Shackles to Silver (Hakuryuu x OC)

Tenth Spell

Layali stood behind Morgiana, shielding her eyes with her thick bangs as Alibaba confronted Hakuryuu, who casually leaned against a house as if nothing happened.

"I did as the people wanted; I executed the leader of the pirates.  And besides, wasn't our objective to wipe out the pirates?" Hakuryuu stated monotonously.

"Even so..." Alibaba began with a growling tone.

"Of course, it's also true that I became somewhat delirious under her spell.  She looked just like my own mother to me."

"You're own mother? Then, why...?" The blonde's voice wavered.

"That's the reason why.  I remembered my mission to kill Al Thaman's witch who defected to my uncle's side and seized control of the Kou Empire..."  Hakuryuu stared at his hands with terrifying and sorrowful expression.  "To kill my very own mother!"

"At that moment, I decided that I would be the one to protect my elder sister's life. And I also made a promise to kill the witch of Al Thaman, no matter what."

"She was quite similar to the Great Holy Mother, you know, not caring the least about her own children.  Such a woman shouldn't be allowed to live."

"Is that why you killed her?" Alibaba interrogated.

"Either way, she was a criminal on her way to the scaffold, wasn't she?"

"That may be true, but what you did... You were just settling a personal score, weren't you?"

Suddenly, Olba broke free from the circle of guards and lunged at Hakuryuu, baring a shining blade.  The Prince jumped back and gripped onto the child's hand, preventing him from piercing through his chest.

"I'm going to kill you." Olba threatened with tears in his large yellow eyes.  "Revenge for Madaura..."

Hakuryuu emotionlessly pulled the sword from Olba's hand and through him onto the pavement, earning a gasp from Layali.  "What are you talking about?  How many people did you kill in this village?  Some of them were women weren't they? They were someone's mother, too...  Yet, you spew these words the instant your own mother is killed?  Aren't you just a little too self-serving?" He began to interrogate the kid, just as Alibaba had done moments ago.

"The truth is, you were starting to realize the truth, weren't you?  The fact that Madaura was only using you!  Why were you kidnapping all those children?  Was it all for the benefit of that woman? Did any of you gain one thing from all of that?"

"There's no reason to grieve." Hakuryuu's eyes were deadly and cold.  "After all, you guys were never loved in the first place."

Hakuryuu threw the knife he took from Olba onto the ground and angrily walked off, not saying a word to anyone as he did so.

Layali couldn't bear it anymore.  Seeing the children walk onto the ship, the murder of Madaura, and just... Hakuryuu.  Why did she feel so upset about this?  She escaped from her group and hid within a narrow ally, sliding to the ground where she pulled her knees to her chest.

She cried relentlessly.

~*~*~*~

"Layali?"

She looked up to see who had called her.  Hakuryuu knelt beside her, concern in his previously cold blue eyes.  He reached his fleshy hand out towards her, but she leaned back to avoid it instinctively.  When he saw her do this, he dropped his arm and frowned sorrowfully.

"I'm sorry." He apologized softly, knowing that she wasn't happy about his 'revenge.'

Layali didn't speak.