned to see an elderly woman of the royal household beckoning him. He turned to her quickly and took her hand.
"Again, fate interrupts," the prince whispered, "I will see you again," he murmured as he brought her hands up to his lips and softly kissed her.
"Ah," Ai gasped and withdrew from his grasp. "Until then," she said and bowed quickly. Nobutara smiled; her shyness now after being so bold with her singing, was intriguing to him.
"Prince?" The woman called again and Nobutara left Ai standing on her own, staring after him. As he walked he exuded such power and charisma, she saw other girls turn at the sight of him. Ai had bigger things on her mind for the moment and turned to face the stairs the Kazekage had walked up.
"Ai?" She glanced over her shoulder and saw Megumi beckoning her. She knew Megumi was about to forbid her from doing the reckless thing she wanted to do but Ai knew no force on Earth could stop her from having one last chance to scold him. "I…" her sensei's voice trailed away as she saw that glint in the young dancer's eye. "It is your choice, do as you wish." There was no stopping it now. The pages of a novel had begun to turn, that blood-red love was beginning to blossom and who was she to get in the way of legend?
Ai lifted her skirt and ascended the steps to meet her tempest.