My Soul Will Find Yours [Completed]

Frightening Bloodlust

Mami quickly covered her face and looked away. I ignored her warning and walked towards her until I was standing beside her. With tears in my eyes, I gently grabbed her wrists and slowly lowered the hands that were covering her face.

"No, please!" she cried but didn't stop what I was doing. "I don't want you to see me like this!"

I felt myself drown in a sea of guilt when I saw the cut that started from the inner corner of her left eye and ended on her right jaw. The wound has scabbed but I could still imagine how it looked and felt like when it was still fresh. I was the reason behind her beautiful face's disfigurement and it will forever haunt us both.

"Lady Mami, I'm sorry," I told her as the tears in my eyes fell. "I'm sorry for being useless that day..."

"How can you say that?" she met my eyes and shook her head. "You're pregnant and they were targeting you; as a friend, of course I wouldn't let them succeed!"

I wished she blamed and lashed out at me, I would gladly accept it if she did. However, despite the misfortune she has met because of me, she still considered me as her dear friend. Her kindness and understanding hurt more. I cried harder when I felt her arms encircle me comfortingly.

~~~

As soon as I calmed down, Mami recounted what happened when she fought the masked man. She said she was about to win when he played a dirty trick on her. The man brought a small bag of some powdery substance with him and threw it on her face when he knew he was about to be finished. This blinded her temporarily and to make sure she won't follow him, the masked man slashed her face.

"I tried to run after him but the powder seemed to intensify the pain I was feeling. I was writhing in pain until I eventually passed out. I found myself back in my room when I woke up," she said.

"I'm so sorry," was all I could say.

"You have nothing to apologize for, it was my choice to protect you. Your life as well as your children's were more important for me at that moment."

I was about to burst into tears again when three raps on the door came.

"Who is it?" Mami asked.

"The second wife has come to visit, my lady," a maid replied behind the screen door.

"Tell her to leave. I do not wish to see her."

When we thought she's already left, the maid spoke again.

"The second wife insists on seeing you, my lady. She said she has something important to give you."

Mami's brows furrowed, "Fine. Let her in."

I grabbed a nearby silk scarf and gave it to her but she rejected it.

"She's the only person I won't be ashamed to show this wound to. In fact, I'm looking forward to her reaction."

The door slid open and in came Ayaka with two maids behind her. Her maids were each carrying a small box while she held her son in her arms.

"Lady Mami, I heard the news," she said and walked towards us. "I brought some ointment and cream that will help prevent scarring."

"Thank you but I don't need them," Mami said while looking at her impassively.

"I see," she looked saddened. "But these will guarantee that your face will be saved. A woman's face is her greatest asset, after all."

"I don't want it. Please take it with you and leave."

"Now is not the time to be prideful, Lady Mami," she motioned for the maids to come closer, reached out to grab one of the boxes, and placed it on Mami's palm.