The prison cells in Sunagakure had never housed a woman, let alone a courtesan. They were unaccustomed to her delicate, dewy skin so only let in light from between the cracks of the wooden boards that blocked out a view of the sky. The cell was dingy, dusty and the iron bars looked like they could break when a little force was applied; the orangey-brown flakes of rust fell like autumn leaves from where the iron met the stone and settled in tidy piles at the door of her cell.
No, they were not accustomed to a woman, or any prisoner for that matter, so imagine the storm of whispers and rumours of shock and betrayal that swept up around the Village of Sand like a desert wind, as they all watched the moon being captured and shackled in the middle of the square. She had held her head high with dignity and poise as disbelieving tears filled their eyes and hands covered gaping mouths. They watched that delicate moonbeam being dragged straight out of the sky and into a pit. The village was met with silence. Unnerving and unwilling to face the reality; their delicate songbird had been accused of treason.
Ai sat now, on her knees, her head bowed as though in prayer, waiting for her guard to re-enter the complex. The dungeons of Sunagakure were kept under close watch by the head of the police; a middle-aged shinobi by the name Ishimaru. He had a kind but stern face, the sort of face Ai expected a father to have. He had greeted her with a look she had never seen in an adult's face; a look of disappointment. She refused to show any trace of emotion, any sign that they could bring her down from her stark position as a supporter of the Kazekage. She could barely understand the charges; when they had brought her in, they had rattled off something about security interference on her part and Shukaku's incarceration and then left her on her lonesome; with only the rust and brick for company. So she had remained in the same position for two days now; sat on her knees, hands clasped in her lap, sitting in the sole sunbeam that filtered in through the cracks between the wood above her. She had asked no questions and refused to answer any until Gaara returned.
The dancer lifted her gaze from the floor as she heard Ishimaru enter the dungeons with her breakfast. Her big blue eyes narrowed on him as he approached her cage. He had long brown hair, tied in a loose ponytail at the base of his neck, and strong masculine features. Ai imagined in his youth he must have been very handsome, but now his face was cracked and scratched like the desert plains for the stress of his job was beginning to manifest on his skin. He held a bowl of porridge and looked down at the girl who sat in the corner, at the back of her cell, with a sympathetic look.
"You won't eat, utsukushii (pretty one)?" He asked in his kind voice, only to be met with a haughty stare and a turn of her head so she was no longer looking at him. "You shouldn't be so difficult." He lowered the bowl through a small door and placed it inside her cage. Under his breath, he muttered: "I have enough trouble getting my Noriko to eat, and she is four!" Suddenly, Ai was angry. In her youthful, foolish, naive character, she finally broke her silence:
"I demand to know why I am being kept here!" She exclaimed. Ishimaru, who had a look of surprise on his face, as though he did not know she could speak, folded his arms.
"They explained that to you when you entered the cell." Ai frowned as he spoke; he was an odd man, he almost had a smirk on his face!
"No. They told me they had reason to believe I was involved in the assassination of the Kazekage but did not explain my links to the event exactly. I demand to know!" Ishimaru was smiling at her now and it infuriated Ai. She pouted and turned away from him, raising her head high with indignation.
"You remind me of my wife." He said suddenly. "She had a beautiful face and fierce temper." Ai raised an eyebrow and turned to face him. "It's so sad to think you are a courtesan." He mused a little longer, staring at Ai with a look of deep sympathy. "What kind of parent would give up their daughter to a whore house, I have no idea-"
"I have no parents." Ai snapped. "I was born from poetry, haven't you heard?" Ishimaru laughed.
"They did warn me you were adept at the art of conversation, uta (poem). You speak wonderfully." He bowed his head in acknowledgement of her cadence and rhythm, her use of ancient phrasing and melodic voice. "Even if what you say is full of venom, it feels like honey. And I have heard many things about you, dear one." He spied her through the bars of her cage as though looking in to see a timid songbird. "They say Gaara, the demon, has enchanted the blood-love to return to Earth. They say you must be a fallen angel, to tempt someone so full of evil-"
"Do not speak foul or ill-advised words in front of me, guard. If the blood-love has returned to Earth then you speak against the gods." Ai whispered dangerously. Ishimaru held his hands up in surrender.
