Disclaimer:Characters are property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. I don't own anything.

Note: Since the day I started to study history I developed a huge interest in the history about Geisha, that's why I decided to write this story. If some things are not correct please do excuse me, I've did my research the best I can but in the end, I'm still just human.

I don't want this story to be a one shot and I do realize that this chapter will be rather short since it's just a prologue, but since it does take some time and effort to write stories like these I will only write if I have enough people who are interested in reading this story.

For those who don't know me yet: English is not my native language, so I apologize on beforehand for any grammar/spelling errors.

I hope you guys enjoy!

The Geisha with Blue Eyes

Prologue

Martial arts is just practice. Being a geisha requires complete control – Michelle Yeoh Choo-Kheng

'I never once thought that I would find myself in a position such as this…'

A small smile that doesn't quite seem to reach her crystal blue eyes forms itself around red painted lips. With an elegant gesture she carefully picks up her small porcelain cup and sighs before placing the rim against her lips and taking a tiny sip of the steaming hot beverage inside. She then looks up at the tall and skinny man sitting in front of her who watches her with a look of pure fascination reflected in his dark but friendly looking eyes.

'I must say miss Kamiya, it wasn't a very easy task to find you, to be quite honest, I wasn't even sure if you wanted to be found, but I'm sure glad that I did. I really appreciate this opportunity miss Kamiya, I really do.'

She furrows her well-trimmed eyebrows as she lets his words sink in, her small and polite smile suddenly gone from her lips, replaced by a thin and almost sad line and a thoughtful look in her eyes as her gaze seems to drift away to nothing in particular.

'Miss Kamiya…hm…I haven't heard that name in a very very long time…'

Then, she suddenly snaps back to reality again, her facial expression seems to relax a bit as the small and polite smile reaches its way back to her red painted lips again, although the thoughtful look in her crystal blue eyes doesn't seem to disappear. She carefully places the fragile porcelain cup back on the smooth surface of the wooden *kotatsu in front of her that separates her from the tall and thin stranger sitting across from her.

'I haven't used my family name in decades so you have to excuse me. These past times I've actually only used my *geimyô…'

She looks down at her small but elegant pale hands that are placed upon the kotatsu and suddenly realizes how they slightly tremble, she then quickly clenches her hands and produces another small sigh before looking up again.

'He…was the only one who used my real name…but other than that I'm formally known as Fusao. Maybe that is the reason why you had such a difficult time finding me, hardly anybody around here knows my family name. Only…certain…people do, but I believe that you know what kind of people I mean by that, because…why else would you be here?'

The tall and thin man sitting across from her flashes her an almost apologetic smile as he runs his long fingers through his sandy blonde hair. He licks his dry lips and clears his throat.

'How would you prefer to be called then?'

His voice has a nervous edge to it and he seems to be the slightest bit uncomfortable as he asks this question. She tilts her head and suddenly feels her delicate smile growing a bit wider as she looks at him with piercing eyes.

'Mr. Jones isn't it?'

Her voice sounds friendly and she pulls up one of her eyebrows as she patiently awaits his answer.

'Y-yes miss…but if you'd like you can just call me by my first name which is William…or Will, whatever you prefer miss.'

She slowly nods as she keeps her eyes fixated on the man in front of her. She smiles friendly at him, a smile that, this time, does seem to reach her crystal blue eyes for the tiniest bit.

'Well, since we've decided to skip the formalities I will call you Will and you…you may call me Kaoru.'

Will returns her smile with a relieved look in his emerald eyes. By telling him her birth name she just gave him her silent and unspoken permission to proceed with what he came here to do.

Before proceeding however, he carefully watches, almost observes, the elegant woman sitting in front of him. She's known as an important and well-respected figure in these areas. She owns one of the most grandest *okiya's inKyoto and has the reputation of a strict and fierce businesswoman who gets what she wants. On the other hand, however, she's known as a mysterious woman, extremely elegant but also extremely secretive. She's probably one of Kyoto's biggest mysteries. But…there is one secret, one secret of all…that still haunts her, that still follows her with every step she takes and it is a secret that could possibly lead to enormous and brutal consequences but by the look in her eyes he knows that she realizes that she can't keep this secret any longer…the time of silence is gone, it is time to speak…

'Kaoru…please tell me about him. Please tell me about the Bakumatsu, tell me about Battosai…'

*Kotatsu: A low wooden table frame

*Geimyô: A Maiko's professional name (name of an artist)

*Okiya: A lodging house in which a Maiko or Geisha lives during the lenght of her career