First of all, a Merry Christmas and a happy new year to you all! It's been over a year since we updated. Truly sorry about that. My lovely co-author moved halfway across the globe, my grandma died and some other shit happened that I won't dwell much on. Second of all, I have noticed that many reviewers in this fandom have been positively unsupportive of us authors which I find deplorable. If you have constructive criticism then that's fine, but please do not hate on the author and use curse words. I have been around on this website for awhile now and this is the first time I've come across this type of nasty behavior. Hope that we all can continue to share our stories in a friendly and supportive atmosphere.

Also, we won't dedicate this chapter to any one person, but to friendship. Particularly the friendship between me, LiteralistSin(my co-author) and SapphiRubyCrys. We three have stuck together for the longest time and will continue to do so in the many years to come. I text you guys every single day. We talk about nothing and everything. If I'm ever down, you're the first to know about it. So thank you for being there, Keira and Al. I love you more than you can imagine. And K, you're a brat and I'm a drama queen but oh I enjoy us watching serials and listening to music even if we're miles away. And Al, sometimes I think you're way too good to be friends with the likes of us but we couldn't do without your calming presence.So here's to us and our crazy group of three!

Disclaimer :We don't own KNS. Just this amazing story.

"My lady! Ayano! Wake up!" She could feel hands gently shaking her awake. It was too much of a pain to open her eyes. She didn't want to. But the voice wouldn't stop.

It took all her strength to open one eye and then another. Yukari's worried face came into view.

She slowly pushed herself upright on her bed.

Her long, breathtaking red hair was disheveled, her kimono was rumpled and loose. She slowly shook her head, trying to shake off the weariness. The light of the afternoon sun dazzled her tired eyes.

"Are you alright?" Yukari's voice was gentle.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" Her voice came out like a croak and she realized that her throat was sore and throbbing.

"Ayano. You were crying in your sleep."

Surprised, her hands immediately went to her face. Sure enough, she could feel the tracks left by the salty tears on her cheeks.

"I-I… I didn't know." Her voice was shaky. Yukari dabbed at her cheeks with her handkerchief.

"It's okay. I know you've been working hard. Knowing you, you probably didn't even get a good night's sleep on your whole journey." Yukari gave her a cup of warm tea. "After all the hard work you put in, some of those - pardon my language - morons still refuse to acknowledge your leadership. It must be frustrating. And with Juugo-sama sick like this…"

Ayano took a sip of the tea. It smelled lovely.

"I don't really need anyone's approval. I will do what I must, no matter who decides to stand in my way." The glint of firm determination was back in her eye and Yukari was once again awed by this person who could be so strong one moment and so childish the next. This person who carried the load of the whole family on her delicate shoulders, suffering all alone.

She had grown up with Ayano. When they were just starting to learn fire magic, they had been in the same class. Needless to say, everyone knew the Head's only daughter. At first, it had seemed impossible to understand the feelings of the mysterious girl with the unusual red hair.

But one day, she had gotten into a fight with some of the elder boys from the branch family and they had ganged up on her when she refused to serve them tea. Being from one of the weaker subordinate families, Yukari's family was mainly comprised of workers so she often got picked on. She could still remember the terror she felt as she took a look at their sneering faces and hands licked by their flames. Yukari was by no means strong… even now after so many years.

She had stood there frozen in horror. A seven year old girl against nine twelve year old boys. She knew it would be painful once they were through with her. She remembered closing her eyes and waiting for the pain to begin.

But she hadn't felt anything. She could only hear gasps and angry shouts. Slowly she had opened her eyes… and seen something that she would never forget all her life.

A girl had stood in front of her. A girl whose waist long hair was a deep, dark, mesmerizing crimson that was being whipped around by the wind. The hair had glinted and shone in the evening air, looking like a crimson blanket. Ayano's face that day was like thunder and even the anger in her small face was terrifying. The crimson flames that Yukari had seen that day were deadly and wondrous. It was something only Ayano could do. It was something Ayano was feared for.