"I daren't speak a word against you, uta. I am a supporter of the Kazekage and see in your face your innocence." Ai's face softened and she wished to ask him something but in that same moment, the doors to the dungeon flung open and a shinobi, staggered in on shaking legs, clearly intoxicated from the night before, entered. He called out to Ishimaru and Ai returned to her position of ignoring the world as it went by.
***
In the middle of her second night in the cell, Ai was woken by a faint tapping sound. Her eyes opened and closed suddenly as light flooded them; a silvery, cold light of the nighttime entered the cell from the ceiling. The girl slowly propped herself up onto her elbows and watched in confusion as the small window in the ceiling, that was blocked by wooden boards, was dismantled. The boards were picked up and out of the cell, giving her a clear view of the moon in the sky and of her rescuer. Blonde hair flopped over blue eyes as a boy with a serious face looked down at her in the cell.
"N-naruto?" Ai whispered in disbelief, wondering if she was dreaming.
"Ai." Naruto said softly and reached down into the cell. "Give me your hand." Without thinking, Ai stood on shaking legs and extended her hand to him. The shinobi began to lift her out of the cell.
"Naruto, what-?" The courtesan mumbled in a tired confusion as Naruto picked her up in his arms. She was exhausted from troubled sleep and refusing to eat for two days. The boy carried her into the palace.
"Something called to me in the night and whispered your name. I cannot explain it and, to be honest, I don't care what the explanation is." He said in a voice that reminded her of the Kazekage. The boy managed to enter the palace and Gaara's chambers undisturbed by palace guards. "You are Gaara no inori (Gaara's prayer) and the prayer of someone who went so long unheard, is something worth protecting." Naruto lay her down gently on Gaara's bed. "Sleep now, Ai. Gaara will be here soon." Ai had never felt such relief in her life. Within moments, the view of Naruto's angelic face blurred and faded to darkness as she let sleep take her.
***
"Ai?" The girl woke with a start to find Naruto leaning over her. "Gaara is waiting for you in his council's meeting room. Go now, make sure no one sees you." Ai, who had been expecting Naruto's appearance to have been a dream, looked around the room in a sleepy haze. She sat up slowly.
"And you?" She asked.
"I have to go." Naruto stood straight and walked straight to the door. Ai was unsure and uncertain about everything but she felt safe in his presence. For that, she was grateful.
"Thank you, Naruto." She called to him as he escaped the room hurriedly.
The courtesan found a white and grey dress with billowy sleeves and delicate ivory and silver embroidery. She changed and washed quickly, before placing the grey veil on her head and leaving for the council room.
***
Entering the grand circular room in the dead of night was as unnerving as it was risky; Ai stole glances down the corridor to make sure no one was following her, before she crept inside. The room was lit by a series of lanterns lining the walls; they cast an orangey glow around the room and flickered as she entered, alerting the only other person there, of her presence.
The Kazekage turned to her as he felt a breeze enter the room with her. Gaara stood in his red clothing, still tired from his travels, still confused as to what Naruto had explained to him.
"Gaara." She spoke almost disbelieving that it was him.
"Ai." He held out his arms to her. As though the she were finally free of the shackles of her cell, Ai ran to him and they embraced. "Are you okay?" Gaara kissed her softly. "What happened?" Her blue eyes widened in sadness.
"How can I explain?" Ai said, suddenly emotion was overwhelming her; big tears fell fast from her eyelashes as Gaara held her in his arms. "I am not even sure myself."
"What other than a whore could steal into the night and take up an audience with the blinded-Kazekage in his council room? And under the eyes of our forefathers!" As the elder, Endo Yori, spoke suddenly, the Kazekage gripped Ai tighter in his arms. They looked over to the doors to see the elder enter the room with a group of his supporters. Shinobi, advisors and council men entered as though prepared to battle. Upon seeing her captors again, Ai's hands gripped onto the material of Gaara's robe, up against his chest, as though fearful she would be torn away from him. Gaara took stance as though ready to fight. His broad physique tensed under Ai's grip.
"I won't have vicious words spoken in this room, Yori-sama." The Kazekage said coldly. "If you wish to use such an accusatory tone, I suggest you wait until the morning so we can speak before a court." Yori, a skinny arm emerging from the folds of his robe, lifted a hand to point straight at Ai.
