Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me
Copyrighting not intended
Hey guys, I've been working on this for a really long time and knowing my god-awful habit of long updates, I thought that I would do this in one extremely long chapter and see how it goes.
And with the huge twist that happening with our beloved Prince, this story needs to be out to push the fandom even further.
The Kou Empire was different, Morgiana noted. It was vastly different from Sindria, The people seemed neither happy nor upset, leaving a unnatural feeling in the atmosphere. They were dressed in colors that denoted their ranks, separating peasants and nobles. Yet, despite the seemingly, peaceful country, Morgiana hated it. It was partly because of legalized slavery in the Kou Empire. Even though slavery in the Kou empire wasn't anything like what Morgiana went through, even though the slaves had some sort of rights here, the mere thought of slavery being legal irked Morgiana. She couldn't wait to get back to Sindria.
Sadly, she was on a escort mission for Sindria. She was to escort a Sindria Diplomat to the Kou Empire for a meeting with Ren Kouen, the king of the Kou Empire. Normally, she would have refused, not being a very diplomatic person, but the diplomat was none other than Alibaba Saluja and his Magi Aladdin. The three were close, and she naturally agreed to accompany the both of them.
"Morgiana-san? Is everything alright?" a high voice interrupted her thoughts
She looked over, eyes meeting with the young magi that was looking at her. Nodding, she replied "I'm fine. Just thinking."
The young boy nodded and went back to Alibaba, who was eagerly trying to sneak glaces at the ladies walking down the streets. Morgiana gave a small smile and shook her head. Sometimes, she wondered why she hung out with the two boys, always eyeing the ladies saw. Even as they walked down the streets of the Kou Empire, Alibaba and Aladdin couldn't stop themselves, although they did try to tone down their actions.
"Ah.. you've arrived" a deep voice rumbled
It was then that Morgiana realized that they had already reached the entrance of the Kou Palace. Ren Kouen stood in front of them, cape billowing in the wind. He was surrounded by several members of his household, each wielding their own metal vessel. They eyed the trio warily, but showed no obvious discontent.
"Come Alibaba. We have much to discuss." Kouen spoke, turning briskly
The sandy haired boy stepped forward confidently, Aladdin and Morgiana following close behind, only to be stopped by Kouen's men.
"Hey!" Alibaba called out with a frown "They're with me!"
"Only Sir Alibaba has permission to speak with His Majesty" came the gruff reply
"They are my diplomatic escorts" Alibaba stressed, his gaze firmly placed on the tall king "Where I go, they go."
Kouen's eyes flickered from Alibaba to Aladdin and Morgiana. "Fine." He spoke monotonously before continuing his stride down the hallway
Alibaba flashed a smile at his two friends before following Kouen. Aladdin quickly fell into step with the taller boy, Morgiana lagging behind slightly, a little flushed from the bright smile Alibaba had sent her way. She knew it didn't mean anything, but it was getting hard to control her feelings for Alibaba. Morgiana was a Fanalis. She was strong, she saved people, not the other way round. However, Alibaba saved her from slavery, saving her from a life of beatings and pain under Jamil. The redhead shook her head, clearing them of all thoughts of Jamil.
It was an understatement to say that the young girl harbored feelings for Alibaba. Despite his flaws, he was a decent young man, certainly childish and a lack of self-restraint, but he was loyal and fiercely protective. The boy was too dense to realize her feelings for him, even when she would get obviously jealous whenever he went womanizing at a brothel with Aladdin in tow.
"Mor, we're going out into town for a look around." Aladdin's high-pitched voice cut into her thoughts
It was then Morgiana realized the meeting was over. She had been to deep in her thoughts that time had flown by without her knowing. She cursed herself inwardly for her lack of focus, but maintained a face of indifference, pretending she had not been drifting off.
"I think you should stay here." Alibaba spoke "Take a good rest."
"But.." Morgiana protested "I'm your escort."
Alibaba shook his head "You're tired. You should get some rest. Aladdin and I will be fine. We're just going around town. Maybe grab a snack or two. We'll be back before you know it. Besides. Kouen has assigned two guards to show us around."
"Tired? Are you sick Mor?" Aladdin reached a small head up to her forehead innocently
"No." Morgiana shook her head, but admitted she was tired from the long trip.
"Then we'll see you tonight!" Alibaba grinned, grabbing Aladdin "See you at dinner tonight!"
The Fanalis waited until the two boys were out of sight before she made her way to their temporary lodgings. She walked along the sheltered corridor swiftly, wanted to avoid the number of servants bowing to her as she made her way through the palace. As she passed the royal gardens, she spotted a small building slightly away from the rest of the others. Curious, she made her way over, the sounds of training reaching her ears.
Morgiana pushed open the door slightly, her eyes drifting over the empty space of the building. A lone figure stood in the middle, his spear slicing through the air with ease. He had not noticed her presence yet, his poise and form elegantly moving through the training motions.
"Who's there!" He called out loudly, his spear pointed threateningly at the door. "Show yourself!"
Slowly, Morgiana pushed open the sliding door to the dojo "Hi."
"Lady Morgiana!" the young prince lowered his weapon "Forgive my rudeness"
"You don't have to call me Lady, Hakuryuu" Morgiana smiled at her friend "How have you been?"
"F..Fine." Hakuryuu stumbled over his words, his breathing slightly heavy "Had I known you were coming I would have gone to pick you up."
