Disclaimer: I do not own Magi

Lost, Strayed, Fallen

2nd Moment: Hakuei - Feeling the Repercussions

Her shrill scream pieced the still air, tearing at the hearts of those who heard and ripping further the conscience of those who had sinned, guilty of the crimes they had willingly committed while she, Ren Kougyoku, had not.

"I…" she began with difficulty, her normally gentle voice rough and raspy as though it hadn't been used for a long time. "I…am very sorry, Kougyoku-dono."

A jagged piece of a broken plate flew by, catching and cutting the sleeve just below her right shoulder.

"You, of all people, have no right to say that word!" flashed Kougyoku, eyes as red as the blood dripping from her cut hand. "You don't deserve to even think it! I will not hear it! You are not sorry and I will never forgive you!"

The last sentence ended in another heart-rending scream and, seemingly exhausted, the young woman collapsed on the bed, her small body shaking with violent sobs as she cried into a pillow.

Hakuei felt a lump in her throat and swallowed it down as she watched her.

Long red hair loosened and tangled, clad in only a thin white robe and with bandages wrapping almost everywhere on her body, face for-ever stained with tears and eyes always reflecting intense pain and sorrow, she reminded her of the rare glimpses she had had, many years ago, of when she was but the youngest daughter of Ren Koutoku – though this time, she was in a much, much worse state than then.

And I have had a hand in turning her into this.

I caused her to become this.

Just like how she caused Kouen-dono, Koumei-dono and Kouha-dono to bear such terrible fates.

It's all her fault.

The curtains made soft flutters as the wind stole inside, carrying with it a faint scent of some night flowers, and a quiet whisper of "Kouen-oniisama…"

Hakuei felt a sudden chill. She looked up and found bloodshot red eyes staring right at her.

Kougyoku had pushed herself up and was sitting on the bed. Here and there, red was blooming on her white robe, signaling the re-opening of her wounds though the girl herself didn't seem to notice – or, if she did, she didn't care. Instead, she kept looking into her eyes and, with a voice both soft and cold at once, asked. "Where is he?"

An involuntary flinch, but she collected herself quickly and began to protest. "Kougyoku-dono, you can't! You're in no condition to-"

"Ren Hakuei."

Hakuei stared. This was the first time Kougyoku had called her name so clearly. This girl had always addressed her in the most formal of terms and even when she had to call her name she would do it in such a way that her title was clearer than the name itself. She had thought it a little strange and found her awkwardness rather cute. She reminded her of Hakuryuu somehow. It could be because they were similar in age and that she had a difficult past – one which she didn't know what it was like until she has lost her father and brothers to the fire incident ten years ago. Perhaps that's why, sometimes, she thought – she wished – to be on a better terms with this girl one day.

Considering what had happened and the tone of voice she had used to call her name just now, that day might never come.

Those crimson eyes were as honest as she knew them to be. They told her of rage, of hatred and of cool resolution.

You can try to stop me. I can die trying.

"Where is he?" she asked again, softly, coldly.

Feeling her resolve weakening, Hakuei opened her mouth to reply.

"In a place where you shouldn't know, much less go to in your current condition, of course."

Both women whipped around to the direction of the voice as one and saw him standing there, in front of the closed door and leaning against it.

The same bright smile on his face, he said pleasantly. "Good evening to both of you. Seems like you're doing much better, no, Kougyoku-hime?"

A streak of red and white flew past her that moment. She could only call out, "Kougyoku-dono!" and helplessly watched everything happened and ended in mere seconds. How Sinbad caught the young woman, had her arms twisted to her back and pushed her to the near wall, forcing her to stay still.

She rushed over. How could he be so rough, knowing she was injured and all!

"King Sinbad, what do you think you are doing! Let her go at once!"

Sinbad glanced at her, then looked down at his struggling captive.

"If I let go," he said slowly, lazily. "Then the princess will do things that will hurt herself even more. See here, Hakuei-hime? Kougyoku-hime got her wounds re-opened."

"Isn't that because of you?" bristled Hakuei, pulling at his arm. "Let go! You're hurting her!"

"If the princess promises to behave, I will let her go. How about it, Kougyoku-hime?"

