Aiko felt the soft melody escape her lips. She murmured the words she had heard so many times. Her voice was clear and strong, attracting everyone's attention.

Aiko moved delicately, dancing perfectly. Aiko's kimono was nothing compared to Akihfumi's but the grace with which she moved was more than the other lady's. Even though her kimono wasn't embroidered or a bright color, she stood out more than Akihfumi.

As Aiko twirled and moved her body in precise movements made to seduce the mind of the nobles present, she recalled her sisters as they danced.

They were perfect and beautiful while she was stuck behind the scenes, dirty and grimy. Aiko would peek in the living room, where her sisters were getting taught this dance. She would watch the teacher, hiding in the shadows, and start to memorize the dances, repeating them by herself. Aiko remembered Siho was the worst in dancing, but her beautiful voice made up for it.

Aiko adored it. It was the only thing her sister did that would make her smile. She despised the person so much, her voice made her seem like a better human being for a fleeting bubble of time, but then her singing stopped and she became her true self once again.

Aiko believed that no one could sing better than Siho. She had heard people praise her voice so often that Aiko had positioned it on a pedestal, crafted by other people's opinion. But one day, when she was at the market, buying food and fabric, she caught sight of a few children. They looked poor and hungry. Their clothes were torn and covered in dirt. They had tried to steal an apple, but they had been caught. The merchant was screaming at them, spit flying out of his mouth. The older child was glaring at him, while he held the youngest tightly in his arms, who was crying. Their tears mixing with the dirt on their face and leaving clean stripes on their cheeks.

Aiko hated the way the merchant yelled at them. It was clear that the two children couldn't afford the apple and hadn't been stealing it just for fun. She walked closer; her mouth pressed in a straight line. She yanked the merchant's hand towards her and dropped a few coins in his outstretched palm. "Here, take this, and leave these poor children alone." She had said. The merchant grabbed the money and left, throwing 5 apples at Aiko.

Aiko caught all of them and handed them to the kids. She smiled gently. They bowed extremely low and took the apples, their hands shaking. The older seemed to have calmed down, but the little girl was still crying, terrorized. She continued sobbing, her eyes closed, her nose running.

Aiko took her from her older brother's arm, and started rocking her. Aiko started to hum a very soft lullaby, hoping to soothe her. The kids in the area came closer, attracted by the singing. The youngest stopped crying.

When she had finished, they all begged her to sing more zest. The little one had hugged her tightly. Aiko couldn't help a smile as she thought of that. It had helped her realize her voice might not have been as bad as she had thought.

The rustling of her sleeve brought her back to the present, her memories evaporating like a puddle in the sun.

As the song finished, Akihfumi bowed down, a grin plastered on her red lips. Her ears expected to hear a cacophony of claps and cheers. There were a few nobles who started, but then they noticed the Emperor wasn't clapping, and quickly dropped their hands into their laps, blinking nervously.

Aiko stood still, her eyes fixed on her hands. Had she done something wrong? Would she be killed before she faced freedom? All these thoughts danced in her head. Aiko was cursing her awful temper and her curiosity. If she had kept those at bay, she wouldn't be here.

Aiko heard a rustle of silk as the Emperor stood up. He walked to Aiko, his steps slow and heavy. "Sing something else." He ordered sternly. Aiko gulped, a drop of sweat sliding down her back. She racked her brain for ideas, and finally one popped up.

Aiko closed her eyes, and started singing, thankful her voice wasn't trembling. It was a lullaby she had heard a few times.

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As the last note fell from her lips, the Emperor's chest stiffened. "The banquet is over," The Emperor stated, his voice rumbling from deep within his chest. With a swish of his sleeve, he was gone, leaving behind him a wake of nasty stares reserved for Aiko, especially from the women in the harem.

Everyone left the room in a hurry, glancing one last time at the maid in the center of the room. As the last person left, Aiko sighed. She dried a drop of sweat from her neck, falling to her knees. She needed to calm herself down before she could run out. As she took deep, thunder cracked behind her. From the window, Aiko could see purple, heavy clouds covering the castle, ready to drench it with malicious rain.

"That dark already? I must run away. Now. Before it starts raining" She yelped.

As Aiko ran for the door, she bumped into a man. She pulled back and bowed to apologize. As she lifted her gaze, she saw a young man in military attire standing in front of her.

"His Majesty demands your presence in his room." The guard said, his eyes piercing.