Yuwen Yue was huddled in a shadowy corner that was near enough to Yan Xun's rooms to be useful but far enough away that it wasn't as frequently patrolled as the other areas. He was thankful for the cloud cover and the fact that the moon was only a slim crescent on those few times when it managed to break through the overcast night sky. Dressed as he was in his black robes and wings, he knew that only someone lucky—or unlucky, as the case may be—would be able to spot him as he waited for the right time to eliminate his target.
"Eliminate my target." How professional that sounds. Simple and clean. Businesslike. Straightforward. I'm going to "eliminate my target." Of course, "slit the throat of a man I once considered to be my brother" just doesn't have that spy-like ring to it. No; better to stay detached.
"Don't ever let your feelings get involved, Yue'er!" He could hear his grandfather say."This is your destiny, the job you were meant to do. All feelings do is get in the way and get you hurt."
And yet Yuwen Yue had to admit that he was here largely because of feelings. True, he could talk about duty to his country and to the young prince he'd sworn to protect. After all, he was here to get rid of Yuan Song's—and all of Wei's—biggest threat so that a peace plan could be crafted as a result. However, if he were honest with himself—as he'd been forced to be more often than usual over the past several days—he had to admit that one of the main reasons he was here was because he knew that Xing'er was here preparing to do something dangerous.
Not that he didn't have faith in her deadly abilities; he was quite aware of what she was capable of in that regard. He knew Zhong Yu to be a professional, too, and wasn't worried that she'd slip up. Not that he didn't genuinely care about his friends and country; he valued them greatly. The simple truth was that when his options had been to chase after his friends and dwindling force so that they could hole up in another ransacked town or to assassinate what was left of his once closest friend so that he could be near Xing'er if something went wrong, he'd made what had been to him the obvious choice.
Yuwen Yue's musings were interrupted by the sound of footsteps walking exactly where and when he'd expected them to be. He knew this to be the changing of the guard, and his senses sharpened as the time of infiltration drew nearer. In a little while, he knew that a servant girl would take a tray of tea to Yan Xun's chamber so that he could have a little drink before going to bed. The spymaster knew that he had to time his entry just right so that he would be getting in after the guards had settled in for the night watch but before the servant came with her tea.
His nose flared slightly as he once again caught what seemed like a familiar scent wafting on the slight breeze. There were so many smells all around him that he had a hard time differentiating between them, but every once in awhile, his keen sense of smell would alert him to the presence of the trace of a scent from home and then it would be gone again. Yuwen Yue put the issue out of his mind and focused on more important things.
Like what the Xiulis are going to do when we don't show up to kill Cheng Yuan's spies. The streets were practically overran with Yanbei troops this evening, and I didn't want to risk being exposed by someone who would've recognized me even if I had known where to look for Xing'er.
Yuwen Yue had spent his time profitably, however, by reading servant and soldier rotation schedules left behind in the Eyes of God hideout by someone who had obviously infiltrated the palace servants recently. He'd also found a map of the palace itself and its surrounding areas, so he knew where he needed to go and how to get there. If all went well, he'd be able to tell Xing'er the news about the Xiulis himself and they'd be able to take care of the situation on their own before too much time passed.
His impeccable sense of timing was telling him that the moment for him to make his move had come, so he put himself in the mental space necessary for him to become Yuwen Yue, the leader of the Eyes of God. All traces of humor and caring disappeared from his face as he became the gifted spy he'd been trained to be from boyhood. Yuwen Yue left one shadow for another as he began to make his way towards the rooms of the ruler of Yanbei.
After taking a cautious peek through the small slash she'd put in Cheng Yuan's tent earlier, Chu Qiao swiftly crawled through the opening and out into the dark night beyond. Her face was blank and emotionless, her senses heightened as she quickly scanned the area for any sign that someone had noticed her. Nobody had, though, not on a cloudy night like this. She started walking casually through the encampment, acting as if she didn't have a care in the world.
