Title: Faithfully yours
Rating: Now, T. in the future, M. Of course.
Summary: The reverse of You Become My Light and My Darkness. Arthur is a foreign boy stranded in an exotic land. Fate pulled him towards Wang Yao, the Imperial family member. And nobody knows the future.
Pairings: UK X China.
Note: I know I said I didnt want to write anymore, but it is holiday, I have heaps of free time, so here we are, one my promise to write the reverse of YBMLnMD. Merry x mast and Happy new year, everyone!
Enjoy!
The story started in the Yan Dynasty, a considerably new kingdom set about 11th century. Yan Dynasty stood from the Western sea till the middle part of the Gobi Desert. It was divided into smaller sections and areas; each has their own governor and their own specific rules. Every governors answer to the Emperor personally, and the feudal system were maintained through five generations of kings already.
The present Emperor—who was crowned 5 years ago—is a young man with great wisdom and strict moral code, so underneath him the whole kingdom prospered for the last 5 years. Under his control, he started to open his business trading to foreign countries. This is particularly unique since all other neighbourhood kingdoms were scared or reluctant from 'tainting' themselves with the foreign countries ideology—especially the Westerners. The Emperor was trying to open up his people's view on the world—something that quite modern for people of his time. When he introduced the concept a few years back, his people second guessed their Emperor's rationality. However, the opposing argument decreased after some times, especially after people realized that their trading became better and how Western technology, ideology and customs brought some good, if not, interesting stuff to look at. Not everybody liked the decision, but everybody knew that it was a good one since they had became significantly wealthier than their neighbourhood kingdoms by doing the foreign trading.
The Xiang Hai Bian (literally: Fragrance Sea Coast) harbour is a crowded place; it is one of the only three ports available for sea transportation and distributions in the Yan Dynasty. People came and go; local and foreign alike. This particular port was famous for its spice and fabric business. Foreign people from foreign lands came to the port to make trading, gold and silver and metal for tea, specific spices and cotton silk. Local people prosper from the business; and it became the biggest port in the Kingdom. However, it was still dominated with black-haired men. Although they opened internationally, most of their trading partners were Asians such the likes of neighbourhood areas, Japan, Southern Asia, or Russian. So the sight of a small skinny boy with blond hair and bushy eyebrows invited more than casual stares.
The boy looked like he was lost and he was definitely running away from something. He looked around, but never stopped running. He slipped between people, and he felt people's stares on him as he passed. He cursed himself, wishing for the first time that he should be born with darker hair than his sandy, if not brilliant golden hair.
His eyes were green, clear like emeralds. His small limbs moved as fast as he could, through the sea of people shouting and advertising their stuffs. He looked around; trying to make sense of the roads; but everywhere he looked everybody looked the same—small almost non-existent two lines eyes, black hair, same layers of clothes tied together with obi-like cloth. He knew he was definitely lost; but he wasn't scared at all. Being a slave inside a pirate ship was scarier. But now he had run away, and he needs to continue to run away, to his freedom.
His stomach grumbled. He ignored it. He has no time or money to eat.
But the hunger ate his attention—and he lost his balance for a bit. He fell to the ground, after tripping over a sharp stone. He was barefooted; so the sharp stone on the road tore open his sole. He moaned a bit over the pain, and it attracted a few people's attention.
The harbour wasn't the friendliest part of the kingdom, but it is one of the safest places. The Emperor knew the importance of safety and strong security in harbour as it is the place most vulnerable to attack and other bad manipulations, so the heavily trained security guards were placed everywhere. One of the said guards happened to be patrolling around when he saw the poor boy with bleeding foot; so he came nearer and offered help.
The boy snarled at him, and the man realized the boy didn't understand a single thing he was saying. The blonde hair and green eyes were also distracting. Since they were already used to foreigners, at least a bit, they knew that the boy wasn't 'a devil' or anything. And the boy looked so pitiful, and thus the guard took the boy by a bit of force and sent him to a nearby herbal doctor. Of course, the boy refused and fought with his whole life. The guard simply knocked him off and carried the fainted boy to the small shop over the bridge.