Morgiana smiled, shaking her head "It's fine. Kouen-san sent escorts. Besides, this was a last minute decision."
"Still. I wouldn't have minded." Hakuryuu spoke absentmindedly, grabbing a towel from the bench near him.
He looked over at Morgiana only to find her slightly red. Puzzled he went back over his words and began to feel the heat in his cheeks "Oh gosh. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. I just meant that if I had known, I wouldn't have minded picking all of you up even if it was last minute. I'm so sorry. I honestly didn't mean -"
A soft giggle from Morgiana stopped his rambling, the blush on his face furthering. The two hadn't spoken since he left Sindria after Morgiana rejected him, and it was clear the two of them were still affected by that event.
"Where's Sir Aladdin and Sir Alibaba" Hakuryuu questioned, changing the topic as his hands kept his spear "Are they outside?"
"No. They headed into town" came the soft reply
"Oh. And you stayed behind?" Hakuryuu lifted the spear onto his shoulders, his free hand grabbing the rest of his stuff.
"Yeah. I.. was feeling tired." Morgiana admitted with a slight nod.
"Well then. Let me walk you back to your room" Hakuryuu spoke with a small smile, his voice hopeful.
"That would be nice." Morgiana smiled back "I could use the company."
"Wouldn't you rather rest?" Hakuryuu raised an eyebrow as they walked out of the dojo together
"I'm not sure I can." Morgiana sighed "The Kou Empire has a ... different atmosphere compared to Sindria."
"That is true." Hakuryuu nodded, knowing that Morgiana was still uncomfortable with the presence of slavery in the country. "Well then. At least try to get a good rest. Then maybe we could find another time to catch up."
"All of us" Hakuryuu added at the end, as much as it disappointed him not being able to spent time alone with Morgiana. His feelings for her had not changed, but he knew how to keep his distance. It was part of the princely etiquette instilled in him.
"That would be great" Morgiana nodded
"Good day, Morgiana" Hakuryuu gave a curt nod and headed back to his own quarters.
Closing the door behind her, Morgiana settled onto her assigned bed. She was still getting used to the softness of beds. All her life she had been sleeping on nothing more than a sheet on the floor, and to suddenly transit from that to a comfortable bed, it was a difficult change. Lying down, she shifted several times, eyes staring at the silk covered top of her bed. Before long, Morgiana was fast asleep, curled up comfortably in her sheets.
It was hours before Morgiana awoke from her slumber. Surprising, she had never meant to sleep that long. She must have been really tired. Morgiana sat up and stretched, popping the bones in her body and loosening her muscles. She spotted a piece of paper on the table in the middle of the room, weighed down by a small statue. Walking over, Morgiana realized it was from Aladdin and Alibaba
Mor
We're going back to town. Found a really good restaurant for dinner. Meet us there when you wake, else we'll bring something back for you. Sleep tight
Alibaba and Aladdin
Along with those simple words were a bunch of crazy smiley faces and doodles from Aladdin as well as directions to the restaurant. Morgiana looked out the window, realizing the sun had already set behind the horizon. Swiftly, Morgiana made sure she was presentable before heading out.
It was late by the time she had found the restaurant, and it was no surprise to her when the boys weren't present. She thanked the young waitress and wandered down the streets, admiring the night life of the Kou Empire. It wasn't long before she wandered into a back alley, leaning against the wall, resting her eyes from the blinking light on the main streets.
The sound of a familiar laughter reached her ears from across the streets. Pushing off the wall, Morgiana made her way across the street, following the sound of laughter to a cheap looking building decorated with neon signs. Something inside her already knew what she would find, but she was determined to look anyway. Peeking in, a familiar sight met her eyes.
Alibaba was seated comfortably on a throne of elaborately decorated cushions, an expensive looking goblet in his hand, the reddish liquid spilling over the edges as he laughed with the 3 girls leaning on him. His face was flushed red, clearly intoxicated with the alcohol he was holding. Next to him, Aladdin was busy stuffing his face with the chest of the busty girl in front of him, his face red with glee.
This was nothing new, Morgiana tried to convince herself. Alibaba and Aladdin did this on a regular basis, running off in the middle of the night whenever they thought she was asleep. Unfortunately for them, Morgiana was a light sleeper, and she always knew when they left and when they returned at the crack of dawn. She had gotten used to this womanizing side of the two boys, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt. Morgiana sighed and turned to leave, maybe head back and grab some food along the way.
"Hey where are you going?"
Alibaba's voice drifted through the air and reached her ears. In a moment of hope, Morgiana turned back, only to be greeted with the sight of Alibaba beckoning to a scantily clad girl walking away from him. The two flirted back and forth, Alibaba grinning more and more by the minute, breaking Morgiana's heart even further.
"Sir Alibaba. What happened to your girlfriend?" one of the girls asked, leaning further into Alibaba's side
"Huh? Girlfriend?" Alibaba drawled out clearly intoxicated
"That pretty redhead that's always following you."
"Mor?" Alibaba laughed "She's not my girlfriend. Mor is just... just some girl i saved from slavery. She's just a journey companion."