"Devil's work does not wait to take place in a courtroom, Kazekage. Do not be taken so lightly." He said in a warning tone. As he spoke, Gaara's siblings entered the room from behind him. Kankuro looked from Ai, clutching at Gaara, eyes full of tears, to the group of men at the doors and raised an eyebrow.
"Yori, you senile old fool, what ruckus are you causing in the middle of the night?" Kankuro was irritated that he had only arrived back at the palace a few moments ago and already trouble had started. Someone in the group of accusers sniggered:
"It seems your keepers are here to protect you, Gaara."
Temari, who noticed a familiar face in the group, turned to them. "Baki, what is going on?" She asked her teacher who, from behind Yori, glanced over at her quickly but did not let his sight leave Gaara for too long; if things got out of hand, this group of expert shinobi may not be enough to take down the Kazekage, he he would have to be fully focused.
"We have reason to believe that this woman aided the assassination of the Kazekage." He explained. Temari looked stumped.
"What? Ai is a courtesan. What skill does she know of that could possibly lend itself to the assassination?" She asked. The answer came from someone unexpected.
"Ai knows ninjutsu." Kankuro said quietly, as though not wanting to admit it. Temari cocked her head back at her brother.
"What?"
"She also knowsjōdai nohingo (old Japanese)." Baki expained. "She can communicate with tailed beasts. Write in scripture only they understand." With a frown, Temari turned back to her teacher, still not following.
"How is that possible?" As she asked, men walked forwards from the group and, holding onto leather satchels, tipped their contents onto the round table in the room. In the dim light, Ai could make out familiar objects. Yori gestured to the table for Temari to inspect.
"Books, parchment, ink, ribbons, weights, stolen from the palace libraries." He explained as she sifted through the items. "They were discovered hidden in the courtesan's desk at the Tea House."
"I-I didn't do anything wrong." Ai protested and released Gaara's robes from her grip. "Megumi-sama…" The girl stopped short; if she brought her teacher into this, it could mean the end of her reputation, the end of the Tea House. Ai could not let that happen. Yori raised an eyebrow.
"Yes?"
"I did nothing wrong!" Ai repeated, much to the elder's dissatisfaction.
"Then why did you attempt to communicate with Shukaku?" He asked, raising his voice. "Why is it you were the last person to see the Kazekage before his fight with the Akatsuki? What were you doing on his balcony, out of sight from everyone else?" As the questions tumbled out of his mouth, Ai's heart began to pound hard in her chest, her emotions were rising to her throat, struggling to be heard. Her voice was stifled by fear.
"Ai," Temari turned to her, holding up a book on tailed beasts, "did you create seals?" Ai swallowed hard.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because Shukaku would not let him rest-"
"What does it matter to you, girl, if the Kazekage does not rest?" The old man demanded.
"I am in love with him." Ai answered slowly. Her look of pleading was met with laughter from the crowd.
"Ha!" Yori threw his head back and laughed hard. "The Kazekage went without sleep for nineteen years, do not confuse your use in the nighttime for affection. Love? This whore and her namesake are no more than fallacious dreams-" The room plunged into darkness as sand erupted from behind the Kazekage and swept around the room like a storm. The sudden gust of wind caused the lanterns' flames to reduce to nothingness. Suddenly, light returned as the sand stopped and retreated, hovering over Gaara and Ai like a raincloud, allowing oxygen to return to the lamps and let them burn. Gaara kept the sand above him to remind his council of the strength they were testing and would be facing soon if they continued this way.
"With respect," Gaara spat at the old man, "you would do well to mind your tongue while in my presence, Yori-sama." The elder looked outraged and held his tongue a moment.
"Kazekage," a voice chirped from the back of the crowd, "what can this girl really know of love?" Ai took a step forwards, her fear turned to anger:
"Only as much as the world lets me! You force your preconceived ideas of a courtesan onto me and scold me if I do not play out that role! Yes, I am a courtesan. It does not make me inhuman. I do not lack emotion or want or need. I know love as clearly as I know you are stood in front of me. I would give my life for the Kazekage." Yori did not let a heartbeat of silence pass:
"Why then would you weaken him, if so keen to protect him?"