And that fateful evening, Yukari and Ayano had become the best of friends.

Yukari could see how much Ayano suffered. She had gone through immense training, against the wishes of the elders. There had been days when she had so many cuts and bruises that she had been unable to move. But every day, relentlessly, Ayano had trained and studied.

A woman must be weak. Docile, subservient.

A woman must not be stronger than men.

A woman is only good for household work and to satisfy men.

A woman must always bow down and be obedient.

A woman must never lead, always follow.

These stupid restrictions had not tied her down. Like a beautiful and deadly dragon, Ayano Kannagi had risen, bathing the entire Seinaru Kouen in her dazzling bright light. Picking a fight with the lady would mean kissing your life goodbye - that was what the rumors said.

But few had seen the power behind the beautiful crimson flames.

Yukari knew that Ayano only used the power when she deemed necessary… which was in extremely difficult situations.

Beautiful red hair that changed to a mesmerizing crimson color was an indication of the reincarnation of the First.

Ayano had that power.

Which also meant that she must have herself a contractor… someone chosen by the heavens to protect her. But having a contractor would mean binding someone forcefully to her.

If only life were so simple.

"Did you dream of him again?" Yukari asked Ayano quietly.

Her friend froze, the cup poised in midair.

"I did." Her voice was broken as she placed the cup back on the saucer without taking a sip.

"How long will you keep this up?" It was a question that had no answer.

Ayano stayed silent.

"Until I deem necessary." Her voice had gained some strength.

"You love him. It will never be enough… Ayano." Yukari looked at her through sad brown eyes.

The woman in front of her was not a clan leader. She was not a lady or an heiress.

She was just a young girl in love.

A love which was a double edged sword.

"A shikigami is all I can do for now."

"What will you do if he finds out?" Yukari took the cup out of Ayano's trembling hands.

"He won't! He shan't! I won't allow it!" Ayano's bright crimson eyes flashed.

"But he will one day! And when he does… he'll hate you for it!" Yukari gently shook her. "Stop. Before it's too late."

Ayano shrugged off her hand.

"I'm getting late for the clan meeting. Help me get ready."

Yukari sighed.

Just like always, she had changed the topic.

As Ayano straightened her clothes and put some cold water on her face to refresh herself, Yukari quickly put the tea items back on the tray.

"I'll brush your hair for you." The heiress looked at her.

"You don't have to. I'll just pin it up quickly."

Yukari shook her head. "No. I want to. It's been a while…" She smiled softly.

As Yukari took the long red strands and quickly brushed through them, she couldn't help but ask a question.

"How do you feel Ayano? About your hair and what it implicates?" She could feel her take in a quick breath.

"Well…" Yukari saw her look down in thought, fiddling with her fingers. "To be honest, I don't really care for it all. I don't know what I was in my past life, whether I was the First or not. But I do know that I have been given a gift from heaven that I must use for the betterment of my people. No matter what others think." She met Yukari's eye in the mirror.

"I've always thought that your hair looked pretty." Yukari gently gathered up the hair, arranging it in a chignon.

"It attracts a lot of attention, doesn't it?" Ayano giggled.

"It certainly does!" Yukari grinned, putting in a beautiful flower hairpin.

"It looks great!" Ayano stood up quickly, giving herself a look over.

"Hurry!" Yukari watched as Ayano quickly looked around, then seeing no one in the hallway, quickly bundled up her kimono and took off in a run.

Yukari shook her head, a fond smile on her face.

The atmosphere in the meeting had been the same as always. Demanding, suffocating, pressurizing and unsettling. Most of the elders supported her as heiress while the few others who didn't were forced to do so anyways.

But they all wanted her to get married and give the reins to a male. But no one had the nerves to say that out loud to her… except Ryosuke-san.

But she knew that they admired her and respected her in their own way. She was the strongest they had, after all.

Sometimes, all she wanted to do was kick off her sandals, remove her formal kimono and just wear a dress like those girls from the village. How nice it would be, to feel the wind in her hair and to laugh freely.