"Oh really?" The girl laughed, her voice echoing in Morgiana's ears
"Besides Mor isn't my type. I much prefer someone more... feminine." Alibaba laughed, his hands mimicking a squeezing motion
Morgiana felt her heart drop as she watched Alibaba in the brothel. She was a Fanalis. She was strong, but nothing could stop the tears welling in her eyes as her heart broke from Alibaba's words. Morgiana tried to convince herself that Alibaba didn't mean what he said, he was just drunk, but part of her clung stubbornly to the possibility that the truly meant what he said.
"Morgiana? What are you doing here?" A concern voice called from behind her.
Hastily, Morgiana wiped the unshed tears from her eyes and turn "Ha...Hakuei-san?"
The older girl stepped forward quickly, seeing the distress in Morgiana's eyes. "What's wrong?"
Morgiana didn't have to answer as Hakuei caught sight of the Sindria diplomat and his Magi seated in the brothel. Gently, she urged Morgiana away.
"Have you eaten?" she asked concernedly, frowning as the younger girl shook her head, still in a daze.
"I was just about to grab dinner myself. Come on."
Hakuei quietly brought Morgiana to a small shop off the main street, a humble looking shack away from the noisy hustle and bustle.
"Nee-san did you - Morgiana!" Hakuryuu gaze shifted from confusion to worry in a matter of seconds. "What happened?"
Hakuei shook her head "I found her outside the brothel, you know, the cheap one down the street?"
The young prince frowned "Why would Morgiana be.. Oh..."
Hakuryuu trailed off as he realized the situation, his realization quickly turning to anger "Is he still there? I'll go and give him a piece of my mind!"
"Don't" Hakuei narrowed her eyes at him
Hakuryu struggled under her gaze, but eventually turned on his heel with a huff, poking his head into a doorway leading to the back room.
"Baa-san! We've got another guest here...Yeah... Sorry for the late notice.. What! It's nothing like that!"
Hakuryuu came back, his face flushed red. He sat himself down at the small table, his eyes avoid his sister's questioning gaze.
"I'm sorry for the intrusion" Morgiana spoke up softly, her eyes focused on the table.
"No worries" Hakuei replied with a grin."Hakuryuu and I just happened to be here for dinner. It was by chance I spotted you out there."
Sensing Morgiana's discomfort, Hakuei continued "The baa-san here was a friend of our older brothers. We come back here from time to time to help out, when we do, we stay over for dinner."
"Baa-chan makes the most delicious food ever" Hakuryuu added, trying to get a response from Morgiana "I'm sure you'll love it."
Morgiana merely nodded, not making a sound. The Ren siblings shared a look of concern and a silent conversation. And with a frown, Hakuryuu reluctantly left the table and disappeared into the back room, leaving the two girls alone.
"Talk to me." Hakuei coaxed gently
"It's nothing" Morgiana replied, shaking her head
"You and I both know its not nothing." Hakuei raised an eyebrow "Now. Hakuryuu was nice enough to let us talk in private, so tell me what's wrong. It's not just the fact that Alibaba is in the brothel is it?"
"How did you know?"
"Well, Alibaba's flirting habits are pretty well-known. Something must have happened for you to act this way. Tell me what he did."
"What makes you think its him?" Morgiana tried to throw Hakuei off track, not wanting to show weakness
"Because I've seen the way you look at him. You like him don't you?" Hakuei smiled
Morgiana flushed "He doesn't feel the same way."
"He rejected you?" Hakuei asked in shock "How?"
"I didn't tell him." Morgiana spoke softly "I overheard him talking to the brothel girls. I'm nothing more than a travel companion. Just a slave he ..He said he... wanted someone more... fe..feminine..."
Morgiana choked on her words at the end, unable to stop the tears in her eyes. Hakuei drew the girl close, Morgiana muffled her sobs by burying her face in the princess' shoulder. Hakuei rubbed soothing circles on her back, her face twisted into a frown, a million thoughts running through her mind.
As Morgiana's sobs settled into a quiet whimper, a soft knock indicated that dinner was ready. Hakuei smiled at the gentlemanly antics of her brother. He had grown from the spoiled brat that he was when he first met Aladdin and the others, and Hakuei presumed it had something to do with the proposal he had made to Morgiana.
Gently she wiped the tears from Morgiana's face, waiting for her mask to settle before calling Hakuryuu, who came in carrying a tray of dishes. Dinner was quiet and simple, much like every other night, and when it was over, they helped to wash up before leaving the small shack.
The night air was cool, and the noise from the streets grew louder as they drew near. Morgiana hadn't spoke much since her breakdown in the shack, but neither sibling wanted to push her. Hakuryuu looked up at the sky and sighed when he couldn't see the stars from where they were, and then, he cracked a smile.
"The night is still young, and I've got this wonderful place to show you" Hakuryuu smiled at Morgiana "Shall we?"
Hakuei caught the twinkle in her brothers eye and immediately knew what he was doing. "That's a great idea! But I have to head back to the palace for now. You two have fun!"
"Nee-san! Hey!" Hakuryuu called after his sister, who left quickly.
He rubbed his nose bridge and sighed. He hadn't planned to be alone with Morgiana at all, but since it had come down to this.
"Shall we?" He asked once more
Nodding, Morgiana followed Hakuryuu down several small alleys, away from the main crowd. It didn't take long or Morgiana to realize that Hakuryuu was leading her out of the city and into the surrounding woods. She had memorized the city's layout for her duty as an escort, and roughly knew that the direction they were travelling in lead to the southern part of the forest outside the city.
