What's the Healer's opinion?
Healer Liu was a bit ashamed that she had witnessed the Chief Cultivator confess his love towards the Yiling Patriarch. For a moment she wanted to interrupt their conversation, as her patient seemed too distressed, but Jiang Wanyin's solemn gaze stopped her. It took her a moment to comprehend that this conversation was exactly what Wei Wuxian needed.
So, she watched in silence the rare display of emotions between two people which should only take place in private. She risked a quick glance at her leader, and noticed how pleased he was. A smile she had never seen before adorned his face, yet it quickly changed into a forced scowl and fair fear, when he thought that the Chief Cultivator wanted him to leave.
The healer slowly gathered the herbs giving the men time to decide what to do next. Then she approached her patient.
"May I check on Master Wei?", she asked with a little bow.
The Chief Cultivator only nodded and allowed her to examine the wounded man. Liu took his hand and gently checked his pulse and energy. What she felt surprised her. She concentrated, trying to understand her observations.
"What's wrong?!", Jiang Wanyin asked nervously.
The healer shook her head and continued the examination.
"How… how bad?", her sect leader truly did not want to allow her to concentrate, however she understood the man's fear for his brother. The healer had the impression that this time she could sooth it but she did not like the idea of giving false hope, so she focused on the examination.
Wei Wuxian seemed to be in much better condition than he had been after his… The healer did not even have the idea how to call this episode with her patient's soul leaving his body to have a little but very important chat with his… friend, and now betrothed.
The events were really accelerating. Liu was too young to remember the chaos the young Wei Wuxian used to create during his childhood and early youth in Yunmeng. Maybe the others were more comfortable with the frantic pace.
Lan Zhan focused on the meridians and energy flow in his soulmate, as the healer's impression quite worried him. However, he could not find anything alarming. His beloved seemed on the road to recovery in his peaceful sleep, fed by Wangji's energy.
"Sect Leader, Chief Cultivator", the healer finally spoke up, "I am pretty sure he'll recover. His golden core is efficiently using the energy received to deal with the infection. Though the recovery may take some time, I don't think he's in danger anymore."
She had never expected to be violently hugged by her leader. She found her legs flying in the air when he whirled with her in his arms and gasped in pain.
"You're wounded! You need to rest! Now! Wei Wuxian will be here tomorrow and after tomorrow!", she scolded him.
Jiang Cheng thought for a moment and then ordered to have another bed placed in the room. This, the healer could accept.
The next two weeks were quite hard for Liu. Wei Wuxian's physical condition was improving rapidly, so after the first few days when he was mainly asleep, awakened only to eat and take various medicines, he became more and more aware and troublesome. Fortunately the Chief Cultivator was able to persuade him to use his help in mundane activities and to spend most time in the bed or in the room. Several times, she found Wei Wuxian asleep on the floor, with his head on Hanguang-Jun lap, while the other was playing the truth, the music also helped.
However, Liu knew that Wei Wuxian was hiding something behind his broad smiles which never had touched his eyes. She was aware that the only man he allowed to be touched by was the Chief Cultivator. So, as the only female among the healers elite in Yunmeng, she accepted to care for him. Even she needed to announce her presence and intention to touch him every time. At the same time, the Yiling Patriarch still had his ease to initiate physical contact.
The servant told her that she was summoned to her patient. Even in the corridor she was able to hear a loud quarrel.
Another funny thing - Wei Wuxian is absolutely not afraid of his brother's screams and anger. He definitely is struggling but he's far more complicated than any case I've read about.
She knocked though she was not really sure they would hear her so she went inside without waiting for a permission.
"Sect Leader, Chief Cultivator, you've requested my presence".
The healer was quite sure that nothing extremely wrong was going on. Wei Wuxian was partially hidden behind Lan Wangji and clearly waiting for Jiang Cheng to finish his angry fit.
"I need my brother to stay put, however I am obliged to ask for Chief Cultivator's cooperation in the investigation."
"You're not leaving without me! I was the one tortured! I want my revenge. Furthermore, I know much more about the resentful energy than both of you", Wei Wuxian declared.
"What's the healer's opinion?", Hanguang-Jun asked solemnly.
"May I check on you, Master Wei?", she asked to gain some time. She knew there was no reason for the man to stay in Yunmeng. Obviously, he might have not regained his strength yet, but Liu did not doubt that his brother and betrothed would protect him at any cost. However, there was an already overdue conversation she needed to have before their departure. Usually she would prefer to have this talk not with all of them at once, but this time she had decided against it.
