Oh jeez, editing this chapter made me face-palm so bad quite a few times. I could certainly tell that a teenage fangirl had been writing it back then *laughs* Now with the angst-caused sappiness- and fluffiness-factor burned down to a (hopefully) normal level and padded with more notional and emotional depth, I'm actually rather pleased with the outcome. The original version of the story counts five chapters until I dropped it, but I think I'm gonna rewrite some of them almost completely from scratch.
I'm aware that writing angst often prompts over-weepiness and over-weakness of characters, and admittedly, it likely was the case with the original version *coughs* It hadn't been criticized back then though, so it either wasn't really all that bad or people had been nice to me XD I suppose that accounts to the fact that the story and the plot in itself are (hopefully) promising and interesting.
However, I'm also aware that people tend to criticize a too tough and unaffected character just as much. Then there arise the accusations of that character being too Gary Stue-ish/Mary Sue-ish and not acting/reacting accordingly to how a victim of rape/abuse/torture should.
Though I myself hadn't yet been criticized in either aspect, I've seen reviews on other fictions go both ways.
I suppose writing such a setting/character is always a balance act between those two extremes (too weepy or too shallow), and ultimately, rape/abuse/torture itself is a serious issue that shouldn't either be over-dramatized, over-romanticized, or used too thoughtlessly in a story (i.e. only as a mean for coupling). Ultimately, every person perceives the description of it differently, and I shall hope I will manage to keep it real and reasonable in relation to all characters and story alike.
All this said, I would only want to add one more thing unrelated to the previous topic: the TIMELINE~ Or, a mild lack thereof *laughs* I've taken the liberty not to abide the original historical guidelines -in view of characters' age, or battles- too strictly. Meaning that there will be battles you never heard of in the game/history, and that birth and death dates of the characters stray from the originals. Of course I still won't be placing Wu Chang Plains before the Yellow Turban Rebellion or some such, so no worries XD Some consistency shall be kept =3
And another small note... Zhao Yun's eyes are a light-green in here (I seen people disagree on his eye-colour, brown and green both seem to be favoured and ultimately, nobody can know for sure). You'll just have to bear with that *laughs* For me, I picked it because such a colour is kind of both suiting and allegorical for his character in particular, a~nd because it makes descriptions easier.
So much for the preamble, off goes:
Chapter Two
"We're there." A soft voice interrupted Jiang Wei's half-slumber and his eyes swiftly fluttered open. The horses had indeed halted, and no place else than at Cheng Du palace. It probably was the inner courtyard of the palace, he could hear a fountain splashing somewhere nearby.
Ma Chao got off the horse and helped the boy down as well. No one was out in the courtyard; it had to be pretty late. The moon stood high in the dark-blue firmament and the stars shone brightly, not covered by the clouds that were common for the late summer time.
"I see the mission was a success." A quiet, poised voice sounded from behind them and Jiang Wei turned to see the mastermind of Shu and probably of all China appearing before them - Zhuge Liang. The man smiled warmly at him, slightly waving the feather fan he held in his right hand.
"Yes, Prime Minister. As you see, we brought him here safely." Zhao Yun replied and looked at the boy standing between him and Ma Chao. The youngest amid them appeared a bit intimidated and insecure, obviously still not able to believe what was happening.
"Jiang Wei, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am both relieved and grateful to welcome you here." Zhuge Liang turned to the young one, having a pair of fawn eyes stare back at him in a somewhat disbelieving as though expecting him to disappear in the next few moments.
"I do understand it is a big change for you and I realize you must be very confused about the current situation. Still, I hope you will be able to receive here the support you need to find you way back to normality." The strategist continued, this time receiving an actual answer from the reserved boy.
"I really do not understand your interest in me, Prime Minister. How did you know? And why did you send men for me?" He finally scraped up a bit of his long-shattered confidence to ask.