"Because the bijū caused him pain."
"So you admit it, you did weaken Shukaku before the Kazekage was to fight?"
"No! I never went near Shukaku before the Akatsuki arrived. I last spoke to the beast the night no one could go near the Kazekage because Shukaku caused a sandstorm in his room." Yori, who was skilled in the art of politics and arguing, knew better than this teenage courtesan. He brought the conversation to a standstill as he let silence seep back into the room for a moment.
"Ah," he began again dramatically, "then this brings us to the question your so-called love and loyalty. From where did you appear on that night?" Her eyes widened, she knew were he was going. Glancing at the floor quickly, Ai held her head high.
"From Prince Nobutara's chambers." She answered. A slow murmur, a gentle snigger, passed through the group.
"Forgive me, Kazekage. Have you not heard enough?" The old man asked. Gaara folded his arms.
"I sent her to Nobutara." He answered cooly. Temari, who was the only one in the room who had not been a part of any of the events mentioned, turned to her brother.
"Gaara?"
"We needed to know his position on the Akatsuki." He responded.
"And did you ever find out?" Yori spoke again suddenly. "No? Because she would not divulge such information against her loving prince." Ai blinked in disbelief. Her face went blank.
"Loving…?" She murmured. "The prince and I have no such affection."
"Ai." The entire room turned to the Kazekage's elder brother as he spoke. "Do not lie in front of council members. And do not take my little brother for a fool." Gaara stirred behind Ai.
"Kankuro?" The word came out like a soft growl from Gaara's lips.
"I saw her and the prince together following your abduction. They were," he searched for the right phrasing," embracing in the palace gardens in the dead of night." Ai began to shake her head.
"No, Kankuro, that is not what it looked like!" A shinobi walked forwards from the group and held out a small white package to the Kazekage. Ai looked dumbfounded; how was this happening?
"Is this not what it looks like either?" As Gaara peered inside the package, his heart stopped. He turned to Ai and held it out the her. "So, Kazekage. What do you think of this wretch's loyalty and love now?" Ai's delicate fingers peeled open the ivory paper and found inside the armlet Megumi had gifted her. So much had happened in the past few months that Ai had not even thought about it's whereabouts. She assumed she had left it at the Tea house. But on closer inspection, a small inscription was scribbled in dark ink on the white parchment: My dearest Ai, I return that which you lost in my embrace. Your loving Prince.
Ai was shaking her head in disbelief. "This…this is not real. I did not go near the prince!" She protested, turning to Gaara. He would not meet her eye.
"And yet, here we are." Yori's voice echoed in her head as though it were far away. She was staring at Gaara, feeling her heart begin to weep; it was drowning her insides, the fact that he would not look at her.
"Gaara?" She heard Temari's voice in the distance.
"Remain in this room until I call you, council men." Gaara addressed the group. "Kankuro, Temari, Ai, come with me to my office."
"Kaze-"
"Keep watch over this room, Baki." The man addressed his teacher as he walked past him, not entirely sure of how much he could trust him. Ai followed as though in a daze; feeling as though her body did not belong to her.
Once they entered Gaara's office, he went to stand in front of his desk as his siblings waited by the door, allowing Ai to stand in the centre of the room. The Kazekage leant against his desk and looked up at her with tired eyes.
"Speak." He ordered.
"Gaara, what happened between Nobutara and I was not as it seemed. I went to him to convince him to help the village." Ai pleaded.
"It is not your place to sway the politics of Sunagakure, Ai." Temari spoke up behind her, making Ai turned back and address her.
"With respect, Temari-sama, courtesans have more influence than you would think." The dancer turned back to Gaara. "I missed you terribly and worried for the future of the village. I wanted to make sure that Suna remained in good hands." Something inside of Ai's chest pained a little when she saw something similar to a sneer pass over Gaara's face.
"You speak so highly of Nobutara." He spoke in that soft, dangerous voice. "Why would he wish to accuse you of being unfaithful?"
