"They have returned, they have returned!" yelled a look out man from outside. He rushed into the tent, heaving slightly as he bowed before his Lord.
"Sheik Byakuya, Renji has returned with the guests!"
Byakuya silently eyed the man, his smokey eyes expressionless and empty. He raised himself from atop the rug and dismissed the servant. He slowly walked to the tent flap, his long black robes billowing from the intense wind. He raised the edge of his shumag over his nose and veiled his lower face to protect himself from the biting sand as he walked out to meet the travellers. He then braced against the slowly growing chill that was reminiscent of the desert at night.
"Sheik! Sheik!" Byakuya could hear the calls of his vizier in the distance. As Byakuya stood atop a dune he spied the caravan of people and life stock, his robes whipping against the force of the wind. Small spirals of sand danced across the surface as Byakuya intently watched the approaching caravan. Renji galloped towards him, pulling the reins of the horse to ease the creature into a slight trot.
"My Lord, we have safely returned."
Byakuya silently nodded and indicated for Renji to gallop on towards their tents to ensure that preparations for the feast were in order. Renji nodded and gave an exclamation to command the horse forward. He left a trail of sand in his wake as he galloped off, leaving Byakuya to greet the on comers.
As they neared, Byakuya noticed a tall man leading the charge atop a black horse. The strange man raised his hands in the salutation of peace to Byakuya and Byakuya returned the gesture.
"Salams my brother" Sheik Kurosaki said as he jumped down from his horse, shaking Byakuya's hands and then touching his chest as was customary of the greeting between men in the middle east. Byakuya did the same and indicated for the man to follow him.
"You are weary Sheik Kurosaki." It was a statement.
"Indeed my brother, we have travelled long and tiresome hours. Our souls are famished."
Byakuya gave the sheik a side wards glance, noting the bright orange hair beneath his shumag. "We have prepared a feast for you and your men. You will rest comfortably tonight."
"We are greatly in your debt then." the other sheik muttered.
"Think nothing of it Sheik Kurosaki"
"Please, call me Ichigo, it is the least I can do after you have agreed to shelter us tonight."
Byakuya continued to look forward, his countenance revealing nothing of what he felt, "Kurosaki Ichigo, you are most welcome at our tents tonight. It is the duty of a Bedouin to be hospitable to any fellow traveller, it is my duty to aid you in any way that I can and I take great pride in my duty."
The inside of the Bedouin tent was spacious, and comfortably arranged. Soft Persian rugs lined the sandy grounds and mounds of rich cushions were added for sitting comfort. Ichigo ensured that his men were settled before entering the inside of the tent. He was grateful that they had been so fortunate. They had been to Syria along the caravan route and were returning to their home city. However by a series of unfortunate events they had become lost. It was rather easy to become a captive of the massive desert; its dunes ever shifting and the general sense of direction completely distorted. The approaching sand storm had only added fuel to the fire.
So, Kurosaki Ichigo was grateful to be where he was this evening; alive and with a hot meal. He nodded at the servants before seating himself besides Byakuya and he thanked them for the meals that they brought. It felt good to be in a place of rest after travelling for so long on foot.
After the plates had been emptied and the cups drained, the men sat around in anticipation for entertainment. There was nothing like a festive spirit to enflame people's sociability. Ichigo turned towards Byakuya,
"Ah my brother, you have prepared a wonderful meal for us and now you grace us with women. Indeed, you are too kind."
"Please enjoy yourselves. I am only performing my duty to another" Said Byakuya. The men cheered at his words. They were all tired and they all needed to see something that would charm the hairs off their heads. Everyone was sitting comfortably in a circle, leaving a small opening for where the dance was to be held.
Sheik Kurosaki Ichigo watched in mild surprise as his kind host suddenly rose from his seat. "Oi! Are you not going to enjoy the dance with us Byakuya?"
Byakuya glanced at the young man and turned his head forward once more. "No, I have someone to visit. Besides, I have seen these dances on many previous occasions."
"Right..." Ichigo grinned. Apparently the good sheik Byakuya already had his eyes set on a special woman. It was evident.
"Please do not be troubled by my absence. Enjoy yourselves fully." He returned.
Byakuya walked towards the opening of the tent and took a deep breath as he stepped out into the night. The sounds of the men could dimly be heard from within, but they slowly grew nonexistent as Byakuya walked a little way off. The stillness of the desert was appealing to him. It was silent and it was mysterious... The sky was brilliantly studded with stars and the night was chilly. Byakuya raised his head to observe the spectacle. There was nothing as beautiful as a clear sky in the desert.
"You came..." a soft lucid voice sailed over to Byakuya. He turned to the side to note a beautiful woman standing not too far away. Byakuya instantly changed his mind...no, there were actually much more beautiful things than the sky... The slender woman was elegantly wrapped in black silks, her violet eyes darkly lined. They were beckoning him. How could he resist? A small smile tugged at his lips.