Her thoughts were confirmed as the buildings separated to reveal tall trees marking their path. The ground was unmarked, signalling the lack of traffic through the area. She shifted quietly closer to Hakuryuu, not wanted to get lost in the woods at night. She could take care of herself, but did not wish to face the potential dangers the woods held.
The duo walked for a while, and soon reach a small clearing at the top of a hill. Hakuryuu unleashed a big grin and proudly announced "We're here!"
Morgiana pushed away a branch in her path and stepped into the clearing. They were on a cliff overlooking the city, the vastness of the land right before them. She could see the peaks of the mountains in the distance, as well as the lit roads leading up the city. The night sky above the mountains started off as a light purplish blue, getting darker and darker as it went over their heads. In the darkness of the clearing, unpolluted by the light from the city, the stars twinkled merrily as they winked at her from their place in the sky.
"Beautiful isn't it!" Hakuryuu's voice cut through the silence of the area. "No one knows about this place. No one except Hakuei and myself. And you."
Morgiana couldn't help but smile at the beauty of the landscape before her "How did you find this place?"
Hakuryuu shrugged "I need somewhere quiet to think after my brothers died. I guess i just stumbled upon this place."
"I'm sorry." Morgiana whispered, seating herself beside Hakuryuu, who was seated near the edge of the cliff.
"It was a long time ago." He whispered back with a sigh
"Does it still hurt when you think about them?" Morgiana asked, she wasn't sure what had caused his brothers' deaths, but she knew it hurt to lose loved ones.
"Yeah. Sometimes." Hakuryuu admitted, his fingers absentmindedly running over the scar on his face. "But coming here helps a little."
Morgiana nodded. Silence fell over the two as neither knew what to say. Morgiana appreciated the lack of questions coming from Hakuryuu about her situation, she wasn't sure she was ready to talk about it, especially to the boy who had once proposed to her.
"Thank you." she spoke "For not asking"
Hakuryuu looked over "Was he the first one you've liked?"
Morgiana nodded slowly "I didn't have have chances to meet people when I was a slave."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up your past"
"You don't talk much about yours either" Morgiana spoke softly "I guess we have something in common huh."
Hakuryuu cracked a small smile "I guess we do. And we both fell in love with someone that doesn't feel the same way."
Morgiana turned slightly red at his words "I'm sorry."
"Stop apologizing" Hakuryuu laughed softly "We should both stop apologizing"
Morgiana smiled, before they both started laughing.
"Thanks again. For showing me this place."
"Anything to cheer you up." Hakuryuu grinned "Now I think it's time to head back."
It wasn't long before the two teens reached the palace. The young prince walked Morgiana to her room, a quick glance towards the boys' room revealed that they had not yet returned. Lucky, Hakuryuu wasn't sure he could have restrained himself had Alibaba been back.
"Have a good night Morgiana" Hakuryuu gave a curt nod "If there is anything you need, please don't hesitate to go to Nee-san's room"
"Hakuei-san?" Morgiana repeated, puzzled
"Needless rumors might spread if you came to me in the middle of the night, so it'll be better if you went to Nee-san instead. She'll understand." Hakuryuu nodded
"Ah.. I see."
Morgiana turned back to her room and opened the door. She stopped momentarily before turning back, catching up to the young prince and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, startling him.
"Thank you. Good night." She murmured before disappearing as fast as she had come.
Hakuryuu froze in place, red as a tomato before whispering "Good Night Morgiana."
"Good Morning Mor!" Aladdin greeted her cheerfully as they met for breakfast the next morning
"Morning" She replied with a small smile.
"Hey sleepyhead. Morning" Alibaba teased her with his trademark grin "You were really tired huh."
"Yeah." Morgiana gave a short reply, concealing the fact that she had been down to the city "Is there a meeting today?"
"Yeah but it'll probably be in the afternoon." Alibaba scratched his head "Why?"
"I want to get some training done." Morgiana spoke, playing with her arm guards.
"You need the extra time? You don't have to come to the meeting if you don't want to." Alibaba offered, knowing Morgiana wasn't much of the political type.
"That would be great" Morgiana grinned "I've been dying to do some training"
"Aww I wanna get some training done too" Aladdin pouted "You think we could go train after the meeting?"
"Yeah sure why not. After that we can enjoy the rest of the night" Alibaba sat down at the breakfast table "Oh boy I can't wait."
Aladdin dug eagerly into his food as well, neither boy noticed Morgiana picking slightly at her food, her mind elsewhere. She really did plan to do some training, but it was mostly to get out of the meeting and to stay away from Alibaba. It was hard to act like nothing happened around him. As great as training sounded, Morgiana knew that one could only get so far training alone. She was not willing to wait for the boys to show up after their meeting, and she barely knew anyone in the Kou Empire.
"Morgiana." a voice shook her from her thoughts
"Huh?" Morgiana turned to find Hakuryuu standing behind her "Oh... Hakuryuu."
"I was going train and I was wondering if you would care to join me. Since you seem free."
"How did you.. oh.." Morgiana stopped as she realized she was alone at the table "That would be great. I was planning to do some training myself.
