Hey guys! I would like to say this OneShot's gonna have a twist to it! Now I don't own anything but only the plot and OC's! Read on fellow viewers!

Scars
It felt good to Lan Fan, relieving to feel the blade slicing her skin. The blood that swelled out of the wound felt like all the pressure was being relieved with it. That wasn't what she wanted, she didn't want to be the Empress without Ling at her side. No, she was his brother, Daigoro, the second oldest son's wife. Her heart was shattered, her flesh scarred, her eyes dull. She held up the kunai to take another slice but froze just before it touched her skin as she heard footsteps coming closer.

"Mummy!" a small feminine voice called from down the hall to Lan Fan.

Quickly bandaging her scars she pulled her sleeve over it and walked out of the room, smiling kindly at the black haired child that was her own. "Yes, Aki? What do you need, my dear?"

Aki pouted and pointed down the empty hall. "Chiyo's being mean again!"

Lan Fan sighed. "You twins are nothing but trouble. What did she do now, Aki?"

"She said something mean." Aki said bluntly.

"I'll go find her." Lan Fan rolled her eyes and wandered down the halls, looking for her other child.

"Mom!" a young black haired boy that looked like a young version of Ling's brother with short black hair and big round black eyes. "Chiyo's in the big room!"

"Thank you, Hiroshi." Lan Fan bowed slightly before continuing down the hall at a jog.

Her legs went faster as she heard a scream from the conference room. Hurrying into the room Lan Fan saw Chiyo pulling on her dress that was stuck under a fallen down bench and she chuckled in amusement. Chiyo looked up and her eyes were worried as she tugged harder on the end of the dress while Lan Fan wandered closer to her child. The both of them held their breath as Lan Fan kneeled down to pick up the bench and free Chiyo's dress.

"Chiyo, come here." Lan Fan murmured softly and Chiyo obeyed silently. "What did you say to Aki that was mean?"

Chiyo averted her gaze by looking at her dress. "Nothing."

Lan Fan raised her eyebrow. "Chiyo?"

Raising her eyes Chiyo frowned. "I told her we were an experiment gone wrong."

"Oh boy." Lan Fan muttered to herself, holding back laughter.

"But it's true, isn't it, Mamma?" Chiyo challenged.

Lan Fan laughed. "No, Chiyo, my eternal child, it's not true."

The trip back to the royal gardens was silent as Lan Fan held Chiyo's hand and they brushed against one another every once in a while. Mother and daughter met the other siblings in a comfortingly quiet rose garden. The children played tag while Lan Fan waited to meet with an old friend, the one she sliced her flesh for.

Ling Yao.

He entered the garden and walked over to her, opening his arms for a hug. She ran to him and practically jumped into his arms.

"Oh Young Master, I've missed you so much!" Lan Fan gasped.

"You haven't changed a bit! I missed you too!" Ling replied. "So, how is it being Empress of Xing?"

Lan Fan slid her small hand over her arm where the bandages covered her scars. Ling noticed the movement and grabbed her arm, moved her sleeve and looked at the blood soaked bandages in shock. He looked at her and raised his eyebrows, waiting for an explanation, but she just shrugged and smiled sheepishly.

"Mamma, who is this man and what is he doing in the royal garden?" Hiroshi asked coldly, glaring at Ling.

"Hiroshi, this is Ling, your uncle. He's Daddy's brother. Now go play with Chiyo, Aki, Kinuko, Koji and Saburo." Lan Fan answered, looking at her son kindly.

"Do I have to play with Aki, Chiyo and Kinuko? The only things they want to do is talk about boys!" Hiroshi scowled.

Lan Fan chuckled. "Fine, don't play with your sisters. Go play with your brothers."

Once Hiroshi left to play with his brothers Lan Fan turned back to Ling to find him looking at her seriously, a slight frown on his face. He still held her arm gently in his hands.

"No." Lan Fan muttered finally, tears brimming her eyes. "I don't like it. He treats me like nothing more than a toy of his. His other wives are treated with more respect than me."

"Why, Lan Fan? Why did you do this to yourself?" Ling growled, holding up her arm.

Lan Fan looked away and looked at her children, letting the tears fall. "To show how much I love you."