"Of course I would come..." he softly murmured. He approached her and she gently took his hand in hers.
"Come with me Sheik Byakuya..."
Rukia nervously approached the opening that would lead her to where the men waited. She could hear her companions excitedly whispering and giggling behind her and she felt the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. Why was she so nervous? She had never been so nervous before a performance. She tried to repress it. It was only a dance to entertain. She took a swift peek from behind the curtains and quickly scanned the faces in the crowd. She could see no one of interest however...She hoped Hisana had been right about tonight, she really hoped so...
Suddenly, she heard the music begin to play, softly, slowly, drifting through the air, wrapping around her. Their time to begin the performance was now.
She lifted the curtain and elegantly made her way towards the center amidst the cheers and whistles of the men. She could not look at any of them presently, she needed to keep focus otherwise she would have made an error in her footing. Everything needed to be precisely timed with the music. The other girls and drifted behind her, all their silks raised to conceal their faces. It all added to the mystery of the entire dance; the exotic nature of the performance.
And they began, their hands waving through the air as the music flowed between them, almost carrying them away in its soft grip...Their hips softly swaying to the rhythm of the drums, their skirts flaring around them as they circled the tent. They were a plethora of colours as they bloomed around the tent and the men were hushed as they observed the small show of spring that had come early that year.
Rukia let the music take her away, and she moved her hands as her bangles and jewellery softly chimed with her movements. The silks fluttered around her slender body as she spun around and around...It was all so captivating, all so mesmerising...
As the music neared its climax, the girls elegantly pulled of the silks that concealed their faces and raised them in the air. Collective gasps filled the room. As the drums then began to slow in rhythm Rukia let herself elegantly crumple to the floor to match the decline of the music, to mark the end of the performance. Her silken scarf softly slid from her fingers, fluttered in the air and gracefully settled.
With the final beat, she raised her head to see the soft brown eyes of a strange man lingering on her. Rukia felt her cheeks instantly redden. Her heart rate accelerated.
Her veil had fallen with a smooth grace just before him, but his eyes were still locked on her features. Without sliding his gaze from her, he raised the scarf in his fingers and pressed it lightly against his lips. Rukia's deep blue eyes widened, her cheeks burning. The man then softly let the fabric flow through his fingers before lowering it once more and throwing it towards Rukia. She caught it in her hands and the strange man bowed his head towards her, his bright orange hair slightly exposed beneath his shumag...who was he?
(Late that night after the performance)
Rukia quietly eased herself out of the tent and into the pristine outdoors that was the desert at night. The stars scintillated with a magnificent beauty that she was positive could be found nowhere else on earth. The desert was silent and it was enigmatic. There was a beauty that was indescribable and a danger that was ever present. It was like a rose amid thorns; alluring but deadly. She softly exhaled.
She had come out in order to catch her breath from the slight exertion from dancing. She needed to breathe and she needed to think. She still couldn't get the picture of the mysterious man from her head. He had seemed young, probably about her age? She was sure of it...Oh but he had been so handsome and the way he had looked at her...Rukia raised her head towards the heavens, "So beautiful..." she muttered as he ran through her thoughts.
"I beg to disagree..."
Rukia spun around, her dark blue eyes widening in astonishment, her heart rate instantly accelerating...
"You..." The man had followed her outside.
He softly smiled and then inclined his head towards the star studded sky.
"I believe that there are many more beautiful things out here tonight."
Rukia felt her cheeks begin to heat and she shyly lowered her head. "Thank you..."
The young man came silently to her side. "You warrant such a compliment; I don't believe I have ever seen anything so breathtaking. You dance beautifully fair one."
"It comes with years and years of practice and dedication..."
"Something you most certainly have."
Rukia gave him a side wards glance and smiled. "And you? What do you dedicate yourself to sir?"
Ichigo looked down at her and thought for a moment, "Well, where I come from, I engage in sword fighting and archery...It relaxes me and it is something that requires tremendous patience to learn." He paused and then turned his head forward once more. "Very similar to dancing, no?"
Rukia gave a small chuckle and nodded her head in agreement. "Yes, that is true..."
"Can you stay out late tonight?"
Rukia looked up at him, her eyes curious, "Why?"
"I wish to speak to you. Certainly it is not offensive?"
Rukia felt her cheeks redden once more. He wanted her to stay out and engage him in conversation. She smiled to herself. She didn't mind, it would be interesting to see what they shared in common...
She looked up at him and tilted her head to the side, her soft black tresses falling into her eyes.
"I won't mind talking to you."
"Wonderful..."
And they both stayed out that night laughing and talking about anything they could have thought about. Rukia would have never thought it possible to find such enjoyment from speaking to one person...he was slowly stealing her heart...Who would have thought.