Besides, if someone saw her as she was now, why would they think anything was amiss? So what if Chu Da Ren was dressed all in black and walking through the army camp? Who was going to question Yan Xun's woman about her recent activities?
For that's what they think I am, even though that couldn't be further from the truth—especially now.
Chu Qiao put all thoughts of the troubled ruler of Yanbei out of her mind as she focused on the task at hand. Killing Cheng Yuan and the other officers sharing that tent had been as simple a matter as she'd expected it to be. She'd caught them all unawares and had slit all of their throats as easily as if she'd been carving pieces of meat.
Which is all they are now, she thought in grim satisfaction. While part of me wishes that I could've killed them in combat for all to see, part of me feels that this was a fitting death for them—especially Cheng Yuan.
A slight scuffling sound caused her to break out of her pleasant reverie, but she realized with relief that the sound had been made by a rat that seemed to be in search of something to eat.
Maybe he'll find his way to Cheng Yuan's tent, she thought, gleefully imagining the once proud general serving as rat food in humiliating fashion. Not that his death itself wasn't humiliating—especially to a man like him. He thought he was so strong, so smart, so cunning. And yet here he is, dead meat after being killed by a woman he looked down on, a woman he thought he'd already beaten.
In the darkness of the cloud-shrouded crescent moon and far from the large braziers burning brightly on the other side of the tents, Chu Qiao allowed a savage smile to form on her face. She knew she couldn't allow it to linger, but she allowed herself to savor her moment of vengeance.
Cheng Yuan, she thought as her next target's tent came into view, you set my men up so that they would be knifed in the back while kneeling in the foul muck as if they were nothing. Now, on their behalf—and on behalf of the innocent people like Xing Xing and her family that you've slaughtered—I've killed you as if you were nothing. Now I'm not going to give you another thought because I have more important matters to attend to.
As Chu Qiao approached the back of the tent of the next men who had to die, all traces of Chu Da Ren, the avenger of her Xiuli troops, disappeared. By the time that she'd carefully slit a small entrance in the back of the large, white tent, she was once again that odd mix of Chu Qiao and Xing'er who could deal death as casually as other people could socialize at a party or buy a lantern at a festival. She was all business—especially since her next target was a general she was taking out for practical rather than personal reasons.
In all honesty, he was more of a tragic figure than an evil one. He, like so many, had lost his entire family several years ago to the ravages of the Wei soldiers and had craved vengeance ever since. She and Zhong Yu knew full well that as long as this man remained in a position of power, Yanbei would never be at peace with Wei. She vowed to herself to give him a quick, clean death free of the fierce, feral grin she'd given to Cheng Yuan in those few seconds between the swipe of her small knife and the final dimming of his eyes.
Taking a final look around, she swiftly rolled forward into the tent, coming up in a defensive crouch. She needn't have bothered; her target seemed to be sound asleep. She straightened up slowly, once again pulling out what looked like an ornamental hairpiece but which was actually a small, sharp blade. Chu Qiao had always had an affinity for such weapons, and in times like these, sticking with what you knew was wise.
She gripped her small assassin's knife in her hand, slowly creeping towards her next victim. Zhong Yu was hopefully doing the same thing on the other side of the encampment, bringing the potential for peace for Yanbei closer to reality one kill at a time. She and her old friend were doing this so that others would not have to and so that numerous innocent lives could be saved in the long run. Of course, many wouldn't see the situation that way, but when you lived in chaotic times, sometimes you had to do the best you could with what you had.
Besides, Chu Qiao thought coldly as she prepared to strike, was it not Yan Xun himself who once said that there was a price for everything and that you could only have peace through war?
Yuwen Yue had succeeded in creeping past the various soldiers and servants that had been attending to their duties inside of Yan Xun's palace. He mentally thanked the Eyes of God operative that had left such useful maps and notes behind in the hideout; none of the information had been proven wrong yet. Not that everything had gone fully according to schedule; the whispered word around the palace was that their leader was ill and that his doctor had given strict orders for everyone to leave him alone for the rest of the night for the good of his health.