"I know you have many questions about my reasons and intentions, but you must be very tired since I presume that you did not have much rest neither yesterday nor during your entire residence in Wei. It may be more suitable if we discussed this tomorrow." A light smile curled Zhuge Liang's lips; he spoke gently yet distinctly.
"If you so wish, Prime Minister, I have no objections." A respectful response, supplemented by an expression of gratitude. "I'm deeply indebted to you, thank you so much for concerning yourself with somebody like me. I do not know how I can ever repay you for your kindness." Still wondering about the hows and whys, the boy bowed his head. Despite the treatment he'd been receiving, he was well-educated and well-mannered, and knew to hold himself accordingly.
The humble demeanour elicited yet another smile from China's Mastermind. "That is not necessary. Do not think so little of yourself, Jiang Wei. There is no such thing as a young life not worth saving. I am sure anyone in my place would have acted the same given they knew the truth." Yes, Zhuge Liang was very certain of that. But all those matters were best talked about tomorrow, he believed it had been enough strain put onto Jiang Wei for today.
"Dear generals, I'll leave the rest to you. Take care of the boy, and have a good night." The Shu tactician thus wished and with a nod towards his two fellow officers, disappeared in the shadows of the palace arcs.
"Very well. Come, this way." Zhao Yun stepped forward to lead them through the hallways to a room door.
He pushed it open and Jiang Wei stepped inside, followed by the second Tiger General who nudged the door shut and plunged the entire space into complete darkness. "Be careful. There's a table standing here somewhere." He heard him speak a warning while Zhao Yun rummaged for the oil lamp.
"Somewhere?" Jiang Wei reiterated and stopped in caution.
"Yeah. The palace is currently being renovated after a fire, and we're a little short on living space. Normally everyone of us has a room of their own, but right now we had to move together for a while... ouch! Dammit!" There was a thumping noise followed by some more cursing.
"Now who's got to watch out?" Zhao Yun questioned with a laugh, still searching for the oil lamp.
"It would be better if you'd find that fucking lamp already instead of making smart remarks!" Was the snappy answer, the horseman's ferocious temper shining through.
"Hey, I too just moved in here so don't expect me to be well versed about the location of different items. Especially with your tendency to never place them back to where you took them from."
To that, Ma Chao only grumbled something indistinct while a smile slowly crept up the boy's lips as he listened to the small bicker between the two generals. They must be good friends... He stepped back to the entrance and fumbled for the handle in order to push the heavy oak door open again, allowing moonlight to fill the room.
"There, I think that should help." He said, eyeing the two men, or rather their silhouettes, in front of him.
"Good idea. No wonder you're a to-be-strategist." Ma Chao chuckled while Zhao Yun finally gripped the oil lamp and soon a soft light flickered up to fill the room with a warm yellow.
In there, approximately in the room's middle, he saw the culprit of the previous commotion - the table that Ma Chao was standing near. The room itself was divided in some kind of two areas by a dark-red curtain which hung to Jiang Wei's left across the big chamber. Several cupboards stood on the posterior wall and the wall to his right. There truly was not much space, but enough for two chairs that stood at the table opposite each other. Jiang Wei's gaze wandered to the crimson curtain that partitioned the living space in two.
"Behind it is the bedroom, if you can call it that." The horseman of Xi Liang casually waved his hand at the mentioned curtain. "The bed is rather huge and your stature considered, I think there will be no problem for the three of us to fit in. If you don't mind, of course." Otherwise they would have to go looking for a room where the young one could have a spare bed of his own, or the two of them would have to camp out in the palace courtyard.
A failed assassination attempt committed barely a couple of day ago had been the cause of the dilemma, the assassin hadn't been able to take the life he had come here for, but for that he had been successful in arson. Most of the palace's outer scaffold had been restored by now, unfortunately it still required time until everything inside would be rebuild again and all of it was still a bit chaotic. Consequently all the generals, advisors, officials and servants who occupied the place had to form involuntary living communities for the time being, which wasn't a bother for many, especially not for the war-tested.