"Awesome" Hakuryuu grinned
The two warmed up quickly at the dojo, eager to start their training. They agreed to fighting without their djinns first, making it a fight using only pure skill and techniques. Hakuryuu swung his spear around a couple of times, leaving the safety guard on for their training. Morgiana kicked started the training, literally. She pushed off from the ground with one powerful kick, flying towards Hakuryuu at an alarming speed. He dodged, and thrust his spear forward, missing Morgiana as she leaped to the side. Hakuryuu stopped himself in time to bend backwards, avoiding Morgiana's kick from the side as he used to tip of his spear to direct her foot away. Her heel bounced off the weapon, sending Hakuryuu stumbling back a few paces from the force.
The young prince swung his spear, missing his partner as she leapt over his head. Without missing a beat, Hakuryuu dropped to the ground and swung his spear in a wide arc, catching Morgiana's ankle as she landed on the other side of him. She hit the ground with a resounding thump, but was back on her feet as quickly as she had fallen.
Both teens had a grin on their faces as they got deep into the fighting. After a while, it seemed less of a spar and more of a dance, each one pulling back and forth respectively, shifting into step with each other. It wasn't long before the fight ended, and the result couldn't be more predicted. Hakuryuu had his spear pressed against Morgiana's neck, the safety guard biting into her skin. His only response from her was a wide smile as her left foot was planted securely on his throat, pinning him to the wooden floor.
They froze in that position for a while, both breathing hard from the spar. Lifting her foot, Morgiana reached out her hand, pulling Hakuryuu up from his position on the floor.
"I haven't had a spar like that in a long time." Hakuryuu spoke, shaking the soreness in his back away
"Same here." Morgiana replied "Ready for another round?"
"You bet!" Hakuryuu nodded, but stopped and frowned
"Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Morgiana asked
Hakuryuu tried to focus his hearing. His ears had picked up on the sound of something hitting the ground. Something small and light enough not to make an obviously audible sound. His eyes scanned the room, narrowing as he didn't see anything.
"Sorry. I thought I..." Hakuryuu cut himself off, striding forwards quickly and cupping Morgiana's face with his right hand.
"Hakuryuu?" Morgiana spoke, uncomfortable with his sudden proximity.
"You're bleeding" Hakuryuu frowned deeper, using his hand to tilt her head to the left.
The young prince swore in languages Morgiana couldn't understand as he pushed her onto the bench, scrambling for a bandage. Morgiana lifted her fingers to her neck, flinching at the sharp stab of pain as her fingers brushed across something warm and sticky. When she brought her fingers away from her neck, she realized that they were covered in blood. Her blood.
Her eyes widened, stunned by the sudden bleeding. Morgiana scanned the room, her eyes falling onto a couple of blood drops near Hakuryuu's spear. Her eyes traced the safety covering, only to find a large crack running down the length of the guard. Pieces of the guard had broken off, leaving the sharp edge of the blade exposed.
"I'm so sorry." Hakuryuu stammered out as he pressed a clean cloth to the cut on Morgiana's neck, trying to staunch the bleeding.
"I don't think its that bad." Morgiana replied, her eyes meeting the young prince.
He shook his head, guilt filling his eyes "I'm not taking any chances."
Hakuryuu peeled the cloth away from Morgiana's neck. The bleeding had stopped and he could see that the cut was shallow. Nothing life-threatening. He sighed in relief as he began to clean the blood away, wincing as Morgiana flinched from the alcohol he was using.
"I'm sorry." He murmured guiltily
"You stopped at the right moment. Nothing to be sorry for" Morgiana replied matter-of-fact, using her fingers to feel the bandage around her neck.
"I cut you" He whispered, packing the medical supplies into the wooden box he had pulled out from the side of the dojo.
"We were sparring, and your spear was where it should be in a real battle."
Hakuryuu nodded numbly, but it was clear he still felt like he was at fault. He turned away, sitting himself by his spear, picking at the broken safety guard. He grumbled in an inaudible tone, but it was more than obvious that Hakuryuu was less than happy.
Morgiana quietly sat next to him, unsure of what to say. It unnerved her how much Hakuryuu cared. She was so used to being on the sidelines that she was at a loss when she was the center of attention. As her mind drifted, Morgiana found herself comparing Alibaba and Hakuryuu.
It was clear where she stood in Alibaba's mind, even clearer with Hakuryuu. Heck, the boy proposed to her. She declined in favor of her feelings for Alibaba, but now Morgiana was wondering if she should have accepted. She was confused, torn between the two boys. It wasn't fair for Hakuryuu, for him to fall in love with someone who didn't return the feelings. And he was being very gentlemanly about it. She had seen the bad side of men when she was a slave under Jamil, their possessiveness and jealousy scaring her badly. Morgiana wasn't too sure if she was willing to try to step into a relationship with Hakuryuu, but she wanted to.. no.. she needed to know why he felt the way he did.
"Nee... Hakuryuu" Morgiana spoke slowly, choosing her words carefully. "Why did you like me?"
The prince flushed a deep red at her question, his vocal chord suddenly malfunctioning "I... uh... eh... You..."
Morgiana stared down at the floor, waiting for an answer. Hakuryuu slapped himself mentally and took a deep breath.
"Honestly... I don't know." He replied "Morgiana. You're a very beautiful girl. You're strong and brave, but also have a gentle side. But of course, I've already mentioned all these before."
He took another deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair " There are many girls like that out there, but you're special. To me. You know how to treat people. You never look down on them, no matter who they are or where they come from. You never shied away from me, even when I am scarred."