As Yuwen Yue neared the room that he knew contained his one-time friend, he noticed that the lighting inside was dimmer than in the rest of the palace. He added that information to what he'd heard outside of Yan Xun's rooms and concluded that the young ruler must be suffering from a severe headache.
This could end up working in my favor, the spymaster thought as he crept into the room in which Yan Xun was likely sleeping. Less light is always good—as is less interruption.
He settled into a shadowy corner that was hidden from view by both a large, ornate vase and a sizable statue resting on a tall pedestal. Yuwen Yue couldn't see clearly through the beaded curtain that separated Yan Xun's sleeping area from the rest of the room, so he closed his eyes and deliberately engaged his other senses.
Immediately, his senses jangled the warning of blood! thathad served him well as an operative. His eyes flew open, and he swiftly and softly drew the dagger that he always carried with him on such missions. Closing his eyes had also helped to adjust them to the dimness, so he could now make out the shape of his former good friend lying somewhat haphazardly on his bed.
Yuwen Yue continued to strain his eyes, not wanting to leave his safe place before he'd figured out what was going on. Before he could see fully, however, his nose identified another smell: the familiar one from outside, except in much higher concentration. As his mind matched the scent with a name, his now fully-adjusted eyes landed on the unmistakable form of a white rabbit's tail, the turquoise handle attached to it looped around a red-stained hand of the now-former ruler of Yanbei.
The spymaster's eyes widened as he realized that the one who had slit Yan Xun's throat from ear to ear had been the woman who had once loved him. He had mixed feelings about that fact that he figured that he'd examine at a less dangerous time since his inner timekeeper told him that-
A high-pitched shriek followed by the sound of smashing crockery confirmed his suspicions. Apparently this particular maid had either not gotten the message about not being allowed into Yan Xun's rooms or she was simply a stubborn and willful creature who was going to do whatever she wanted.
Not that I have any experience with anyone like that, Yuwen Yue thought as he put his own escape plan into action.
After studying the palace map in the Eyes of God hideout, Yuwen Yue had, like any seasoned operative, crafted an alternative plan that he could implement in case the assassination attempt had to be aborted. The pounding of feet sounded right outside of Yan Xun's rooms, so he bolted for the staircase and ran up it just as the room he'd left filled with shouts and yells.
Not even bothering with stealth, Yuwen Yue pelted down the hallway, thankful that anyone who might be inside of those rooms seemed to be prudently staying out of the situation. He hoped that the door to the small room the map had shown him would be unlocked and that the area outside of the window would be just as remote as the map had seemed to indicate.
Yuwen Yue reached the door and pushed on it, gratified to feel it give beneath his hand. He wasted no time in entering the room and shutting the door behind him, holding his knife in front of him just in case anyone was inside. Nobody was, so he quickly strode to the window and cracked it open. As he had hoped, nobody was in that particular courtyard area yet, so he easily hopped out of the window and into the dark night. After swiftly scanning the area, he sheathed his knife, figuring that speed and two free hands would serve him better in the open than a short blade.
The spymaster realized that he'd been lucky so far, so he predicted that his good fortune would likely not last much longer. He managed to dart from bush to bush without detection, but he heard distant shouts as he hurled his grappling hook to the top of the palace's wall and climbed up it.
He dropped down on the other side, stowing the hook away in his black robes with the rest of his spy paraphernalia. Pounding boots rang out on the street nearby, so Yuwen Yue took off towards a small alley that he knew would take him away from the palace and towards the city ramparts that faced the road to Xiuli Mountain. While he knew that Xing'er likely wouldn't be happy to see him given the circumstances, he didn't even try to fight his natural inclination to assure himself of her safety in such a time as this.
The spymaster exited the alley onto a main street and realized that his good luck had finally turned bad as he was surrounded by at least a dozen Yanbei soldiers. While he couldn't see their features in the meagre light provided by the crescent moon, he could tell by sight, sound, and smell that their uniforms were brand new and relatively clean.