"A fei! Can you please close the shop? And prepare your stuff; we are going to the mountain for the winter." The old herbalist called out to his young helper, while trying his best to wake up from his previous sitting position. His hip was killing him. He is really turning old.
"Yes master~!" The boy shouted back, and begun to effectively closing the store. The old man smiled. He had taken the lost boy three years prior and since then the boy has become his apprentice. Not so much as learning the herbs, since the boy still needs to learn about their language. The boy—whom he named A fei—was a smart and diligent boy. He loves the boy like he would do a grandchild.
"A fei, have you turned off the stove? The medicine can only be cooked for three yours, and not a minute more."
"Yes, I have! And also I put it inside the pot already." The boy answered, but still busy locking the door with bamboo shoot block. "Master! You go eat first! I have cooked rice at the back!"
"No, we'll eat together." The man chuckled and took his cane, walking into the house. It was a busy day since it is the last day before winter officially come and he would be closed for the whole 3 months. It was a habit to go to the mountain for the winter, since despite the cold, most of the herbs grew the best under the snow and occasional sun. Weird it may be, it is the best season to gather new supply of herbs and medicine.
"Master, you want me to massage you?" The boy asked, in a slightly inaccurate tone. The old man smiled, correcting the boy's tone. It was the hardest thing for the boy in learning the language—the tone. Each word has different tone, and he just couldn't comprehend which is which. But he was trying his best, and at the moment, people around him could at least understand what he was trying to say, despite the occasional out of tune-tone.
They ate in silence, the boy munching as silent as he could, while watching the old man—the herbalist—who apparently famous and capable of curing most of the disease around. There are a lot of other doctors and herbalists around too, yet his master was the oldest and the most experienced, also the most kind. He had taken the boy from the guard, and treating him as if he was his apprentice. He was very grateful for that, although initially he wasn't very sure how to react.
His name was Arthur Kirkland, but since his master couldn't pronounce Arthur, he became 'A fei'. He was fine with that, and that's how he became 'A fei'. The neighbourhood knew him as a weird looking boy, slightly over active but very helpful. They accepted him initially due to the herbalist's reputation, but it grew into affection and fondness since the boy is simply loveable. Arthur also has become the official right hand of the leader of the children gang in town, despite his obvious non-Asian features. His assertiveness and bold nature made him quite popular amongst the boys while his cat-like-grin made girls blushed.
"A fei, how is the preparation for tomorrow?" the old man asked, smiling tenderly.
Arthur smirked. "It's good, master! I managed to get so many fish with cheap price today! We can smoke it when we reach the winter cave-hut in the mountain, then we have enough for the whole three months, maybe more! Though I really want to get some sweets…"
"You can get some if you want. We can buy a lot and keep it throughout the winter for you." The old man offered.
"It's fine." Arthur chewed his stewed meat. "We are not that rich, master."
"Well, I think I can manage some sweets…"
"Master, you look tired, better sleep fast." Arthur offered, pointedly ignoring the man's offer. The man sighed. A fei simply dislike the chance to be spoiled. The boy has a really strong sense of self-awareness. For him, being rescued from the road and given a house to live in was enough to gallant deep appreciation of the old man. Simple things like sweets or new clothes were too much for him.
Arthur was an unfortunate orphan back in his home country, one of the orphaned children from the civil war and evil overlords. His parents were killed because they were thought to practice 'witch craft' and Arthur ran away before the whole village burnt his parents own with their hut. He ran and was captured by thieves, sold to pirates as slave, and brought to the land of silk three years ago. Everything felt like heaven after all those.
"Fine, fine. But you need to sleep with me today."
"I don't want. You smell like medicine." Arthur declined harshly. But both know it wasn't the real reason. Arthur always slept lightly beside his master so that he could apply medicine to the old man's body. Recently, the old man often fell down and suffered from chronic arthritis pain especially around the hip. Arthur usually tried to soothe the man every time the pain come at night by applying salve or warmed clothes.
"Hey, hey." The old man chuckled, but it turned to a cough. Arthur looked worried and went over to the old man, but the man smiled.
"I am fine, my boy. You worry too much."
"…I hope so." The boy whispered.
Winter in the mountain was harsh; but their hut was half cave and it was warmer especially with the fire on. Arthur looked at the old man, who was busy reading yet another writings of many medicine news, and throw another block of wood.