Being close friends as it was, the two Tiger Generals had had no problem sharing a room, or a sleeping spot for that matter, it wasn't much different whenever they were out on campaign and shared a tent that would always still be rather spacious compared to those the infantry soldiers used, sometimes piling up to fifteen men into one tent. If the boy were to be entirely uncomfortable with the arrangement, Zhuge Liang would surely find a way to provide him a single abode the soonest, but for tonight this would have to make due.
Jiang Wei started to feel uneasy at the prospect of sharing a bed but ultimately thought that it would likely never be as horrible as 'sharing' same bed with Dian Wei or Xu Huang. He shuddered at the memories and quickly chased them away. No, it didn't appear that the two Shu officers had even the smallest hint of the same intentions.
"No, it okay... I guess." He thus replied, trying to keep his voice as steady as possible.
He noticed the concern reflecting in the jade-hued eyes of the older general and added: "It's all right, really." He felt in no position to be asking anything as it was, last thing he wanted was to cause any additional trouble. Just being allowed to stay was already enough, stay here, in safety, and for that, he would sleep wherever you'd place him in, even on the ground or outside because it would likely still be a better rest than he'd ever gotten back in Wei.
"Good. Don't know about you but I'm tired like a horse after a day of running." Ma Chao stretched and pulled the curtain aside. It appeared that there were actually two curtains that met in the middle, so you could push them asunder if you wanted to enter the provisional bedroom.
"Do you want a drink, Jiang Wei?" Zhao Yun turned to the boy again, watching him nod.
"Please, take a seat." He offered, and turned to the cupboards.
Jiang Wei nodded once more, carefully sitting down onto one of the chairs, back facing the 'bedroom' and flinched slightly as he heard another thumping noise.
"Ah, curses! Is there no better place for a bedside locker?"
He smiled again, hearing a chuckle from Zhao Yun. "Need a light?" The Dragon queried, turning a second oil lamp on and stepping to the curtains.
"That would be nice." A disgruntled reply echoed and Zhao Yun entered the bedroom. The light of the lamp now shone weakly from behind the thick fabric and a slight red hue spread in the half-room Jiang Wei was left in.
"I think he had enough of relocations for today." Zhao Yun re-entered, smiling warmly at the boy, a hint of amusement on the handsome features. He received a shy smile in response. Even if faintly, at least Jiang Wei was smiling, and he thought that to be a good sign. Least he wanted was to make the young one more uncomfortable than he probably already was.
"Here." A cup of water was soon placed in front of Jiang Wei and the taller warrior took a seat opposite him. Taking several small swallows, the former Wei member looked at the surface of the water in the cup. It mirrored the light slightly and reminded him of tears. Like those he'd cried so many times, when finally alone, every single night. Tears of pain and hatred. What would it be like now? Would it possibly be his first night without any tears at all?
"If I may ask, how old are you, Jiang Wei?" a quiet voice interrupted his trail of thoughts.
Zhao Yun had been watching the boy closely and noticed the sudden sadness that had descended upon his finely shaped features. He seemed to drift off into his world of sorrow and suffering again, so the older male had hurried to tug him back out.
"Me? I'm seventeen." Jiang Wei answered, lifting his gaze and looking a bit distracted and weary.
The older general almost frowned, even if the expression itself stayed missing from his handsome features. Seventeen... Just as assumed, and just like his outer appearance suggested. Still so young. A mere teen... And already having had to undergo so much. Still he struck the eye as a much more mature individual, which probably wasn't a surprise. His days in Wei must have made him age too quickly to be fair. "I believe we should head to bed as well. Don't you think?" Zhao Yun got up, not without smiling softly at the other.
