Ch 1
Lan QiRen stood, barely breathing, his hands clasped in the small of his back trying to keep his emotions under control by firmly gritting his teeth. Lan XiChen paced behind him, backwards and forwards, he didn't know if XiChen was getting dizzy, but it was certainly sending him dizzy watching him. Lan QiRen wanted to tell his oldest nephew to stand still and start acting like the dignified Sect leader he was supposed to be, instead of a sulking child, but for once the worlds wouldn't come. XiChen had a valid reason for being on edge at the moment, the same reason he was having problems keeping his own temper in check. At the other end of the room sat one of Gusu's best healers, leaning over his youngest nephew who had been unconscious for nearly a week.
Lan Zhan was the apple of both his uncle and brothers' eyes. After their parents had died both elder members of the family had become surrogate parents to him, neither of them liked seeing him like this. Lan Zhan had been injured badly trying to protect both the junior members of the Sect and that shameless rogue, Wei WuXian, at Nevernight city. Lan QiRen partly blamed himself for underestimating the Wen and not joining the battle himself. He should have known better, especially concerning the capabilities of Wen RoHan, but he had thought his nephews and all the other clans would be able to manage things sufficiently. It seemed they had been doing until Wei WuXian had tried to play hero with his demonic cultivation technique and forced Wanji off his stride.
Eventually it had been Wanji trying to protect Wei WuXian while Wen RoHan held him captive that had led to Wanji's misstep and to Wen RoHan stabbing him through the side before tossing him off the roof of the building like a toy. Fortunately, XiChen had been close enough to catch his brother and speed him home where he could be healed before it was all too late. But his youngest nephew was still gravely ill, and all Lan QiRen could think of was that it was the fault of Wei WuXian. If only Wanji had never met that horrible boy! If only they had never thought, it would be good for the taciturn child to make friends! If only…...If only…...he could think of hundreds of 'If only's' that he could have changed that would not have bought them all to this point.
The healers' hands stilled once again as he rose from the bed, a little stiffly but then what did you expect from a man of his age who had been sat there three hours. Bowing low at the Elder and Sect leader, the healer rose before speaking.
'Second Young Master Lan is recovering well. His wound is healing although when he wakes, he shouldn't move around much for at least a few weeks. What is concerning me is why he is currently still unconscious. From past experiences of wounds like this he should have woken up already.'
Lan QiRen was about to speak but his nephew beat him to it, the worry clear in his voice.
'If he should have woken up already, why hasn't he?'
Lan QiRen wanted to glare at his oldest nephew for losing his poise once again, but to be honest it was a valid question, and he couldn't really blame him for being worried about his brother. The healer coughed slightly, obviously trying to think of an answer before he spoke again.
'In my experience there are two reasons why Second Young Master Lan may have not woken up yet. One is that he gained a head wound of some kind which we have been unable to find and will take time to wake up. The Second is that for some reason he simply does not want to wake. This can happen in people who have physical wounds but mental or emotional overloads of some kind, the body heals but the person remains resolutely asleep. It doesn't matter which type of problem it is, but he will wake on his own given time.'
Lan QiRen nodded before waving his hand as a signal for the healer to leave. Both men remained silent until the healer had both left the room and shut the door, only then did Lan XiChen turn to his uncle with a wide-eyed look on his normally smiling face.
'He doesn't want to wake up!' XiChen exclaimed in barely more than a whisper.
Lan QiRen looked down at his youngest nephew, the new white bandage covering his upper torso and his breathing steady but shallow. He swallowed back a growl, anger had no place in a room of healing, and spoke just as quietly himself.
't's that Wei WuXian…..he doesn't want to wake up because of what he saw that boy do while fighting the Wen. I'm not a fool XiChen, I know his feelings for that boy even if he doesn't.'
Both men remained silent for a while before Lan XiChen broke the heavy silence.
'Shall I go find Wei WuXian…. maybe it will he…..'
XiChen hadn't even finished the word 'help' before Lan QiRen had spun round and advanced on him almost shouting mid-stride.
'NO!…..I WONT LET THAT BOY ANYWHERE NEAR HIM AGAIN!'
