The Red Fire of Destiny

Author note:

Greeting to all readers.

Thank you for reading this story. I have always been a fan of and this is the first time I have try to write a fan fiction. Kouen is one of my favourite character in Magi and I just know that I need to write the story about him with a strong and smart OC as Kouen ideal woman is a smart woman (source: Wiki ^_^). Read and comment, guys and oh, Magi is the work of Shinobu Ohtaka . I claim nothing as my own except my OC charecters. Happy readings.

Chapter 1: The Snow Phoenix

The sound of people crying and screaming echoed everywhere. The unlimited heat burst toward her without any mercy. She was caught in between the red fiery fire that madly dancing, trying to trap her inside to be burn.

"Help, Somebody!" She screamed as loudly as she could. But no one noticed her. To be exact no one even tried to notice her. Everyone was busy trying to safe their own skin. Not even her family are alive to save her from the fiery fire. She was all alone, helpless and weak.

She suddenly heard a loud crack sound from above her head. She looked up and was shocked to see the pillar of the building was going to fall in any moment. She stared blankly to the wooden pillar that is full with fire as it fell instantly unto her. The pillar crushed her without any mercy. The painful feeling numbing her body just like a thousand needles stabbed her body. At that time, she only wished that she could die instantly...

10 years later...

One man was pulled into the ground by two man dressed all in back. His face was pulled to face the woman sitting solemnly in the wooden chair in the middle of the Bailian courtyard. The woman dressed in midnight hue dress. Her face was covered with veil, only allowing her eyes which lined with thick eyeliner. Her white skin can be compare to the cold white snow. The woman held her right hand up, asking for the man to come near her. The man was released and he came forward by crawling pathetically.

"Xiaoyu..." The woman called stoically.

"Yes, mistress..." Answered Xiaoyu with tears in his eyes.

"Tell me, did I ever mistreat you and your family?" The woman asked in monotone voice.

"No, mistress..." Answered Xiaoyu.

"Did I ever give wage which is not suitable with your workload?" The woman asked again, still in monotone voice.

Sweat covered Xiaoyu's whole body. Guilt and fear accumulated inside of him, twisting his soul apart. "No, mistress..." He answered, guiltily.

The woman then stood up. She pulled Xiaoyu chin by using her horsewhip. "Did I ever ask you to do illegal crime such as killing or stealing or violating woman?"

"No, mistress..."

"THEN WHY DID YOU BETRAY ME?!" At last, the woman released the anger that had been accumulating inside of her without any restrain. "Why did you bribed officials to be exempt from paying the tax for our good items?"

"I did it for our company, mistress! If we have to pay those unfairly tax then..."

"What did I tell everyone the first moment that you all step into this trading house? No matter what happen, whether this house crumble to the ground, no one...no one must kneel to immoral official!"

The woman then looks to all her workers in the Bailian courtyard. "We are not just a trading company. We are the Bailian trading company. The largest trading house in the Kou Kingdom. Do you all know how many other companies that envies us? They will try to look into every little misstep that we took and take it into their own advantage! Do you thinK that a MERE tax exempt is going to thrive this company? No, it'll take this company to the ground. What of our workers then? What of our families? Our livelihood will be stripped away from us. How will you take your responsibility then?"

"I'm sorry, Mistress Xue Feng."

The woman who name was Xue Feng took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. "Mei Hua."

The blond hair woman who was standing beside Xue Feng chair walked toward Xue Feng. "Yes, mistress..."

"The good items from that was exempted from the tax...give it to the poor!" Order Xue Feng

"All of them, mistress?" Mei Hua asked. The entire worker were shocked and gasped at their mistress decision.

"Yes, all of them!"

Xue Feng then looked at Xiaoyu fiercely. "And you, Xiaoyu, how should I punish you?"

"I am willing to die, mistress."

"Give me the right answer, Xiaoyu!"

"Please demoted me from my position and strike me 100 times."

"Do as he said."

"Yes, mistress!" Two men in black step forward and bring Xiaoyu to the punishment room. While, other workers then continued their work as they know it very well, not anger the cold and strict 'Snow Phoenix' of the Bailian trading house.

-x-

Xue Feng sat solemnly at the end of wooden jetty build to reach the middle of the human made large pond in her home quarter. The thick layer of ice covered the pond. She put her bare feet on the icy layered ice while staring at the grim grey sky. The winter season still have two more months to go. The cold wind blew across her pale face and dark short hair, as if trying to cheered her up.

"I'm not going to tell you again but please don't blame yourself on Xiaoyu mistake." Mei Hua stood behind Xue Feng, looking whimsically as ever.

"Do you want me to cut your tongue, Mei?"

"Well, the working time is over. Now, I am only Mei, your best friend since childhood." Mei Hua said childishly.

"Go away. You're making me irritated and annoyed again." Pout Xue Feng like a little girl. Her cold attitude is no longer presence.

"Stop the pouting, Xue. I wonder how workers ever look at you as the cold and scary mistress. You're just a petty little Shorty..."