They came at him as one, and he drew Po Yue Jian from inside his robes. He hoped that his bat wings would somehow survive the fight or else his escape was going to be even more exciting than he'd planned. The soldiers were no match for his experience and skill, and he slashed his way through them as easily as he'd expected to do. Yuwen Yue had known that they'd posed no threat to him, but he understood the danger of the attention that this fight would draw his way.
As he disarmed one man and sliced into another, he realized that the soldiers' formation and fighting style was different from every other one that he'd encountered among Yanbei troops. He'd fought against most of the different Yanbei legions in his defense of Yuan Song, and he'd never come up against a group with this particular method of combat. In fact, it reminded him more of a style that he might come up against in the field on a mission rather than on a field of battle.
"Let's go!" one of the few remaining soldiers shouted to a limping comrade. "We need to survive so we can report back to the master!"
The other soldier seemed all too eager to comply, and Yuwen Yue was equally glad to allow them to leave in exchange for the few extra seconds that killing them would've taken. He knew that he would think about the strange soldiers more in-depth once he'd escaped, but he turned his focus to more immediate problems. Sounds of yelling and chaos were ringing out throughout the entire city, now, as people were shouting the news of the death of their leader.
As he reached the bottom of the stone stairway that would carry him up to the top of the ramparts, he raised Po Yue Jian in front of him and braced himself for the inevitable fight that he'd have to win in order to reach the top of the city walls. Warning shouts sounded on the ramparts as he was spotted, and Yuwen Yue had no more time to think about anything other than the warriors boiling down the steps towards him.
Chu Qiao's small knife descended towards the general's throat but instinctively halted as a loud cry sounded from the gateway leading from the city to the encampment. She couldn't tell what the man was saying since he was too far away and she was in this tent, but she knew that this development meant nothing good for their plan.
The general's eyes popped open and widened in hazy alarm, and Chu Qiao knew herself to be out of time. She swiftly drew her knife across her target's throat and was already running for the back of the tent before he rattled his final breath. Stirring sounds were emanating from the other areas of the tent, so she took a chance and dove out into the open without looking first.
She straightened up just in time to look reasonably innocent as soldiers began pouring out of their tents to see what was happening. Other people had taken up the cry of the soldier who had run to warn the encampment of what was going on in the city, and the news they were shouting almost drove Chu Qiao to her knees.
"Yan Xun's dead! Yan Xun's dead!" they were yelling, running around in disbelief and anger as they spread their message to any who would listen.
Chu Qiao's body flushed hot and then cold, and her knees went wobbly. Her brain gave her limbs about five directions at once, so she ended up wheeling around and taking several run-stumbling steps towards the city and the palace before coming to her senses. Before the grief and anger could overwhelm her, she shut her emotions down and shoved them to the back of her mind as she often could in situations like these.
Except the rage, she admitted to herself as she felt that old, familiar burn flare up inside of her. She welcomed the energy that the building rage brought her and hoped that it would be enough to see her through her escape.
For escape, I must, she thought grimly as she headed for the stable where the officers kept their horses. Now that Yan Xun and the worst generals are dead, if we don't succeed in carrying out our plan, then Wei will destroy us if Yanbei doesn't tear itself to pieces first. If Zhong Yu and I can both escape and everything else goes according to plan, then maybe we can still salvage this situation—if Yuwen Yue and his people can even be trusted anymore.
Thinking about her old mentor stoked the rage building inside of her as she recognized a fundamental truth: the assassination of Yan Xun on the same night as her and Zhong Yu's assassination of the generals had Yuwen Yue's name written all over it. Even if he hadn't killed Yan Xun himself, he'd likely sent some of his people to do the deed for him. Her eyes filled with tears that she refused to allow to fall as she realized that she'd once again been betrayed by the man whom she'd come to trust again. She'd even begun to think…
Will you never learn, Chu Qiao? You might think you can trust him, but in the end, he's always going to do what he thinks is best for his personal agenda rather than what's best for you or the people you care about. Just because he kissed you once and told you he needed you doesn't mean that he won't get up to his old political tricks in situations like this.