He was afraid, yes. If the old man dies, who would take care of him? He was only 12 that year, and no matter what he did, he still be a child with no family. Whose going to take care of him, after that?
And he didn't want to lose yet another parent.
He watched as the fire burnt. The cave smelled of herbs and smoked fish. He would go to the forest tomorrow to gather food and possibly honey—one of his favourite food. He hated the bees, but the sweetness of wild honey is the best. It deserved the stung and some blisters from the bees.
"A fei…"
"Yes, master?"
"Do you want to read this book? Maybe you will find it interesting?"
Arthur shrugged. He knew his master's wish for him to become a scholar. But frankly he wasn't the studious type. He is more an action man. He loves jumping and running though the forest rather than staying inside the hut to study all the time. He found reading hard, too. Not only the spoken language is hard enough, the writing simply sucks. The whole alphabet—millions of them, make him sick. Even back home, with his limited alphabet, he still had some difficulties understanding the scripture.
So instead he sat beside his master and pretended to read while his master reciting the poems and such.
It was soothing, truly.
He loves running. He knew he could run faster than any other child in the harbour. He could overrun the rabbit, and currently he was chasing one. Through the forest, through the mist, through the bushes.
It was exhilarating. His heart was beating fast. He loves running!
He didn't realize he went deeper into the forest, into the forbidden part of it. His master had warned him once that half of the mountain is owned by the imperial family. But Arthur, being Arthur, didn't care or simply forget. And there was no guard anyway; no border to sign that he was in their land, so whatever, right?
The rabbit jumped into the bushes in front of him. Arthur smirked. The rabbit must be tired. It had started to hide. And he would easily get it, so he jumped…
And he was freefalling.
He was shocked. He wanted to scream, but he couldn't. He was flying down. He didn't know that the further down the bush, it was a waterfall. He was falling fast, head first to the water.
"MASTEEEEERRRRRR!" he was shouting on top of his lungs, screaming for his master, despite knowing that it was futile. He covered his head with his arms and a second after was braced by the pain when he smashed into the water.
His lungs were filled with water. He gargled, but his body slowed down and slowly floated up. It was really uncomfortable sensation of couldn't breathe with water inside his larynx, but he managed to cough heavily and floated up. Then his right leg started to spasm—it cramped.
Fuck!
He sunk back into the water. He couldn't breathe…
Master…
Wang Yao ordered his attendants to wait around the lake. The waterfall is still so pretty and pure, something that hasn't changed from the first time he visited the winter palace inside the sacred mountains when he was 5 years old.
He is now 20, and still loves the natural beauty of the mountain.
As he opened his robes, he sighed. There were so many layers—and all of them are so heavily embroidered with phoenixes. It came with his background, after all. He is the current emperor's smallest brother, smallest out of three brothers and two sisters; and the weakest one in term of politic power yet he possessed more influence than his older sisters. His mother was the last emperor's last concubine; also the most beautiful one. Her beauty and talent passed onto Yao, and now Yao has more male suitor than female. His Emperor Brother loves Yao so dear much because Yao is his smallest baby brother, also the best diviner like his mother.
The whole mountain usually reserved for Yao in the winter. While the other imperial family loves to come in summer or spring, Yao loves to come there in the winter. For him, the white and cold landscape of Winter Mountain was the prettiest. Not to mention the pureness of air around the mountain and the mist in winter. And swimming in the waterfall-lake was one of his favourite.
The water was freezing cold; Yao shuddered. It woke him up from his serene and made him feeling alive again. He immersed himself into the water, and soon after that, it wasn't freezing cold, at least.
His thin silk simple undergarment pressed onto his body as he swam over the water. Small fishes passed underneath him, through the rocks and water plants. The clear water was so clear he couldn't help but giggle with giddiness. He really loves that place. The only one he had shared his waterfall with was his oldest brother—the Emperor.
And then suddenly his peace was torn by ripples of water. He looked up, to find a boy gasping for air, and then submerged into the water again. It was a good distance from where he was, yet Yao was a good swimmer and he could reach there in no time.
So, he started to swim towards the sinking body.