"The Prince was infatuated with me." Ai explained, her big blue eyes round with sadness. "This is comeuppance for my refusing him the gardens. What you saw, Kankuro-sama, was the moment before I pushed him away." Ai turned to the man with the painted face and explained herself. He raised an eyebrow and folded his arms:
"So no more than friendship existed between the two of you?" He asked. Again, Ai knew what was coming.
"I," her voice faltered, there was no way out of this. "Gaara once asked me to seduce the Prince." She admitted.
"So you were with him, the night you rescued Gaara from Shukaku's temper?" Temari wanted to confirm Yori's allegations.
"Yes." Ai turned back to Gaara. "This was before anything came to pass between us, Gaara." He looked up at her. His wonderful opal eyes met hers, that frown of uncertainty faded away and his eyes softened.
"I understand." Ai almost collapsed in relief as Gaara spoke. She walked up to him and fell into his embrace.
"Gaara, this is not a simple situation. It cannot be so easily reconciled by claiming it was a misunderstanding." As his sister spoke, Gaara placed a gentle kiss against Ai's forehead. She closed her eyes and let her beating heart slow its pace.
"What do you mean, Temari?" The Kazekage asked.
"The village elders are suspicious of Ai; no courtesan has ever stepped so bravely into shinobi territory and yet that is all Ai ever seemed to do. They will not accept this union." Kankuro nodded his agreement and added:
"The village will have lost sympathy for your relationship with a girl of the tea house, having seen her arrested." He paused for a moment, wondering if he should continue. "In the eyes of everyone but us, Ai is a traitor."
"And you have worked so hard to gain their trust, Gaara." A note of pleading entered Temari's voice. "All your work will be undone if you both choose to remain like this." Gaara stood straight, holding onto Ai as if he knew what was going to happen.
"What are you asking me?" He asked in a dangerous whisper. Temari shared a look with Kankuro.
"For the sake of the village and yourself, this relationship must end." At her words, Ai bowed her head.
"We can explain." Gaara protested.
"What use in explaining?" His sister spoke in a dejected, defeated tone. "Gaara, you destroyed lives of villagers in your youth, how can you expect them to continue to trust you if you go against Yori, a trusted village elder?"
"We can tell him-"
"He will not back down, you know this." Temari could not meet his gaze.
"We can-"
"They are right." The Kazekage was silenced as his love spoke softly.
"Ai?" Gaara whispered her voice disbelievingly; she sounded like she had given up.
"What would you have me do?" Ai looked up at him, full tears flowing freely from her eyes. "Live as your partner, as your wife? And have the village turn against you? I will not be the cause of your suffering." Taking her hands in his, Gaara held them up to his lips and kissed them.
"And leaving me will not lead to that?" He asked her.
"Gaara." Temari did not want to rush her brother but in the world of politics, time is not simply time; it does not go by unnoticed. If they spent too long alone in here, it would give the council more reason to doubt Gaara. "You know what is to be done." Gaara could barely hear her; he stared at his first love with all the heartache he had ever known. It constricted and pained in his chest, he was barely able to speak as their eyes met. With a look of determination, Ai turned to Temari:
"If I take on the charges, what will happen to me?"
"Banishment, most likely." Ai nodded at her answer.
"I will go to another House before dawn, Megumi-sama will see to it." Ai turned to Gaara who looked at the girl he had fallen so madly in love with and found that he could only say her name.
"Ai." His bottom lip trembled. How had it come to this? Ai smiled at him softly.
"You are not alone in this world, Gaara." She whispered as they put their foreheads together. "When I leave you, you will have a village on your side. You are home here and loved. Do not throw that away for me." Ai kissed the corner of his mouth and looked deep into his eyes as they turned red and hot from the pain. "And I will not be alone." She assured him. "I will travel with each and every moment I spent with you etched into my heart. Yes, I go, wrapped in your tempest, in shades of anguish cursing the world for all the bitterness I will endure from the nights without you. But I am grateful to that storm for it was your temper that gifted me the mark of your love." Gaara shook his head; he didn't want to hear these things.