"Hey!" Xue Feng gasped and stood. For where she is standing, her head level is on Mei Hua shoulder. "Do you want me to cut your wage, Mei!"

"Why? For insulting my mistress height?" Mei Hua smirked before leading her mistress a.k.a. best friend to her chamber behind the pond. "Come on, you need to get ready."

"Ready for what?"

"Huh? Don't tell me you forget about it?" Xue Feng's puzzled look is enough to make Mei Hua smacked her forehead. "Tonight, the palace is holding the 'Golden Banquet' to celebrate the Winter Lantern Festival! How can you forget that?"

"Because it not important." Xue Feng answered half heartedly. "Just ask Fang to go with you like last year."

"And why would I do that? Do you how awkward it was for me and Fang to tell the royal court and the emperor that the 'Snow Phoenix' of Bailian trading house couldn't come because she is having a chicken pock! Chicken pock!" Mei Hua complained bitterly. She didn't want to remember the embarrassment she felt last year. She fell like she wants to choke Xue Feng right now. "I don't care. This year you are going to the banquet or else!"

Xue Feng sighed. "Oh, great! Now I have to prepare to socialize the shrewd, arrogant nobility who care nothing but themselves."

"Xue, don't talk like that. After all, you're a noble too."

Xue Feng smirked bitterly. Her eyes wondered to the sky where snow started to fall lightly. She held her hand and caught the snow that instantly melts on her hand. "The forbidden palace of Kou Kingdom, it been ten years since I stepped foot to that cursed place."

-x-

Ren Kouen looked at the sky stoically. The snow was falling gracefully to the ground as the court is starting to pluck with many court ministers and nobles. Not forgetting rich traders that love to brown nose the nobles. They are the reason why he hates this banquet so much. He really hates it when people gave him sugar-coat praise just so that they could come to his good side. How he wishes that he could be in his study room. There are a few new history books that he just acquired from his last expedition to the western land. He really wants to read and study them.

"Announcing the arrivals of Lord Xu Shuan with his wife and children." He looked at the announcer introducing the noble family to the emperor while trying to hide his boredom.

"This banquet is boring." Kouha claimed, as if his brother can read his mind.

"Shut up Kouha!" Kougyouko whispered. "Do you really have to be rude in front of his majesty?"

"But, it's true old hag." Judar butt in, causing them to bicker again as always.

"Quiet all of you!" Asked Koumei, not willing to suffer anymore torment from this boring banquet.

Right there and then, a chilling wind blew through the throne room. The announcer face was shocked after he listened to the whisper of one of his co-worker. "Announcing, the last guest, Lady Xue Feng of the Bailian trading house."

People jerked and gasped at the announcement. Why wouldn't they? It is the first time, the owner of the Bailian trading house will presence herself in front of the emperor. The name Bailian trading house mysteriously come up five years ago and now it is one of the largest trading company in the Kou Kingdom that trade almost everything. Just name it, silk clothes, jewellery, food, medicine and even weaponry. Bailian trading house has spread across the Tenzan plateau and even now expand to the western land and the Alliance of the Seven Kingdoms.

Adding more to the mysterious is the owner of the Bailian trading house. She rarely shows herself in public. She would deny every banquet invitation from nobility and Kou officials. However, she was able to build her own company without the support of nobles and officials. Source stated that is because she has the support of the Kou subjects as she always cares the poor and unfortunate. If there were recession, she will take a lot of unemployed. If there is drought, she will open her rice supply and give it to the poor. She never marks up the price of her good by ten folds like the other traders. She was known only as Xue Feng, the cold but kind, 'Snow Phoenix'.

Ren Kouen looked intently at the petite figure that walked gracefully toward the throne. The woman known as Xue Feng was wearing a midnight hue silk jacket dress with red blood skirt. Silver phoenix embroiders at the back of her jacket dress that spread to the court floor. Her lower face was covered with red organza veils, revealing only her smoky lined icy blue eyes and a little of her red dark lips. Her pale face is comparable to the snow that falling from the sky.

Everyone looked curiously and interestedly toward Xue Feng and her assistant, Mei Hua who kneeled in front of the emperor.

"It is an honour to meet you again, Shishou." Xu Feng said fearlessly causing everyone to panic. A mere subject called the emperor, Master? Doesn't the woman fear death?

-x-

Teaser for Chapter 2: Snow and Flame

"You're that meek pampered noble girl that come to the Golden Banquet ten years ago?" Kouen asked solemnly, trying to hide his feeling of shock. How can that noble girl that looked as fragile as a flower could change to become the cold and calculative beauty that stand in front of him now?

"Yes, and you're that nerdy boy soldier who was always with book on your hand. Heh, looks like that fire incident had change both of our path, right, Prince Kouen?" Xue Feng smirked cunningly without fear of being beheaded for insulting the First Imperial Prince of Kou Kingdom.

A few of word meanings:

Xue Feng - Snow Phoenix in Chinese

Mei Hua - Beautiful flower in Chinese

Bailian - White lotus in Chinese

Shishou- master in Japanese