Chu Qiao cautiously entered the barn and ran for her stabled horse when she realized that the place was otherwise empty. Her bay was waiting for her right where she'd left it, and she sighed with relief as she saw the comfortingly familiar hilt of Can Hong Jian peeking out from where she'd tucked it against the left side of the horse. She knew that the saddlebags contained a variety of supplies that would be helpful now that the future was so uncertain.
Mounting the horse with her typical graceful ease, she guided him out of the barn and rode at a normal pace for the gate at the back of the camp. The wooden stockade and guard towers loomed in the near distance, and she allowed some of her tears to fall and emotions to show for her upcoming interaction with the guards.
She rode forward, stopping when multiple soldiers told her to do so. Their aggressive stances relaxed once they brought their torches closer and realized who she was. Her tear-streaked, anguished face likely also helped; Chu Qiao knew how expressive her face could be and how effectively it could disarm men.
"Chu Da Ren," the highest-ranking guard said softly, "I thought you'd be up at the palace. What they said is true, right? Is he really…?"
Silence reigned at the gate for a few seconds as everybody seemed at a loss for words.
"I can't imagine that it's not true," Chu Qiao said, tears streaming down her face. "But I also don't feel that they really need me at the palace. We have many fine, brave soldiers, and I'm sure that if the assassin is still in the city, they'll catch him."
"If he's still...so you think that he might have already left?"
"Maybe," she said, curtly nodding once. "That's why I'm going to ride out and look for signs of anyone running away. I can't do anything for Yan Xun, but maybe I can get vengeance on his behalf. Besides...I just need to get out."
Wordlessly, the guards clasped their hands, bowed, and moved out of her way.
"Good hunting, Chu Da Ren!" one of them shouted after her as she trotted through the stockade gates and onto the road that would lead away from the city.
She made a show of riding for the tree line as if she were going to search for signs of the recent passage of an assassin so that the soldiers wouldn't be suspicious. Chu Qiao entered the woods and rode parallel to the road, exiting when she was out of sight of the back of the encampment. While she knew she still had to ride parallel to the city on the road before it curved towards Xiuli Mountain, she figured that the most dangerous part of her escape was behind her.
Kneeing her mount softly, she picked up the pace, glad that her horse's brown coat and black mane and tail would blend into the darkness of night. As she reached the part of the road where it arced away from the city and towards her troops, she sighed in relief.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of an instantly recognizable form silhouetted in the light of the torches lining the ramparts of the city. A fresh rush of rage raced through her as the figure jumped off of the ramparts, unfurled a familiar set of black wings, and flew straight towards her.
If Yuwen Yue were giving a report to his grandfather about how he was able to identify Xing'er from such a great distance on a practically moonless night even though she was riding a dark horse and dressed in black, he likely would've credited his keen eyesight and moved on with his briefing. The spymaster admitted to himself, however, that the simple reality was that he knew he would always be able to identify the form of the woman he loved even if he'd only gotten a single glimpse of her.
He'd trusted his judgment as he always had in such circumstances and had leaped from the ramparts and into thin air without a second thought. His wings had unfurled behind him, and he was now soaring through the cool night air towards the fleeing form of the woman he loved and feared more than any other. Yuwen Yue was no fool, and he realized that the welcome that he would soon receive from Xing'er might be colder—or hotter—than he'd like to contemplate.
He temporarily cast those fears from his mind and reveled in the simple, primal pleasure that flying through the air always gave him. While being a spy was a serious matter, he didn't feel guilty for savoring the few enjoyable moments that the occupation could at times provide. Flying with his wings had always heated his blood, and he grinned fiercely within at the sensation of the air rushing past his body as he gradually descended towards the fleeing figure who seemed to be keeping pace with him.
Not that it would completely surprise me if she just kept riding away and left me to face the soldiers of Yanbei alone, Yuwen Yue admitted to himself as he continued his gradual descent. Not being able to kill me and not being able to allow me to die are two different things, after all.