"I wonder what will become of me?" The dancer almost laughed and looked dreamily up at him as though she could see her future in his eyes. "I suppose I will fade to legend. As the girl who once glimpsed the blood-love in your eyes, Kazekage. Do not fear for me or worry for me; I will become the watery and misted image of the girl who once had your heart and that is more than any woman in this world could ask for. I love you, Gaara." He brought her into a rough and fierce embrace, not wanting to let her go. Into his chest she whispered: "this is where our destinies part." Tearing herself away from him, the agony of parting began to rise up inside of Ai as she took one last look at him before turning and walking away. After a few steps she found her veil was held taught, stopping her from moving forward. She waited with her head bowed for him to come up behind her, put a finger beneath her chin and turn her back to face him.
"How can I live without you, Love?" Gaara gasped. "I prayed for you in every breath." Ai reached up with her veil and dried his face, shaking her head as though to tell him to speak no more. "How can I live through the pain of loving you, of wanting you, of needing you?" He was begging her for answers, so close to falling onto his knees for her. "Forever will I long for you. Forever I will worship you. You and nothing else." Gaara kissed her deeply, causing Temari to exit the room hurriedly for she did not want Gaara to see her cry. Kankuro followed after her. "This wretched blood-love; it has made us false enemies."
"But gifted us a moment in each other's hearts. There, you and I will remain." She said sweetly.
"I love you, Ai."
"I love you, Gaara." With one finally longing look at each other, fingertips untwined from one another, the utter pain of loss engulfed them. The red, defected, unearthly love had found its victim; the cursed destiny of Ai and Gaara, written by the gods, had come to its tragic end. Upon trembling legs and with a heavy heart, Ai left Gaara's office.
Out in the corridor, Ai came across Temari who was sobbing in her brother's arms. They looked at one another.
"Temari-sama." The women embraced as Ai tried her hardest not to cry. She knew she had to walk past the council members, she would not let them think she was broken.
"Thank you for bringing our brother back to us." Temari whispered. As they released each other, Kankuro appraised the young dancer.
"Ai, I'm so sorry." Was all he could say. Ai nodded; she was ready to take on the role of a traitor if it was to save her beloved.
"Why be sorry when the destiny befits the destined?" Yori, who had grown tired of waiting in the council room, approached the three stood outside the Kazekage's office. "You may be beautiful, young one, but you are a whore. Do not besmirch the halls of Kage any longer; be gone." Ai, who would not let her emotional turmoil be belittled, actually smiled:
"Besmirch the halls?" She repeated. "Have you such pride that you cannot see past my beauty and status to see a heart? It beats with blood, as does yours, elder." She snapped.
"You speak as if you have honour to defend."
"That would be a curious thing, wouldn't it?" Ai whispered, taking a step towards him. "A courtesan with honour. Laughable. Just as laughable as your aged tactics, Yori-sama." Temari and Kankuro shifted nervously behind her; they could not protect her from Yori or else they would be accused of helping a traitor. Ai was not backing down; "the Kazekage will not be so easily removed from power. See my banishment not as your victory, but as his sacrifice."
"Do not speak to me as though I am unjust. It is not in a courtesan's destiny to be married." The elder retorted.
"And yet," Ai spoke patronisingly, "we often find ourselves in the company of husbands. Curious, wouldn't you say?" Yori sniffed in indignation at her words.
"What are you implying, whore?"
"That he who frequents alleys of disrepute do so unashamedly." Ai raised her voice to the shock of those gathered. "The children born in brothels are of your ilk, Yori-sama. They are born of aristocratic fathers, Perhaps I have danced beside your daughter, your sister?"
"How dare you?!" Yori's face contorted in rage.
"I dare because I am not fearful of you." With this, Ai smirked, knowing the old food knew he could not intimidate her; she had already lost all there was to lose. Without Gaara, what was there in her life?
"I will remember our parting, Ai."
"For your sake, be sure to." With the last word, Ai gathered herself, lifted her head high and walked out of the palace of Suna. Hiding to those who saw only the back of her, the fear in her eyes and the pain of loss in her frown for she had lost everything in only the early hours of the morning. Ai walked out into the world unknown, uncertain of her future and fearful for her beloved Kazekage.
Forces unknown were at work, etching out the tale of the blood-love, calling upon gods and kismet to write out the destinies of the two star-crossed lovers. War was steadily approaching on the horizon, the Kazekage would be faced with battle soon. And into the world unknown, a songbird set flight, unaware that her fate was rushing towards her.