Iris and Crimson

-Ayame-

I woke that morning, feeling like everything was a dream. I turned around to sleep again and heard another person’s breathing. I frowned and sat up, scanning my room. There on the couch was Gaara, fast asleep. He didn’t snore, he just well….breathed? His back was to me so I couldn’t see his face. It wasn’t a dream! He is sleeping in my room and he is getting married to me. I fell over unto my back, annoyed.

I must have fallen asleep again, since I woke up to see that Gaara was no longer on the couch. It looked like it was 6 am in the morning. I got out of my bed and headed for my mirror but froze at what I saw. I placed my finger on my ring finger of my other hand. On my finger were two rings, a expensive diamond ring and a wedding ring. I frowned.

Then there was noise downstairs, and I heard footsteps on the stairs. My bedroom door opened and Gaara came in. He had on nothing but a long black pair of jeans. My eyes darted to his naked chest. Very muscular, why did he have to be so so hot? He noticed me and smiled. Smiled! Something was very wrong here. I then looked at myself in the mirror again. Did I look taller and more feminine? Gaara walked over to me and wrapped his arms around my body from behind. I gasped, what was he doing?

“Morning, Aya” he whispered in my ear sending shivers down my spine. Only my sisters and my mother called me “Aya”.

“Uh…morning...” I mumbled, confused. Gaara chuckled at my words and planted a kiss on my neck. He then let go of me and walked over to the closet.

“I got you something” I heard Gaara say from the closet. I walked over to him and watched as he pulled out a thin long black box. A type of box you would put a necklace in.

“Happy 16th birthday, Aya” Gaara beamed and then I woke up.

I screamed so loudly as I sat up. Gaara shot up as he heard my screams.

“What the hell, Ayame?” he groaned. Gaara looked like he was still asleep, he looked really annoyed and angry. I tried to calm myself but the dream kept on replaying in my mind.

“I had a nightmare” I said. Gaara rolled his eyes.

“You woke me up for a dream?” Gaara hissed.

“Not a morning person, are you?” I hissed back. Gaara growled and lay down again. I looked out my window, it was still slightly dark outside. Because the kingdom was in the sky the sun’s rays always came out later as on earth. I looked at the time, 7:30. I sighed and got out of bed. I decided to soak in my tub instead of the hotspring today. I got my clothes and entered my bathroom.

The kingdom’s two elders, Machiko and Rai joined us for breakfast. I had no idea why they were here. But when I entered the dining room, they both greeted me and then they greeted Gaara. They talked to Gaara a bit about the alliance and then we sat down to eat.

“Princess Ayame, did I mention that you look stunning today?” Rai complimented me. I smiled and shook my head.

“Thank you, Rai” I said. I could feel Kankuro’s eyes on me while he ate. Apparently Gaara’s lovable brother was a pervert. I glanced at him and he quickly looked away. I giggled, only to have all the others to stare at me like I was some kind of idiot.

“So, Kazekage-sama, when do we get to meet the in-laws?” Machiko asked. Gaara looked up from his plate and frowned.

“Unfortunately, my parents, both have already passed away” Temari explained. Machiko frowned and tried to make sense of it all.

“Oh, that’s too bad” Machiko said with sympathy. I glanced at Gaara. His face had a mix of emotions. He seemed bothered and sad but he also seemed angry and annoyed at the same time. I wondered why? I did feel sorry to hear that Gaara and his siblings were orphans. If my father died, who knows what I would have done. My mother’s death was already heartbreaking enough.

“Aya, sweetheart” My father began, “tonight, you and the kazekage will be going on a date.”

I groaned but nodded. It felt strange that my father called me ‘Aya’. Only my mother and sisters called me that, and of course, Gaara in my dreams. I shook the memory of the nightmare off. Just why did I have to dream such a perverted thing? I don’t love Gaara. I hate him in fact. He, who has stolen my dream of living freely. My sisters already had to follow my father’s wishes. Get married to people he chose. Women had to choose that themselves! But not me. Oh no. I remember that my father isn’t the only one to blame for this. The whole marriage thing was actually the elders’ idea. I groaned. Why did the Cloud Kingdom and Suna elders have to agree with each other on the marriage thing?

I excused myself from the table to relax in my mother’s garden. My date with Gaara was at 4 pm. I then have to be ready to go, since first I have to introduce myself to the Suna elders and then we will go and have dinner. Hopefully the elders are not expecting anything weird that I must do.