"Lots of people don't care about your scar." Morgiana interrupted
"They pretend not to care. They don't speak cause of fear. I've seen it in their eyes." Hakuryuu spat out, his tone a little harsher.
"And I was a slave Hakuryuu. It was... not my place to look down on people, rather it is I who was looked down on." Morgiana continued "I don't wish to subject the same treatment to others."
"I would never look down on you!" Hakuryuu yelped, turning to face her
"But when you knew I was a slave, you.." Morgiana trailed off ".. you had that look..."
"That was... I'm sorry" Hakuryuu spoke, his hands taking Morgiana's small ones "I was appalled to know that you were once a slave. I had already liked you back then and when you told me.. I just couldn't believe it."
"He reacted like that too" Morgiana whispered "Aladdin broke my chains when we first met. Alibaba tried to stop him, told him it was wrong. He was sucking up to that.. pig merchant... But he was just following the laws."
"Laws? Slavery is not a law" Hakuryuu spoke disdainfully "It's a sin that should be condemned. The Kou Empire's slavery laws have nothing to do with me. I may hold the title of prince, but I have no say in the laws of this empire."
"It hurt." Morgiana sniffed "Ja..Jamil beat me really bad when I returned with broken chains."
Hakuryuu drew the girl close, careful not to touch her wound. To his surprise, Morgiana didn't shy away, instead, she sought refuge, pressing herself into his embrace.
"Do they know?"
Morgiana shook her head, and Hakuryuu stopped talking. He knew it was a rare moment that Morgiana opened up. Had it not been for Aladdin and Alibaba sharing stories during their journey, Hakuryuu might not have known Morgiana's past, nor the name of her captor. He felt her relax after a while, her hands clinging onto his shirt like a lifeline. Morgiana mumbled something into his shirt, but he couldn't hear it clearly.
"Do you still like me?"
The quiet question came out, the two still in embrace. Hakuryuu couldn't see the look in Morgiana's eyes, and he was afraid of being rejected once more, but he replied with honesty "I've never stopped"
Hakuryuu felt the grip on his shirt tighten, and his heart sank. Was she crying because she was going to reject him again? Was she trying to muster up the courage to tell him he had no chance with her?
"I wanna give this a shot." Morgiana's reply came as she pulled away from him, looking into his mismatched eyes
"What... Are you sure?" Hakuryuu searched her gaze for signs of doubt "Don't play with my feelings if you're not sure. What about Alibaba?"
"I can't wait for him forever. And I already know where I stand in his mind." Morgiana spoke sadly "I..I've never been in a relationship before so.. I.."
"We can take it slow." Hakuryuu replied gently "I don't have much experience either, so we'll figure it out as we go along."
It was breath-taking. And the best part was, Morgiana initiated it. The feeling of her lips on his brought back memories of the time he had first kissed her, the time he had proposed. Never would he have thought that he would be kissing her again so soon. He had always planned to propose once more, but only after he had sought his revenge.
They pulled apart, slightly breathless. "What happened to taking it slow?" Hakuryuu rested his forehead on hers.
Morgiana's cheeks puffed up, red "I wanted to do it... was it bad?"
"No no.. It was good. Great in fact." Hakuryuu shook his head sheepishly, his face burning red "I'm just worried if you're ready for all this. With everything that had been going on."
"I think I am." Morgiana nodded "I'll try.. slowly.."
Hakuryuu pressed a light kiss on her forehead, earning a cute blush from Morgiana. They stayed in that position for awhile, before Morgiana picked up on the sounds of footsteps approaching the dojo. The two scrambled apart just in time to see Aladdin and Alibaba walk in, their faces lit up at the sight of their friends.
"Hey! Ready for a spar!" Alibaba grinned "I've been dying to try out this new move."
"I would be honored to spar with you." Hakuryuu stepped up quickly
Morgiana grabbed his arm, shooting him a worried look. The prince smiled understandingly, and moved off to the center of the dojo. Both boys stood apart, their weapons in front of them. Hakuryuu took the first step, alarming Alibaba as he suddenly moved forward with astonishing speed. The former prince parried Hakuryuu's blade, throwing forward an attack of his own. Hakuryuu dodged effortlessly, leaping back to regain his range, his eyes firmly locked on Alibaba.
While the two sparred, Aladdin took a seat near Morgiana his eyes sparkling as bright as ever.
"Nee, Mor. They're really going all out, aren't they?" The young boy spoke, his eyes watching the battle. "Hakuryuu has grown a lot since we last saw him. He can even fight on par with Alibaba now."
Morgiana just nodded "I'm sure he put a lot of time into training as well."
"Ahhh. I wanna spar with Hakuryuu too." Aladdin sighed
"You can spar after Alibaba." Morgiana replied as she watched Alibaba dodge yet another swing from Hakuryuu.
"But he'll be tired." Aladdin laid on the ground "He sparred with you, now Alibaba. By the time its my turn, he won't want to spar anymore."
"Shall I spar with you then?" Morgiana offered
"You would? Really?" Aladdin shot up quickly, his eyes shining brightly
Morgiana nodded, standing up.
And so the day passed by quickly, the four teens quickly finishing up their spar sessions satisfied. They swapped partners constantly, giving each of them a different experience. The sun was going down as they left the dojo to wash up and it was clear that they were hungry after a wonderfully refreshing bath.