Lan XiChen glanced over at Lan Zhan's still sleeping body before looking back at his uncle, who having finally shouted was now breathing properly. Making a huge sigh QiRen put a hand on his eldest nephew's shoulder and motioned for them to speak outside. Not wanting any more of his uncle's explosions to disturb his brother XiChen nodded in agreement and they both walked out, shutting the door and leaving Lan Zhan alone.
The days passed with no change in Lan Zhan's condition. He reminded unconscious and unresponsive to anything that went on around him. Where at first Lan QiRen and Lan XiChen had both been really worried about this lack of response, the healer's assurance that he would wake up in his own time meant that they both were no longer standing vidal over Lan Zhan's bed. Lan QiRen would remain the JingShi during the day while XiChen ran the Sect and then the two would swap over, XiChen sleeping on a mat by the side of his younger brother's bed just in case he awoke in the night.
It was during one of these nights when XIChen was awoken by noises coming from his brother's bed and hoping he had finally awoken sat up to look around. Lan Zhan was still as unresponsive to him as before but seemed to be having some sort of dream. His hands gripped the bed covers and his mouth moved as he tried to get words out. XiChen didn't know if the inability of his brother to actually speak was something to worry about but made a mental note to ask about it in the morning. The next day when the healer made his daily rounds XiChen mentioned the strange occurrence the night before. Rather than looking worried the healer actually smiled and proclaimed Lan Zhan was showing signs of waking up. As for his inability to speak properly, that was simply a mixture of a dry throat and not speaking for a few weeks. Again, this professional reassurance was what both men needed to relax and go about their duties as before.
Another few days passed without change. Although Lan Zhan's physical injuries where well on their way to healing he still wasn't waking up. That day when the healer made his visit both Lan QiRen and Lan XiChen where present. The healer had only just walked through the door when Lan QiRen spoke in a voice almost loud enough to shake the foundations of the structure.
'You said he would wake up on his own. Well, why has he not woken up yet!'
To his credit the healer did not back up from this verbal onslaught given by a man who would scare even most Sect Leaders, but rather kept his voice steady and low.
'Master Lan please keep your voice down in a room of healing. As I explained before, Second Young Master Lan will wake in his own time. I have no control over when that will be.
Lan QiRen harrumphed, obviously not impressed with the non-committal answer. XiChen saw that this conversation was soon going to go downhill and wanted to get both men out the room.
'Uncle why don't we….'
He began, only to be stopped dead in his tracks by a noise coming from the bed. All three men looked over, astonishment growing, as they saw Lan Zhan's eyes slowly open and turn to stare at them. The healer immediately sprang into action, crouching by the bed and asking all sorts of medical questions while checking Lan Zhan's pulse and injuries. Lan Zhan himself just remained quiet, laying on the bed passively while he watched what was going on around him. Eventually the healer rose and spoke to the concerned Uncle and Elder Brother.
'He will be fine as long as he rests. Now that he has woken up the worst time has passed.'
Lan XiChen nodded, and the healer gathered his things, bowed to the two elder Lan's and left the room. Only once the healer had left did Lan Zhan actually speak.
'I assume whatever happened to me was serious as you are both here?'
XiChen and Lan QiRen looked at each other with confused looks for a moment before XIChen spoke to his brother.
'What do you remember Wanji'
Lan Zhan turned his head to look at the ceiling as if searching his memories.
'I was completing the mission Uncle assigned to me and ran into a few of the visiting disciples here for Uncle's teaching. Then I don't remember anything else' Lan Zhan said slowly as if trying to recall everything.
XiChen almost stopped breathing. His brother had lost almost two years of his life! Before he could respond thought QiRen spoke into the silence.
'Was one of the visiting cultivators Wei WuXian from the YunMeng Jiang Sect?' He asked patently.
Still looking at the ceiling Lan Zhan seemed to give a little grimace as he tried to remember, then he spoke just as quietly and slowly as before.
'Yes, there robes looked like those from the YunMeng Jiang Sect. But no, I do not recall the name Wei WuXian.'