Ling gasped. "You did this... for me?"

Aki and Chiyo glared at each other and leaped. Lan Fan ran over to them, wiping the tears away, and grabbed their arms, pulling them away from the flailing arms of the other. "What's going on here?" she demanded.

Kinuko shrugged. "They both think that young bodyguard that protects them, Isamu, is cute and now they started fighting over who gets him."

"You're fighting... over a boy?" Lan Fan groaned. "Girls, I'm sure you'll get over him before you can gather the courage to tell him you like him."

Unlike in her case, she never got over the fact that she was in love with Ling, but was married to his brother. She didn't know if he would understand, if he would still love her. She hated arranged marriages with all her heart and soul and promised never to do that to her children like her family did to her.

"Lan Fan, can I talk to you for a moment?" Ling asked softly, holding out his hand for her to take.

Lan Fan took it and they walked about fifteen feet away from the children before he stopped abruptly, but didn't turn to look at her.

"Why would you do that for me, Lan Fan?" Ling demanded.

"I..." Lan Fan stammered.

"Lan Fan, if you loved me then why did you marry my brother?" Ling snapped.

Lan Fan gasped and grabbed his shoulder roughly, but her voice was pleading. "Ling, it's not what you think! It was an arranged marriage! If I had a choice I wouldn't have even thought about marrying him! I love you, Ling! I love you and I want you! Please, try to understand!"

Ling turned to face her, his trademark grin on his face. "I knew you too well to believe you would marry him. And I do understand, Lan Fan. Don't worry, we'll find a way."

She shook her head. "Can we? Really?"

At that moment a tall, well built man with short black hair turned the corner of the garden and spotted the two adults and six children. "Lan Fan, what's going on here? Why is my brother here?"

"Daigoro, forgive me, I invited him. I needed to see him again." Lan Fan bowed her head.

"What have I told you about bringing comoners into the royal gardens?" Daigoro snapped, raising his hand threateningly.

"Daigoro!" Ling yelled angrily. "If you touch her I swear you will regret it!"

Daigoro glared at Ling before slapping Lan Fan's cheek with such force that she fell to the ground. The children gasped, running to their mother and clinging to her as if she was the last person on the planet. Saburo, the oldest son glared at their father with such hate Lan Fan could feel the hatred flowing off the children in waves. Slowly she got up and smiled at her children comfortingly.

"Daddy, how could you hit Mumma?" Kinuko challenged.

Chiyo snorted, looking at Aki. "Because he doesn't love her. He's just using her!"

Aki, Hiroshi and Koji nodded in agreement and looked at Ling as if he were their real father, pleadingly. Ling stepped in front of Lan Fan protecting, glaring at Daigoro, and picked up the youngest child, Kinuko so he wouldn't attack his brother.

"Daigoro, I'm sorry but I can't take it anymore. I'm leaving and the children can choose if they want to stay with you or come with me." Lan Fan growled.

"I wanna go with Mamma!" Chiyo declared.

"Mummy!" Aki agreed.

"Mom!" Hiroshi, Koji and Kinuko chorused.

Saburo sighed. "Sorry, Daddy dearest, but we're going with Mother!"

Daigoro squinted. "Where will you go?"

Ling smiled at Lan Fan. "They'll stay with me."

With one last glare at his brother Daigoro stormed off and the children ran around the garden playing tag. Lan Fan looked at Ling and he grinned, pulling her into a hug and pressing his lips to hers. One last time they looked at her bandaged arm before leading them into the palace to get their things. The children were eager to go and practically shoved all of their belongings into some bags and ran out of the palace.

"Thank you, Young Master." Lan Fan bowed slightly to show her gratitude.

"It's Ling, Lan Fan." Ling whispered. "Now come on, lets go home."

The words made her smirk as she followed Ling down the road to their new home. Once they were settled Lan Fan did something she hadn't done in a long time, she put on her armour. She taught her children self defence and balance so they could take care of their selves.

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!
Inspiration: Last Resort by Papa Roach
Now, if you want me to do a OneShot with your ideas just say so! I will do it and you will get the credit! Now, please review and I'll give you a foot long cake!