"Wooooo, that sure worked up an appetite!" Alibaba stretched, feeling the pull in his sore muscles "Hey wanna go down into town for dinner?"
"Yeah! That's a great idea!" Aladdin nodded, a wide smile on his face "Let's go together, nee, Hakuryuu, Mor"
"I'm going to stay here. Sorry guys. I don't think I can last a whole night in town after today's all-day training. I'm beat." Hakuryuu shook his head. "Maybe some other time."
"Aww" Aladdin pouted
"Same here. I think I'm going to stay here tonight. I don't feel like going into town today." Morgiana nodded in agreement.
Aladdin stepped forward and tiptoed to reach Morgiana's forehead, his small hand pressing onto her skin. "Are you sure you're ok, Mor? You've been sort of strange these past few days."
"Yeah. I'm fine." Morgiana mustered up a smile. "Don't worry about it. I'm just tired."
"I'll watch over her. Don't worry Aladdin." Hakuryuu smiled
The young prince swore he saw Alibaba's brow twitch slightly at his comment, but the flirtatious prince left anyway, with the young magi in tow. Silence fell over the two remaining teens as they stood under the bright evening sky.
"Let me walk you to your room." Hakuryuu offered
"Thanks." Morgiana replied shyly, falling into step with the prince. It was a quiet walk to the dorms, both teens not knowing how to act. As they reached Morgiana's room, Hakuryuu took the first step, lightly kissing Morgiana on her cheek.
"Goodnight Morgiana." He whispered, pulling back.
The bright orange glow of the evening light dulled it, but Morgiana blushed heavily from that simple gesture.
"Goodnight, Hakuryuu"
As the young prince turned away, Morgiana contemplated returning the loving gesture, but Hakuryuu had already walked out of sight. Sighing the young Fanalis entered her room closing the door behind her. She wasn't lying when she told Aladdin that she was tired. In addition to the day's training, she had been having trouble getting to sleep.
Morgiana wasn't a picky girl. She could sleep anywhere and everywhere, but there was something about the Kou empire that she couldn't place her finger on, something that was keeping her up at night. She pulled off the band on her head and shook her hair free, the red locks falling down her back. She slipped under the covers, and tried to get some rest. Her eyelids were heavy and she fell asleep pretty quickly.
However, it was a fitful sleep. Tossing and turning, Morgiana found herself waking up covered in cold sweat. She couldn't remember her dreams, but she felt dread and despair. She frowned as she realized she was shaking, gripping her arms to try and stop the trembling. Finally, Morgiana got out of bed and headed outside. In this situation there was only one place she could go to.
Hakuryuu was busying drawing up plans when he first heard the knocking on his door. It was soft, and held a certain degree of hesitance behind. The next knock was slightly louder, more firm, but he could still tell that whoever was outside, was nervous. He opened the door to find Morgiana pacing outside.
"Morgiana?" Hakuryuu questioned worriedly "What's wrong?"
It was pretty late in the night, and for someone to appear at his door at this hour of the night was alarming.
"I..uh... Hakuei-san wasn't answering her door." Morgiana replied softly
Hakuryuu knew his sister was a light sleeper, and it was unusual for her to not hear Morgiana. However, he knew it was a particularly busy time for the Kou Empire and Hakuei was probably still in the main building working.
"Come in." Hakuryuu stepped aside, letting Morgiana into his room.
His room was illuminated by the soft orange glow of the candlelight on his desk, canvases and papers stashed everywhere.
"What's wrong?" Hakuryuu asked once more, seating himself on his chair
Morgiana seated herself on another chair, her hands still grasping her arms. "I couldn't sleep."
"You're shaking" Hakuryuu reached out concernedly, his hand over hers. "What's wrong? Tell me."
"I don't know." Morgiana whispered "I just can't sleep."
"Is that why you've been so tired these few days?" Hakuryuu asked
Morgiana looked at him in confusion, wondering how he noticed. Hakuryuu blushed furiously.
"I..uh...noticed..." He rubbed his neck
Turning slightly red herself, Morgiana nodded, looking away shyly. "I'm sorry. I'm bothering you, I should leave."
She stood up and make her way to the door, only stopping when she felt arms wrap around her, pulling her back into a warm body, long blue locks filling her peripheral vision.
"Don't worry. You're always welcomed here." Hakuryuu reassured her.
Morgiana turned in his embrace to face him, her eyes worried and unsure. Not wanting to keep her standing, Hakuryuu led Morgiana to the edge of his bed and sat there. And he just held her close for a moment.
"Why don't you sleep here?"
Almost instantly the prince flushed red and began to ramble "I didn't mean it in that way. I just thought maybe you would be more comfortable if someone was near and uhm.. I.. I can sleep on the floor no problem. I just... yeah..."
Morgiana shushed him with a finger, a visible blush on her cheeks. "I'd like that."
Hakuryuu pulled the covers over Morgiana before he blew out the candle. He made his way back to the bed, settling himself on the floor right next to his bed, ready to get comfortable when a small tug on his sleeve stopped him.
"Morgiana?" He questioned softly as the tugging got harder, but he received no reply.
Curious he stood up and sat on the edge of the bed, his hand resting on the small one attached to his sleeve. "What's wrong?"