Jiang Wei's eyes had followed his movements, and found themselves mesmerized by pale-emerald depths. They were a rarity in themselves, such a glorious colour uncommon amidst people of their origin, yet they became all the more magnificent when they shone with warmth and sympathy which was also something he wasn't used to seeing in other people's eyes. In the past three years, no one had really been nice to him. No one had ever given him a warm smile. The smirks and leers and grins he always received where cruel and devouring. He was rather overwhelmed by the geniality and care these people showed towards him, feeling as though it all was a dream of sorts. It had to be... Albeit he strongly hoped he would not wake up from it just to find himself amidst his daily nightmare again.
Suddenly a violent fear gripped his mind. What if this really was a dream? What if it wasn't real? Maybe he was just hallucinating after having received the next beating. Maybe he'd been drugged, and was just envisioning this and that, and would soon wake up to discover his body tied to someone's bed again, with cuts and bruises all over? What if it all would just disappear? Right now?
His breathing quickened and his vision nearly lost focus on concrete shapes and contours. He didn't want to go back. Not again into his nightmare. Not again into suffering and nights full of pain and crying. Not again. Please, not again.
"Jiang Wei? Is everything all right?" Zhao Yun stepped closer to him quickly, taking the boy's chin in order to lift his head up a bit and cast an observing look into sad, now scared fawn eyes.
"I'm afraid that I will wake up." Jiang Wei whispered desperately, shivering at the touch.
"Wake up?" The Tiger General repeated, not really understanding what the other was talking about. He was very much concerned about his current state and wanted to help him out of it somehow, but to reassure him in any way he had to know what exactly the youth was so violently scared of.
"I'm afraid it's just a dream. That I will wake up again... back there..." Another whisper, the tuneful voice almost cracking under the pressure of the fear that very thought instilled into Jiang Wei.
Finally, Zhao Yun seemed to comprehend. Another smile, and he moved his hand away from the sculptured chin to calmingly sift his fingers through chestnut hair. The reason for Jiang Wei's distress aside, the innocence that was shining through was rather lovely. How did it even manage to survive under the cruelty he had experienced...?
"No, it's not a dream. Don't worry, it's all perfectly real. No one is going to hurt you again." He ascertained, glad to see that disquietude subside.
"Have no fear. Come, you are exhausted and should get some rest." He didn't doubt that a fair part of the boy's agitation and affliction stemmed from overfatigue. Once the other stood and made his way to the sleeping area, Zhao Yun extinguished the oil lamp on the table prior to following Jiang Wei who was visibly reassured by the older man's words. Of course he still could not be completely certain whether it was a dream but if it was one... he was glad to have it.
"Hey. Took you long enough to get here." Ma Chao was already in bed which was indeed rather huge. The second half of the room was a bit smaller than the 'kitchen' and only had said bed, a closet and two bedside tables. It also had a window right opposite the bed but there was no light coming through, probably because of the clouds that had returned to shield the moonlight.
"Here, you can put this on." Jiang Wei's thoughts snapped back from his observations to the here and now, and he looked at a black shirt Zhao Yun held out to him. It was then he realized that he actually had nothing to wear, at all. Spare for the attire he had on his body; which was dusty and therefore likely not very suited to go to bed in. He nodded gratefully and took the article of clothing from the Tiger General.
He avoided lifting his face while Zhao Yun changed clothes until a pair of linen pants and a white shirt remained the only thing to clad his stately body. It wasn't like he hadn't seen men without any, or with any possible kind, of garment on. It wasn't like he himself hadn't been stark naked in front of many eyes, either. Exactly that, was the reason there was so much shame in a task as simple as undressing in front of somebody, even of the same gender, or watch them undress in immediate vicinity.
"I hope you don't mind sleeping in the middle?" Zhao Yun asked while putting the pile of neatly folded clothes atop the small table at the unoccupied side of the bed. It was then that Jiang Wei realized he still clutched the shirt he had been given, keeping his sight drilled towards the ground as he turned away from facing the bed and, spare for the underwear, quickly ridding himself of the layers of material cloaking him.