"You're good to go with them as long as you eat, sleep and don't get injured or overuse your energy.", she stated and was overwhelmed by the pure gratitude in the Yiling Patriarch's eyes. "However I need you to know a few things. No, he's not in danger, he won't just fall and die", she quickly reassured her leader when she saw clear panic at his face.
She could feel whole Hanguang-jun's attention as well as she saw Jiang Wanyin's confusion and Wei Wuxian's alertness.
"Master Wei, if you need to talk with someone other than persons emotionally involved with you, it's perfectly normal. I am here for you, even if only to find a better person to talk to. However as you're about to leave I want to tell you a few things.", she nervously bit the inner side of her lips, "As it's obvious that you dictate the pace of your recovery but your needs cannot be guessed as it may lead to some misunderstandings which will hurt everyone.", she was quite impressed that the Yiling Patriarch was listening to her.
"Nobody of us has any experience in such a situation, you included. We will be making mistakes and this is the reason you must tell your brother and betrothed what you want to avoid, what you need to do to feel safer, Master Wei. You don't have to feel ashamed or to question your reaction. You're recovering. It will take time. But remember two things - you're not a victim. You outwitted them - not only you've survived but also you've provided many important information. The second thing - even more important - you are loved and you're not alone.", she hesitated when she saw tears in her patient's eyes. The wetness which he quickly hid behind a smile.
"Chief Cultivator, Sect Leader, please forgive me my directness", she bowed her head and continued giving We Wuxian time to regain his composure, "As I know that your main concern is the good of my patient, I ask you to consult all your decisions concerning his person with him. Master Wei was deprived of the control upon his body, fate and energy. You must not do anything similar to this even in the name of his calmness or health. As long as he is conscious he has the right to decide about his fate. His decisions may not be the same even when the situations seem very similar to you"
"Mmm", Lan Wangji agreed. She could see the defiant glare in Jiang Wanyin's eyes but fortunately the man remained silent.
"No one can predict how Master Wei will react while facing his tormentors. You cannot blame him for his reaction even if it is wise to constraint his actions. Though you should together discuss the way you want to handle the enemy before the encounter.", she turned her attention again to her patient, "Master Wei… don't blame yourself for your reaction either, don't try to judge them. Speak your mind and… trust yourself. You've done nothing wrong."
"Oh, I guess I did many things absolutely wrong!", Wei Wuxian flashed a quick smile, then he bowed solemnly and graciously, "Thank you, Healer Liu for your care and your wise words. This one is very grateful."
She smiled at him.
"I'll give you some herbs for sleep to prevent nightmares, though if you don't have a chance for an eight hour sleep, you'll be quite tired after them. I'll also prepare some medicines and bandages for your travel in case you need any. Do you have any questions?"
"Will you give something to calm him down in case of a panic attack?", Jiang Wanyin asked.
"If Wei Wuxian wishes", she replied coldly.
Will my leader learn anything which includes empathy?
"To have some, won't hurt", Wei Wuxian declared awkwardly, "don't want to be a burden", this time in his quick smile gratitude was hidden.
"When do you plan to leave?"
"Tomorrow morning. I have some work to finish", the Yiling Patriarch quickly answered, this time he sounded self-confident.
"That was awkward", Jiang Cheng commented after the healer left them. For a moment he seemed to forget how much he wanted his brother to stay in Yunmeng.
Lan Zhan did not react to his words, and Wei Ying knew that this time he was focused on his thoughts and not simply ignoring his brother's words. Wei Wuxian too felt awkward, but he also was grateful for healer Liu's speech, even if he had wanted to disappear somewhere during it.
"I have to finish my compass", he told them and got back to the table on which many talismans were lying.
"An evil compass?", Jiang Cheng asked.
"A compass tracking a very specific kind of evil - Chenqing. After all she's my spiritual tool. They won't have any use of her but I guess they will keep her for their own doom.", this time his smile was very the Yiling Patriarch's one.
"It may take us directly to their treasury.", Jiang Cheng agreed.
"And they should have it in their main manor so we'll find a source of information even if their identity remains secret.", Wei Wuxian nodded.
I need these people dead. I cannot let them live. What if they try to hurt my Lan Zhan in the same way?!
The mere thought made Wei Ying sick. He forcefully regained his composure as he remembered his brother was only waiting for a reason to delay their departure or to leave him behind. He focused on his work, as it was definitely calming him down.
A/N
My gratitude to Legate_of_Apples for betaing!