"I will kill you."

Sinbad turned to Hakuei with an expression that said 'see?'

And she answered him with a resounding slap. One that was hard enough to make his face turn.

Kougyoku's pale face and difficult breathing, not to mention the blood that had soaked through the robe she was wearing, had her too worried to think of anything else even if that meant offending the High King of the Seven Seas. He couldn't have not known the effect of his presence on Kougyoku. And what of that flippancy? Exactly what was he trying to do!

"King Sinbad," she gritted out, eyes burning with barely contained rage. "Let go of her or I swear I will gouge your eyes out right here and now using just my hands!"

Sinbad looked at her a moment, shrugged, and let go.

Hakuei rushed forward and the moment she felt the girl's limp body in her arms, tears she had never let fallen the past days rolled down her cheeks one after another.

So small, so light, so cold…

This child...

She didn't mean for her, or any of her cousins, to end up this way. She only wanted to save Hakuryuu. She didn't know Sinbad would control Kougyoku and used her against Kouha-dono like that. She didn't know Kouha-dono would actually attack his own sister. She didn't know Hakuryuu would give out such sentences. She didn't know… she just didn't know that any of this would happen. If she knew, she wouldn't have…

"I'll get you to bed. We have to stop the bleeding," said Hakuei while half carrying and half dragging the young woman toward the bed. She could have asked Sinbad to help her but she would sooner die than have that man anywhere near her cousin again, forget touching even the tip of her hair. Most likely, Kougyoku herself thought the same.

"Seishin, call the doctor! Ka Koubun, get me more fresh bandages and tell the kitchen staff to prepare her medicine!" she shouted. Earlier she had given order for the two to leave them and guard the door outside. She didn't blame them for letting Sinbad in. She blamed herself for letting them leaving the room at all.

Hurried footsteps told her they had heard her orders. Kougyoku had lost consciousness by the time she had helped her back on the bed. She needed to work fast.

Two rolls of bandages in one hand, a pair of scissors in the other, she said, "King Sinbad, please get out of here. Now."

"Is that the tone you should be using addressing-"

Thunk!

The scissors, which had been in her hand until a moment ago, became stuck to the wall - it was with that much force she had used to throw it with, and if she really intended it, instead of the wall, the sharp end would have found its mark in the black heart of that man. If he's not leaving the room soon...

"King Sinbad, I said, now," said Hakuei, voice low and very, very cold.

Sinbad casually glanced at the stuck scissors, then down at the shattered pieces of many things on the floor. As though he wanted to try Hakuei's taut-to-near-snapping control further, he chuckled.

"Sisters..." he murmured and turned to open the door. "I shall come to visit again. Get well soon, princesses."

The door closed behind him with a soft hush. Hakuei took a deep breath as she tried - tried - to steady her shaking hands and calm her raging mind. Kougyoku-dono needed her. She had to stop the bleeding. After all that had happened Kouen-dono wouldn't have wanted for his sister to have to suffer...

Kouen-dono...

A sob broke from her. Tears chasing each other down her face, blurring her eyes, the bandages fell from her hands. She...couldn't stand all this anymore.

Her knees gave out, she collapsed next to the bed and cried into the red-stained-white crumpled sheet, as she had never allowed herself to do so since everything began.

"I'm s-sorry. I'm so sorry...!" she wept, clutching at Kougyoku's sleeve. "I didn't m-mean for it to be this way!"

Hakuyuu-aniue... Hakuren-aniue...

Kouen-dono... Koumei-dono... Kouha-dono...

Kougyoku-dono...

Hakuryuu...

"What should I do? Please... tell me, what should I do!"

Sinbad's fans, no flames, please. I wrote him like that for a reason. I don't like him but I don't intend to make him such a b****** in the next chapter, for sure.

Hakuei... is not exactly my favorite character but, like Hakuryuu, I feel sorry for their stories. I knowt it won't happen (that's why I wrote this out) but I really want Kougyoku and Hakuei to have a better relationship as family, supporting each other through this.

I'm working on the happy Ren family fic and hope that I can finish the first chapter by next month. There will be unexpected pairings and I hope you will enjoy them.

As always, thank you for reading!