"By Suzaku..." Ma Chao's words were barely mouthed and thus not audible for the boy. Zhao Yun however, turned to his friend, surprised what might have happened and then followed the appalled gaze to have his own stopping on Jiang Wei's back.
He blinked several times at the image he was seeing. The young boy's back was covered with scars, longer and shorter ones, deep ones and not so much, some uneven, some perfectly straight, others completely distorted. A part was likely stemming from brute whipping, others from cutting weapons of sorts, daggers maybe, a bunch looked ragged and especially nasty as though carved in with fire or acid. Spots of skin were bruised badly, the fresh bruises still faint and bluish, the older ones a more vicious green and yellow melting into a strong purple. Some of the cuts seemed to have been inflicted rather recently, too. Some of them seemed to be much older; they were deep scars imprinted on the pale skin as if the wounds had been refreshed over and over again. Goddammit... They should let a doctor check him in the morning, make sure nothing was broken or too badly damaged. He had not noticed the boy acting as though he was in pain, and he didn't want to imagine that maybe, the youth might simply be too good in either hiding or ignoring it.
Feeling intense gazes on his back Jiang Wei quickly pulled the shirt over his head to let the fabric conceal the horrific picture, turning around. He witnessed the slightly shaken expressions and lowered his head, his pearly teeth biting upon his bottom lip. He was ashamed because he knew how bad his back looked. Not just his back, his whole body was covered in all possible kinds of unsightly scars and blemishes. Only his face had been spared of any marks, most of them born from the outrages of his captors. He swallowed thickly and walked towards the bed, hesitantly handing the small bundle of his clothes to Zhao Yun so the man could place them away to wherever he was pleased. He didn't want to speak about any of it just yet, thankful that neither Tiger General was asking questions.
He really was drained and worn out, so he slipped under the large blanket with some sort of relief, his body welcoming the opportunity to finally lie down for a little and that without the need of maintaining constant alert tension. Zhao Yun blew out the oil lamp, plunging the room into comforting darkness. Darkness had always been comforting for Jiang Wei. In darkness, you couldn't see, and you couldn't be seen. Darkness hid you. To what little extent it could, it protected you.
The bed rocked mildly when another weight eased down onto it, and although they weren't touching, Jiang Wei felt the presence and the very faint warmth of another body either side of him. It was a really, really strange feeling that they just... laid there. No groping, no hideous contact, not even the slightest brushing of skin. No ghosting of breath, no matter if stained with alcohol or not, creeping along his neck. No nefarious words whispered into his ear. Even as minutes passed, with him frozen there in the middle, barely daring to breathe, anxious and awaiting for some evil to befall him, nothing at all happened.
He felt strangely safe, close to how he wanted to feel so many times before when lying in silence and in darkness. He felt shielded, and... protected, because he knew the two men next to him meant no harm. He almost felt like simply curling up against one of them - of course he never would have dared to do something like that, therefore he just enjoyed the safety he was perceiving with his sense and senses. Throughout the time span of a whole three years, he was averse to bodily contact, yet this time around... he actually wouldn't mind. Ultimately, like any human being on this earth, he longed for safeguarding warmth and a gentle embrace to hold and carry him through his weakest moments. But the kind of contact he'd been receiving back in Wei was demanding, hurtful and completely against his will. It had tainted his perception of this world, had made him fear and condemn another person's touch.
Now things were changing. Much too quickly for him to fully understand the meaning but the important core of it was that he was here, in bed with two men who had no ulterior motives or crude intentions, on the contrary, who were there to offer a sliver of comfort and safety. It was the first night in three years where he didn't feel like crying his very soul out. He sighed, softly but contently, finally feeling restful and relaxing.
Slowly, slowly, his eyes fluttered shut and his consciousness began to drift. Away, away, into something warm, something fuzzy and unfamiliarly familiar, until- The clangour of a rough slap.