She felt like a statue at times. Always forced to remain demure and calm, when personally, she would have smacked the old geezer's head in. Violence was her nature. It came with the red hair. That's what her mother had always said.

But she wanted to lead the family so she was forced to keep it hidden. The burning rage that swept through her body was confined to clenched fists and sharp glares.

I wish…

The night was beautiful. It was the only time of day when she could truly be alone. The day had been tiring.

She remembered the market she had seen that day. She remembered the old woman and those boys who had harassed her. Her jaw clenched in anger at the memory.

She would have gladly knocked those men unconscious. If only Ryosuke hadn't been with her…

She sighed.

Taking a walk at night had become a routine for her.

She stopped on the bridge that overlooked the small stream that trickled through the compound. She gazed at the brilliant stars above. They seemed so far away and distant.

Her long red hair was tickling her face. It blew around her, creating waves. It was the only time she could leave it loose.

If she didn't tie it up, the men would take her lightly. Tying it up made her look slightly older and more mature. Only she knew the child that was lying in wait inside her heart.

"Awake so late at night, Princess?" She jumped at the smooth male voice.

Her head snapped around.

He stood tall before her, his chocolate brown hair unruly and ruffled. He was wearing a dark blue yukata. There was a sexy smirk on his face and she could feel her heart leap into her throat.

"Kazuma." She forced her voice to be steady, but she too could hear the surprise in her voice.

He continued looking at her.

"Your hair is loose." His eyes had widened and the smirk was gone from his handsome face.

She turned towards him.

Neither of them said anything. They stood facing each other on the bridge, her long red hair looking beautiful in the moonlight as he stared at her with something akin to awe in his eyes. The wind picked up and her yukata bellowed up and she rushed to hold it down.

A blush quickly covered her cheeks.

When she looked up, the smirk was back on his face.

"Better watch out, Princess. It's very windy today." His voice sounded amused.

"I'll be fine!" Her voice came out sulky and indignant.

He chuckled.

Ayano Kannagi had always remained a mystery to him and to most of the tribe.

But unlike the others, he had grown up in close proximity to her when they were young. It had always seemed to him that there were two sides to her - one which the world saw… the other which she kept to herself. Her eyes had always got a sad look to them as if they held a secret. A secret that allured and burned at the same time.

But he knew that the woman standing before him was quite extraordinary in her own right.

Her deep crimson eyes were filled with embarrassment and anger, there was a flush to her pale smooth skin and he almost wanted to touch her soft hair. The hair that was always strictly tied up.

Ayano was a beautiful woman.

He had heard of the many marriage propositions that had come for her. He had also heard about how she always turned them all down…

Though that was none of his business.

She opened her mouth to say something, but suddenly stopped.

The sound of footsteps echoed behind him.

He followed her crimson eyes and turned around.

Tsui Ling stood there, in her light nightdress. She must have woken up. Her chestnut hair was tied in her usual ponytail though it was disheveled. Her jade green eyes sparkled in the night.

She stood there, looking at him and Ayano.

She was the only woman for him. The only one he could ever love or trust.

"I'll take my leave then." Ayano's voice made him snap back to look at her. Her hair hid some of her face but he detected an odd note in her voice. Like a mask had slipped back into place.

"Goodnight." Her voice was soft and as she walked by him, he could smell her strawberry shampoo.

Ayano and Tsui Ling nodded at each other as she walked by.

"Later…" Tsui Ling quietly smiled, before rushing into Kazuma's arms.

To all the lovely people who reviewed, you guys made our day. We adore you. Thank you for giving your opinion, it is always appreciated.

A guest reviewer asked us if Ayano was snooping on Tsui Ling and Kazuma. I would like to answer this question but it would ruin the suspense. But yes, she was dreaming about what they did that day. I know it's weird, but you'll understand if you continue to read.

Any queries will gladly be answered by either of us. Just PM us or state your query in your review.

The story will pick up from the next chapter so stay tuned!

Please review! Thank you!~

Until Next Time!