Again, he received no answer, only a harsh tug that sent him down onto the bed. The covers were thrown over his body and a small form quickly attached itself to his back. The young prince hurriedly flipped over, worried, only to be met with Morgiana's bright but tired eyes.
"Stay." came the quiet voice "Please."
And that was all he needed. He pulled Morgiana closer to him, wrapping his arms around her waist and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. A sign that he understood. A soft kiss to his lips was his reply, and he gave thanks that the room was dark enough to conceal his heavy blushing.
That was how the morning light found them, sleeping contentedly in each other's arms. Morgiana had her head resting on Hakuryuu's shoulder, one hand splayed across his broad chest, clutching shirt material in a light grip. Hakuryuu had his head tilted in Morgiana's direction, his cheeks resting on the top of her head. He had one arm securely placed on her waist, making sure she was near, the other hanging off the edge of the bed. Under the soft rays of the morning sun, it seemed like nothing could spoil that picture perfect moment.
"Hakuryuu!" a sharp voice yelled from outside, coupled with frantic banging on the door "Oi! Hakuryuu!"
Rousing from his slumber, Hakuryuu grunted at the obscene noise, burying his face into Morgiana's hair, willing the noise away. When that didn't work, he swore under his breath as he pulled away from his bed, from his girl. It was unusual that the racket that was going on didn't wake Morgiana, she was usually a light sleeper. Hakuryuu didn't think about it, annoyed at the unexpected wake up call. The cool morning air washed over him, a stark contrast to the warm bed he had been nestled in. Grumpily, he yanked open the door, ready to yell at the one who woke him up with such a noisy racket.
"What the hell do you want!" The grumpy young prince grouched, not paying attention to who was outside his door.
"Hakuryuu! Morgiana is missing!" A shrill voice reached his ears, too loud for someone who had just woken up.
"What are you talking about?" Hakuryuu yawned angrily, his sleepy eyes alert enough to glare at the young magi and the former prince.
"We went to call Mor for breakfast, but she wasn't in her room." Alibaba frowned, ignoring Hakuryuu's disheveled appearance "Her door was unlocked too. Something must have happened to her."
"We checked the dojo and the palace and the town!" Aladdin continued, frantically "No one has seen her!"
"Oi Hakuryuu! Are you listening!" Alibaba shook the young prince, who had almost fallen asleep on his feet.
He yawned uncaringly "Morgiana probably forgot to lock her door last night when she came over. Now let me get back to sleep."
With a soft shut, Hakuryuu was back in his room, leaving two very bewildered boys outside. "Came? Over?"
"Hakuryuu! What do you mean came over?!" Alibaba burst into the young prince's room, finding a very sharp blade in his face.
This time, Hakuryuu was alert, his eyes ready for battle and his hands firmly wielding his spear. When he saw who he was pointing his spear at, Hakuryuu sighed and relaxed.
"What do you think you're doing bursting into my room!?" Hakuryuu asked angrily "I could have killed you! Anyways, you need to get out NOW!"
"Gomen! But you said -"
"Mmm Hakuryuu..." A sleepy voice called from the bed, the small form sitting up, the blankets still draped over her shoulders. "What's the matter?"
Mouths opened agape as the two boys laid eyes on the figure in Hakuryuu's bed. Rubbing her eyes sleepily and sitting on the bed was Morgiana, her dress collar slightly hanging off her shoulder.
"M..M..Mor..." Alibaba managed to stutter out.
"These two idiots thought something happened to you since you weren't in your room." Hakuryuu stretched, shaking his head, knowing that there was no point in hiding
Morgiana laid her eyes on the two boys in the room, still frozen in shock. Suddenly she felt very awake as her face began to heat up dramatically. She dove under the covers. but quickly changed her mind as she kicked the two out of the room, sending them flying with a kick each. She slammed the door angrily, her face still red.
"Heyyy" Hakuryuu came up behind her, kissing her softly "I'm sorry. I tried to get them to leave."
Morgiana huffed, her face still red "They know."
"Yeah.." Hakuryuu sighed "They do now. I'm sorry. You probably weren't ready to say anything yet."
"It's fine." Morgiana turned, burying her face in his chest "They'll know sooner or later, but I wasn't expecting them to find out like that."
"Neither was I" Hakuryuu gently lifted Morgiana's face to look at him "but at least we don't have to hide anymore."
The next kiss was slow, but full of emotion. They pulled back, faces slightly flushed from the lack of air.
"We should check on them" Hakuryuu gestured to the door "You kicked them pretty hard."
"They deserved it." Morgiana grouched "Bursting into other people's room like that. They have no sense of privacy!"
"Come on." Hakuryuu smiled, pulling his long hair into his traditional bun.
Morgiana sighed, running her fingers through her long hair, quickly tying it up as well, smoothing the creases in her dress before joining Hakuryuu outside, who was trying to spot where the two had landed. For a split moment, Morgiana felt as though Hakuryuu was shining, giving off a much different aura than before. It was then that she knew that this could only be the start of a brand new story for her, and Hakuryuu would be right next to her in this new chapter of her life.
Ok... ONESHOT! I apologize if the characters are a little OOC, I'm sure you could tell that I really don't hold much love for Alibaba, nothing major against him, I just prefer the HakuMor ship.
This was originally the start of a long story, but I decided to make it a oneshot instead. Let me know if you want to me to add on to this story.
Thanks in advance for the reviews!