"Wake up, you little slut! I'm not finished with you yet!" A sneer cut further through the silence and Jiang Wei's eyes snapped open again, widening in shock as he found himself on the ground with a tall figure towering above him.
"Awake, honey? Time to continue the fun, then."
That voice... His vision cleared and he saw non other than Cao Pi standing before him. Next to him his beautiful wife, but there was nothing beautiful to the object she held in her hand. It wasn't her customary flute that could play such lovely tunes, but a solid bullwhip which triggered an entirely different array of sounds when it was being used.
His heart shrunk painfully as stark panic rapidly seared through every inch and every nerve of his body and mind. He started shaking violently, realizing that it really had been just a dream. He should have known. There was no rescue and salvation for him. Never had been. His fears had been confirmed, now he was back where he never wanted to be.
"Oh, darling, look - he can't await it. He's already shaking with excitement!" Zhen Ji's venomously sweet voice floated through the air, and he felt the whip coming down onto his body to leave a burning gash of pain across it. He flinched cruelly, and closed his eyes, willing to die right there on the ground.
"Have I allowed you to close your eyes, slut?" Cao Pi gripped his collar and jerked him up onto his feet. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!" The young Wei successor to-be commanded, reinforcing his order with several good smacks.
Still, the boy refused to open his eyes. Simply out of defiance, he refused. He knew he could do little to defend himself and he was not allowed to disobey. But still, he just couldn't open up his eyes. He couldn't bear to be back again, back in this horrible, horrible nightmare again. He just wanted to cry and run away, hide somewhere where no one, no one would ever, ever find him. And yet here he was, desperate and scared to death. Why did he have to have that dream of being free? Was fate that malicious, showing him how his life could have been? Safe and protected, cared for, and wanted and accepted? Treated like a human being, like an equal... Showing him all that... Just to place him back again where he would never experience any of it? His whole body was wrecked by violent shivers, his mind overtaken by despondency and fear.
"Zhen, my love, I think someone wants some punishment!"
He felt himself being thrown onto the bed and the whip swished down onto him once more. Again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again and again and again. He was cringing harshly each time it lashed across his quivering figure, but still he refused to cry. He would not do them that favour. Would not give them the pleasure of seeing him cry like a helpless child which was exactly what he felt he was right know.
"Would you open your eyes and look at me, you dirty whore? Hey!" Cao Pi's voice was rabid, his temper rising quickly.
"Teach him some manners, darling!" His charming spouse, seemingly very amused by the display of desperate resistance. He knew they both must be a little –or a lot- drunk, like always when Zhen Ji didn't mind her husband toying with the teen. Somewhere she must have hated the boy for that, still. And probably, it only gave her all the more reason not to hold back in her sadistic treatment of him.
"Stubborn tonight, are we?"
His body almost shattered with the violent shudder that rattled through him as a weight descended down, Cao Pi's taller figure atop him, pushing his frail frame deep into the soft mattress. He felt alien lips press against his own, and his stomach twist as a tongue brusquely forced its way into his mouth. The bitter taste of wine almost caused him to retch, and the hands roaming all over him made the shivers grow worse.
"You dare to disobey me? Don't want to open up your pretty eyes for me, do you? Alright, little slut." His clothes being ripped from his body, his lips were free again to allow him a breath. He gasped it in, and tried to push the other off him – without any success.
"You so desperately want me to tear you open, don't you, slut? Don't you?" The inebriated voice in his ear, while the figure hovering above him shifted, ready to penetrate him violently. No preparation, only a lust to draw blood.
"No..." He managed to whisper as his mind abandoned every rational thought. He was terrified, it had always been a torture, but now, after the bitter realization that he was back in his hell, he was broken. He didn't even have that little bit of spirit strength that would stop him from pleading with them. He had sworn he'd never plead with them again. Because it was no use, no use at all, it only gave those who repeatedly began this ordeal another twist of pleasure.
Yet all hope within was gone, no power to resist at all, leaving only vast misery and despair remain. Nothing but pain and panic. He felt his walls crumble as tears sprung from under his closed eyes.
