The Tau Melody Trilogy
Book One; Voice of the Maiden
A/N: Hey ya'll what's up. So here's an idea I've been thinking about for a while. The story will be an AU, so if you don't like them please don't read and abuse. And before we get any further, yes the idea originated from a story called: The Black Jewels Trilogy, by Anne Bishop.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto characters, nor claim too.
"...and she will rise from the land, one who can both save lives and take them..."
A thousand years ago, a weaver sees a young woman rising from the ashes of the Tau kingdom, and knew that should the girl die, it would be the end of the People of the Tau.
In the realm of the twelve kingdoms a young man with a dark past and a craving for the old ways roams looking for a queen he could serve and love. But as his demon brother lies dying, he must find a healer or lose the one person who matters most to him.
But is she just a healer, or is this girl hiding more than her unusual colouring.
In a world where knowledge is power, two men must find out who their healer is before politics and intrigue corrupt a power far older and much too fragile to lose, where the weapons of choice is lust and betrayal, and the prize a young girl whose secrets are terrifying beyond imagination.
Bones
White Beginning
Lords Green
Waters Blue
Purples fury
Magentas rays
Blood red
Pearls Continuation
Winters Grey
Nights Song
Springs Bloom
Summers Rage
Fading Autumn
Dark Obsidian
A Bone can descend a maximum of three times, so for example, White beginning can evolve into a purple fury, and so-on.
Pearl is the dividing line between the simple bones and the complex bones.
Tau Hierarchy
Males;
Noid- Non chakra population
Tau- General term to describe all Tau males, including the males who don't wear a bone.
Chi- A bone male equal in status to a witch.
Prince- A Bone male equal in status to a healer or weaver.
Chi-Prince- An especially dangerous and powerful male, slightly lower than a queen.
Females;
Noid- Non chakra population
Tau- General term to describe all Tau females includes those who don't wear a bone.
Witch- A Tau female who wears the bone, but doesn't belong to any other caste.
Healer- A bone witch who heals physical injuries and or illnesses, equal status to a priestess or a prince.
Priestess- A Tau who guards the old places, she is almost always accompanied by two other Taus of this caste to create the maiden, mother, crone triangle. Witnesses marriages and blesses the land, status equal to a healer and a prince.
Weaver- A dangerous witch who practices the art of dream walking. She is almost always trained in genjutsu and poisons.
Queen- A witch who rules the Tau; she is considered to be the 'lands' 'chosen' ruler and is therefore considered the heart of the land.
Prologue
I was once Tsunade the great, Tsunade the Healer, Tsunade a Sannin.
Now I am Tsunade the fool. Tsunade the gambler. Tsunade the mad. I am their entertainment now, their little harrier joker. I bet, they roll, I lose, and they laugh. Oh, I know, somewhere in the back of my mind I understand that I am being cheated. That they are stealing what little money I have on my body, and when they know I no longer have the pennies to spare, that's when they would begin asking questions. "Tell me what you see weaver", they would shout at me as the lords hands would wonder over servants bodies and the ladies would eye of some juicy young meat.
Fortunes. That's all they want to know.
Me, me, me.
If only they could ask the right question.
A long time ago I was one of them. Tau as they are Tau.
But I was never like how they are. I respected the old ways, the laws and protocols that once bound us like iron. But it was lost now, forgotten as a mad witch called Orochimaru began changing the ways of the Tau to suite her desires and needs.
They killed me years ago. Sucking me dry and killing the roots that were my Tau, until only a few stubborn roots clung to the chakra that was once mine.
It was hard to break a Chi-prince, hard but not unheard of. But a witch's sanity all depended on her virgin night. I had not known at the time that the man chosen to show me through that night was a pawn of Orchimaru's, the night had been just short of rape. And the next morning when the man had left with a sneer across his face, I was no longer Tau.
But if the will is strong, one can use the remnants of the Tau. But the price is heavy.