I sat on the little bench in my mother’s garden, the tips of my toes touching the water of the bond at the back of the bench, my toes created ripples in the water. I closed my eyes and let the cold breeze blow through my hair. It was calming. I heard someone clear their throat behind them and I turned around.

There, leaning against a pillar stood a boy, my age with messy brown hair and blue eyes. I smiled.

“Julien!” I squealed as I ran over to him and gave him a tight hug.

-Temari-

I was walking through the garden of the palace, searching for Ayame. I walked to her mother’s garden when I spotted a not very good sight.

On the bench sat a young boy, he looked the same age as Ayame. He had messy brown hair and his back was turned to me. On his lap, rested Ayame’s head. The boy was stroking her hair and it looked like she was asleep. How could an engaged girl do that? I stomped over to them and pulled the boy by his arm, almost causing Ayame to fall in the pond. I glared daggers at him and dragged him to the throne room. He struggle under my grip and Ayame tried to catch up with us.

“Wait, Temari, it’s not what you think!” Ayame yelled but ignored her.

In the throne room I threw the boy on the floor in front of King Satoshi and Queen Haruna. I saw the king narrow his eyes and the queen glare. Ayame caught up and was trying to catch her breath again.

“Julien, I though I told you to never show your face here again!” the king yelled. Kankuro and Gaara entered the room. Kankuro stood next to me and frowned. I shrugged.

“Forgive me, your majesty, but I had to see Aya again” the boy apologized as he knelt on the ground, his face buried in his hands as he bowed.

“You dare to call her Aya!” the king yelled even louder. Haruna stood up, and walked off the steps of the platform. Her Junihitoe dragging on the floor.

“Julien, what did I tell you before you left?” she asked him as she walked around him in circles, fanning herself with her fan.

“That, I may never set foot here again” Julien said really softly.

“And, why did I say that?” the queen asked. Julien sighed. He had a pained look on his face.

“Because Queen Maika is no longer here” Julien mumbled.

“Correct, you have no business with us any longer, now go” the queen growled.

“No!” Ayame yelled. Haruna glared at her.

“And why, no?” Haruna asked as she cocked her head to the side.

“He’s my friend!” Ayame yelled. I and Kankuro glanced at each other.

“Dear child, you are engaged! You cannot have feelings for your childhood friend!” the queen snapped.

“Engaged?” Julien echoed as he stared at Ayame. Ayame’s eyes was now filled with sadness and she held out her hand for him but took it back, and nodded her head.

“To who?” Julien asked. His face was also filled with pain and sorrow. Gaara walked over to Ayame and wrapped his arm around Ayame’s shoulders.

“To me” he said in a deep, annoyed voice. Julien’s eyes widened.

“Why, Ayame? Do you love this man?” Julien asked. Ayame didn’t say anything.

“Don’t ask such questions! Guards, throw this boy out at the gates!” the queen yelled.

“No!” Ayame shouted as she tried to reach out to Julien but Gaara’s grip on her held her back. Julien was dragged out of the room and Ayame turned around and buried her face in Gaara’s chest. And then I heard her sobs. Gaara didn’t know what to do so he just hugged her. I smiled, they looked so cute, even though they particularly hated each other.

-Sara-

I was standing in front of Ayame’s bedroom door, I wanted to knock but maybe Ayame was asleep? I heard yelling earlier so I went to find out what was wrong, Julien came to visit all of a sudden. I sighed as I remembered when he used to come play all the time when mother was still alive.

Little Julien was in love with my little sister. But she was engaged to someone else. Sometimes I wondered if Ayame loved him too. But she couldn’t be with him even if she did, she was going to get married in 4 months.

I was about to knock when I heard voices inside her room. I pressed my ear to the door.

“Who was that?” I heard Gaara’s voice ask. Ayame was still crying since I could hear the sobs.

“My childhood friend, he’s the son of my mother’s friend” Ayame answered him in between sobs.

“Do you love him?” Gaara asked. For some reason, it sounded like Gaara’s voice held pity.

“I don’t know, I can’t love him, since I have to marry you” Ayame said. I felt so sorry for my little sister.

Gaara didn’t say anything else. I only heard Ayame cry more.

“Your mother, was Queen Maika, right?” I heard Gaara ask again. Ayame didn’t say anything but she probably nodded since Gaara dropped the subject.

“Get rest, we have a big night tonight” Gaara said softly and then it was silent. A smile crossed my face. Perhaps, Ayame will come to like Gaara in time, he did have a nice side.