"Crying, are we? That's right. Cry for me, slut. I want you to cry when I rip you apart, you hear me?" That horrible, horrible sensation of hard flesh pressing at his entrance.
"No... d-don't..." His voice finally cracked as sobs broke loose from his chest.
This wasn't fair... He didn't want this. He wanted to be far, far away from here. He wanted to be back in Cheng Du, in a small provisional bedroom, on a large bed between two people who meant no harm. And yet, he was here. He was here. With his last will to resist in shambles, and his last spark of hope taken away, there was nothing more left. Nothing more left. Like always... Always...
"I can't hear you, slut. C'mon, cry it out for me. Look at me, damn you! Open your eyes!"
"No... N-no, d-don't... ple-ease..." He was weeping now, pitifully and pathetically, exactly like he'd been weeping when they did this to him for the very first time. No more... Gods, please, no more...
He had been fourteen as they first did this to him. And he had been screaming and pleading and crying and writhing as they did so. But not a cry, not a plea and not a whimper had been listened to. After that he'd sworn, sworn he would never cry again in front of any of them another time. He would never, ever do them that favour. And yet here he was again - broken and crying.
"Open your eyes, you dirty whore! Hey!"
"Open your eyes! Jiang Wei! Wake up!"
Wake up...? What did that mean? Wake up? He was awake already, was he not?
"Jiang Wei! Boy, wake up!"
His eyes snapped open, yet again, and he had to blink several times due to the tears that were pouring amply out of them. He saw dim yellow light, and faces... Ma Chao and Zhao Yun, who were sitting up in the bed, the second one hovering over him and shaking him by the shoulders, gently but demandingly.
The Dragon had stirred to awareness when he'd heard someone weeping. He needed no more than a few seconds to wake up, just to realize that somebody was crying. It wasn't anything completely unusual to experience, during campaigns you could often hear young soldiers cry at night in camp, just freshly recruited, some much too young to even handle a weapon, trying not to lose their mind after their first day of brutal battle and bloody slaughter. If they were lucky, they had friends or more veteran comrades to comfort them. If not, they suffered on their own, sometimes for weeks and months on end because it simply wasn't possible to tend to every single one of them, and between mental and physical issues, bodily injuries always had priority in treatment. A soldier with a broken soul could still fight, maybe even better than if he were healthy, the one with a broken leg could not. But this night was supposed to be peaceful. Unless...
A quick look to his side had confirmed his fears - Jiang Wei was shivering madly, tossing about shedding tears, whispering desperate pleas. It didn't take him long to understand that the boy must be having a really bad nightmare. It shouldn't have surprised him as much as it'd done; what had he expected? That just by telling him that he was safe now, you could erase all that which had been, mentally and physically, carved into him by years of mistreatment and abuse?
Thusly, he'd switched on the lamp and then tried to wake the young one up. That'd been about the time Ma Chao was pulled from sleep as well, needing a few moments to fully comprehend the situation.
Now Jiang Wei was thankfully wide awake, too, staring up at the two of them with panic-stricken eyes, unwitting tears pearling down his cheeks. His body was shaking uncontrollably, lithe fingers clutching the sheets in a dead grip.
"Jiang Wei, calm down. It was just a nightmare." Zhao Yun finally raised his voice again when those eyes seemed to have recognized him, speaking up as calmly as he could.
Abruptly, the boy gave off a broken whimper and shot upright on the bed, locking his arms tightly around Zhao Yun's neck and burying his face in the curve of it. This had to be reality... he'd lose his mind if it was not.
The Tiger General was slightly taken aback at the sudden action, nearly toppling off the edge of the bed with the momentum of the other's motion. Listening to the first muffled sobs tearing out of the boy's chest, he muted a sigh within the firmness of his own ribcage and thoughtfully wrapped his arms around the young, shaken up existence, smoothing a hand over his hair and down his trembling back.