A flash of white in the night that he assumed to be Xing'er's face briefly looked up at him, however, and his heart burned all the more as he realized that his woman was going to save him after all. His happiness was cut short as the twang of bowstrings sounded in the distance behind him. Yuwen Yue allowed his senses to take over as they instructed his body to move this way and that to avoid the few arrows that had been fired from the receding ramparts of the city.
Xing'er easily avoided them as well as they fell to the earth, and he felt a rush of pride for his former student. Even when she was dodging arrows, she did so with the same casual elegance that had captivated him the first time he'd ever seen her do so in the secret part of Qing Shan Yuan.
A second volley of arrows winged its way through the night, and Yuwen Yue realized with dismay that there were more arrows this time. Word of his presence—or, at least, the presence of a suspicious person capable of flying off of a wall and surviving—must have spread, increasing the number of archers firing at them. He turned as sideways as he could and avoided the ones that had been aimed at his back, but he was unable to prevent a couple of arrows from piercing his wings dead-center.
Yuwen Yue began to lurch and spin out of control, knowing that his landing was going to be quite unpleasant and that he would likely be seriously injured if he managed to survive at all. He managed to instinctively right himself, getting his legs underneath himself in preparation for sudden contact with the hard earth.
He heard a startled neighing and the sound of hoofs sliding in the dirt, however, and once again caught a flash of white not too far beneath him. This time, the white shape didn't disappear, and he could tell that Xing'er was doing her best to keep track of his location and to adjust her own speed accordingly. Yuwen Yue knew that what she was doing was dangerous and difficult, and he felt another warm wash of pride as he thought about the woman he loved.
And then she was beneath him, barely visible as the thumbnail shape of the crescent moon briefly broke through the clouds. Her eyes were wider than he'd ever seen them, and he wanted to believe that the cause of that was fear for his safety. She stood up in the saddle, her feet planted firmly in the stirrups as she made a place for him to land.
At the last moment, he twisted his hands inward, managing to grasp the tattered remains of his wings and pinch the rips together to gain a small measure of resistance. It wasn't much, but he felt himself lift up a little before he thumped down onto the back of the horse, causing it to neigh and rear in startlement.
Xing'er fell back into the saddle, and he instinctively wrapped his arms around her to stabilize them both. A final volley of arrows sounded behind them, but they all fell harmlessly to the ground and embedded themselves on the stretch of roadway that they had just vacated. Yuwen Yue knew that they were home-free, and he could tell from the slight relaxing of her slim body against him that she knew it, too.
No longer able to keep his emotions in check, he grinned fiercely into the night as his woman finally gave the horse its head and let it run hard for the safety of Xiuli Mountain and her troops. He tightened his arms around her, and she turned her head to look back at him in response. The anger, grief, rage, and tears that he now saw on her face rang familiar, painful bells of memory in his head, and the smile instantly disappeared from his lips. His heart plummeted as quickly as if it, too, had been shot in midair and sent falling to the earth.
AN: When I started fleshing this out into a larger story, I warned y'all that this wasn't going to be Green Hills Happyland. Things are going to get worse for our OTP before they get better because there are so many problems between them that must be resolved before true healing can occur. Canon didn't give us much in the way of our OTP actually resolving the issues between them, so I'm going to try to remedy that oversight. The next chapter is going to have some ugly moments in it, but that ugly will pay off big-time in the not-too-distant future when we reach a certain lake that is icy. If the icy lake is going to go differently, then CQ must realize and come to grips with certain truths before she gets there—which she can only do through being forced to do so since she'll never think about them otherwise. The next chapter's not going to showcase our OTP's finest hours, but there will be some pretty fine hours for them coming up later as a result. I promise I won't draw this out; in fact, I'll probably hand-wave a bit more than I should in order to get on with the XingYue goodness that y'all want to read (and that I want to write, honestly, if for no other reason than to GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD). But there will be XingYue goodness and a (reasonably) happy ending; there will be angst, but—unlike in the show—there will also be payoff.