When I had been younger, I had fought to stay just on the border line of the lost kingdom, but the days drew closer and closer and it was too hard to remain broken but sane. I wonder into the middle of the room, a small wooden chair floating in front of me while in one hand I cling to a bottle of cheap wine. But it's the small branches cradled in me left arm that are the most important, the tools of my trade, a weaver's instrument of visions.
I rock slightly where I stand, the world spinning and slipping just a little bit more into the greyness of the lost kingdom. I struggle to stay anchored to the physical world, but with each loud noise I slip further away. Just a little longer, lady give me enough time to sing my story, I don't wonder if the lady hears me, I have long past cared about the prayers and only hope that I have enough time to tell the people I need to tell about what I know.
I close my eyes, listening for a beat that only I seem to be able to hear, a whistling, a drumbeat and the sound of feet keeping rhythm to a melody that I can't describe. Something was drawing closer to this world of corruption and I knew without the right help that something would be lost. I open my eyes and stare listlessly around me.
"She's coming", I manage to croak out through a throat that had been abused too long by alcohol and cigarette. Some of the Tau hear me, they stop to listen but soon lose interest when they realise it's not their fortunes I'm telling them.
"She's coming", I say again, louder and with more strength. Now they're all listening.
"The one who will be queen will descend on the land and bring with her the power to heal the disease that has spread amongst our people-"; I fall of the stool and look up dazedly at the ceiling above me, not sure how I ended up here. I shudder and my eyes flutter a little, before I feel my body curl into a defensive ball as the court begin to throw their cups at me. Fool they call me. Tell us what we want to know.
They must listen, they must listen I chant to myself and yet despite knowing this I cannot bring my body to uncurl from its position. And then I feel it. That undeniably sweet scent of raw untainted power and at last I feel hope. He was here. The ruby winged warrior of the Konoha Kingdom. Which meant his brother would also be standing in the shadows. I feel his hands gently uncurling my shaking form and lifting me in his powerful arms. I blink up at him in wonder, my eyes roaming his face. He's so young, I think as I raise a shaky hand to stroke the whisker like markings on his cheeks. His eyes are kind for a member of the winged people, a piercing blue that seemed to look right into the soul and see the truth. He is a dangerously beautiful man, much like his people. But this one is different. He could be trusted. And so I took a chance.
"Naruto", I whisper. He bends his head closer to me straining to hear my words.
"She is coming", his blue eyes glanced at me, his eyebrow creasing in confusion,
"Whose coming old lady", I wanted to laugh at such a familiar title, but already I could feel my mind drifting, so I struggle to tell him,
"The Queen", my heart screams as I watch pure contempt and hatred sweep into his narrowed blue eyes,
"We already have a Queen Tsunade-",
"NO", I watch his eyes widen at my harsh tone, he has to understand,
"No", I say more gently, "She will not be like the Queens of your time Naruto; she will be a true queen. You must protect her. You need to protect her", I watch as he takes in my word and I smile as his blue eyes clear,
"Will I know her Tsunade", he asks, his deep voice hesitant and hopeful, hesitant in case I am talking about something else and hopeful that perhaps were on the same thread. I nod my head, but suddenly I stiffen, the webs are snapping and so is my mind, I resist for what I know will be my last time,
"You may or may not. It will be up to you, but know this Naruto, she will not be who you would expect", I watch his face cloud again, and I hurry to correct my words, "She will be a great queen, but only if she's protected you must protect her", I need him to understand. He was my only hope; the warning rang at the back of mind, urging my Tau side to make him understand that this woman would need his strength. But before I could tell him I feel the last strand tear and I feel myself panicking, with one last effort I look at him with eyes that he had long forgotten, a weavers eyes and I pin him to his place,
"The boy, the Uchiha, he is your brother. You are you mothers sons". With that I fall and in the far distance I hear myself howling with joy.
--End- -
A/N: So here's the end. I promise the next chapter will be longer. This was just the prologue after all. If you're a bit confused at the moment, don't worry it'll make more sense as the chapters get deeper and longer.