"Easy now, Jiang Wei. It's okay... It was just a nightmare. You're safe here. No one's going to hurt you." Whispering those soothing sentences into the distressed creature's ear, trying to calm him down and take away the fear, he hoped he was saying the right words and doing the right thing. Last thing he wanted was for the already freaked presence to freak out even more.
He gave Ma Chao some sort of reassuring look that he could handle the situation, the younger general eyeing the bundle of human around his neck with a somewhat concerned-forlorn expression before dragging a hand through the own hair. He hadn't seen anybody being this... distraught, if not frantic, in a long time. He had seen people, dying people, crippled people, but this was something else. Injured could be helped with treatment, the dying - with a deathblow. But this... How could this be helped? Slowly sinking back into the covers, Ma Chao assumed there was little for him to do but to leave it up to his brother-in-arms to manage this. Zhao Yun was better with that kind of thing anyhow. He resembled their Lord in that aspect, able to soothe a person's heart and mind; he had those soft skills that Ma Teng's son if not lacked, then never really showed or applied to anyone aside maybe his horse.
Jiang Wei on his part, clung to Zhao Yun as if for the dear life. The strong yet soft embrace of the older man was comforting, an invisible ointment to his mental wounds that had sprung open after the gruesome nightmare. The entirety of the past three years' horror and agony that had crushed down onto his tattered soul threatened to break it into thousands of pieces again, remnants of terror clinging to his consciousness like droplets of acid. He so desperately wanted this to be real, that the mere image of it being not, threatened to reduce him to rubble. For how long he had wished his personal hell to be over, it was near impossible to believe that this time it really... really was.
But the warmth of the strong body and the gently whispered words of reassurance didn't miss their aim. No one was going to hurt him. He was safe here. It'd been just a nightmare. Just a nightmare... No. A day before this nightmare had been more than authentic enough... but now... no more. He was safe. Safe. Safe. Repeating it, he also tried realizing it. Safe. Finally. Safe. And then, somewhere in there, the quiet tears of pain somehow mixed up with tears of immense relief before slowly running dry. Over. It was over.
With Jiang Wei's distress quieting down, Zhao Yun turned to put the fire of the lamp out again, and then slowly allowed himself to sink back into the sheets, too, gingerly pulling the slender form clinging to his own, down with him. The boy immediately curled up against him as soon as his head touched the pillow. He still subconsciously winced and shivered in the Tiger General's arms - his body's last efforts to drive out the rest of that bone-chilling fear.
"Hush now, boy. You're safe here. Come on, try to rest a bit." A quiet urging coming from behind in accordance with a light, soothing brush of hand along his shoulder and arm, and although his initial reaction was a mild flinch, he was equally grateful for the additional support. He closed his eyes, body and soul back in balance now, Ma Chao's head sinking back into the pillows again after he'd uttered those placid words.
Feeling safe and protected in his haven formed by two strong entities nearby, Jiang Wei sighed in both relief and... contentment born out of the touch of... peace coming over him. He felt cosy and comfortable, and unwittingly snuggled deeper into his hide-away between two sources of steadfast, dependable warmth. Safety was a feeling so very long wished-for and precious that in this one moment, it didn't really matter who or what was gifting it to him, he just absorbed it, willingly and gratefully. Soon after that all three of them finally drifted off into a sound, much needed slumber, allowing body and mind to rest.
See, I told you these things will be getting longer *laughs* I hope you have enjoyed the read, and remember - Reviews are love and make the muses work faster! X3
On another side note: please also don't hesitate to voice out your suggestions on what could be included into the plot, this and that which you would like to read about in connection to the story setting. The storyline is not as fixed as that I'm not open to new ideas and should I take to them, I'm always up to weave them into the story itself. It's just my offer for you to actively help shape this fiction should you feel the push for it. I'm sure that can make both writing and reading another titbit more fun =3
*cookies for everyone*
Kate