AN: I'm glad that "Awakening" was so well-received (and that it managed to offset last week's lack of XingYue a bit;P). I would say I've assembled a bare-bones plot for it, but honestly, the plot currently resembles a bleached skeleton with multiple body parts missing. But I'm working on it in addition to ending this one, and it'll hopefully be ready to go in a few months. I figured there'd be a high demand in this fandom for a fic that's both set in an early-QSY-like world and unapologetically XingYue from the get-go; I'm really looking forward to exploring such a world. Some of y'all have asked for a release timeline for that, and the answer is, more or less, one week after whenever I wrap this one up. (Or more if it hasn't come together well enough for me; we'll see.) But we still have a while to go on this one, folks, so let's get to it.
Dong Fang Ji was glad that the entire city was in chaos over the events of the past few days so that he could come to this prison and take care of this last inconvenience on his own. How Yuan Song had survived the battle as a one-armed cripple was a mystery to him, but the end result was a total disaster. He'd always known that Xiang had a weak streak in him, but he'd believed that he'd be able to get rid of that by giving the prince a taste of conquest.
His spies in the Wei army had told him that Yuan Song had defeated his older brother not with swords but with words and emotional appeals. Now instead of conquering Yanbei, Prince Yuan Che, the man who would likely become the emperor of Wei in a few months or so, was actually helping the people he could've defeated easily. As with Duke Dingbei, Dong Fang Ji had apparently overestimated Xiang's ability to put aside personal issues in the pursuit of power and fortune.
The spy who was curled up in the cell at which Dong Fang Ji had stopped smiled pathetically at him and leaped to his feet.
"I knew you'd come, Master!" he said. "I did just what you said! I made sure that Prince Yuan Song had the means to reach Xiuli Mountain while the battle was still going on. Did we win? We did, right?"
His now-former spy never saw the single crossbow bolt that embedded itself in his chest, piercing his heart. Dong Fang Ji spun around and walked away, not giving the man a backward glance. He didn't tolerate failure in his subordinates, after all, and needed to clean up all the loose ends that might be able to betray him at some point.
Well, not all of my loose ends, he admitted to himself as he left the prison without being spotted. One of them may yet be useful to me.
Before he knew it, Dong Fang Ji found himself outside the city and at the port. The familiar outline of the boat he was seeking greeted him in the early-morning light, and he confidently walked aboard as the man's servants noted his identity and bowed. The man he'd come to see was faced away from him in his wheeled chair, looking out at the river before him.
"So how did your venture go this time?" Zhan Ziyu asked without turning around. "Has His Highness conquered Yanbei and named you its ruler yet?"
Dong Fang Ji ground his teeth in irritation. He didn't know how much the other man knew, but Zhan Ziyu clearly knew enough to feel confident in needling his former fellow student.
"Unfortunately, His Highness encountered some setbacks," Dong Fang Ji said, slowly walking up to Zhan Ziyu.
"What a shame," Zhan Ziyu said, the hints of a smug smile playing on his lips.
"Oh, yes, it is a shame," Dong Fang Ji replied. "Yanbei was ours for the taking, except that Prince Yuan Song managed to survive somehow."
"You sound so surprised that someone who's lost an arm managed to survive such a large battle."
"Of course I am," Dong Fang Ji said, looking down at Zhan Ziyu. "After all, you should know about how difficult living with a disability can be."
He felt a savage satisfaction as his veiled insult hit the mark.
"Indeed, dealing with my handicap can be difficult," Zhan Ziyu said, taking a sip of wine from an exquisite cup his servant had brought him. "My disability, however, can cause various people to underestimate me—to their own peril, of course. Just like you underestimated the young prince, it seems."
"It is a pity," Dong Fang Ji said, running a hand over his mustache. "Yuan Che was too weak to do what needed to be done, and I simply didn't see that until it was too late."
"And now you're probably not exactly welcome at his side," Zhan Ziyu said, smirking.
"He'd rather have the counsel of that weakling brother of his," he said.
"And Yuwen Yue," Zhan Ziyu needled. "Oh, yes, I can see why you would want to lay low for awhile."
"Who said anything about laying low? Maybe I just wanted to visit an old friend—and to pass on some fresh news relevant to his interests."
"Come, now, old friend," Zhan Ziyu said. "There's no need for such pretensions between us. Weren't you recently saying how close we'd become over the years?"
"Ah, yes, I remember," Dong Fang Ji said, putting the bulk of his plan into motion. "In honor of that closeness, I'm going to tell you something now that will allow you to make your escape in time."
"Escape?" Zhan Ziyu said, sipping again from his wine cup. "You're the one in need of escape, Dong Fang Ji, not me."
"Normally I'd agree with you, old friend," Dong Fang Ji said, affecting a look of concern on his face. "However, my spies in the Wei army informed me that Yuan Song's coalition of fighters won the battle because the Underworld showed up to fight—under the leadership of Phoenix, no less."
The swiftness with which Zhan Ziyu's face paled made the tedium of the past few minutes worth every moment of annoyance.
"It would be a pity if the Underworld were to learn of your presence here given the circumstances—especially if they were to find out that you lent me some of your men to cause trouble in Yanbei."
"Nobody can prove anything," Zhan Ziyu said, his smugness gone.
"Nobody has to prove anything, as you well know," Dong Fang Ji said. "My spies also tell me that Chu Qiao has been acknowledged as Luo He's daughter publicly and that she's regained her memories. I wonder just how much she knows..."
Zhan Ziyu was silent, obviously deep in thought.
"Oh, yes," Dong Fang Ji said pensively. "I almost forgot: Somehow, our old friend Xia Chong was also present at the battle. She was wounded in a fight with Xiao Yu, who did not survive the conflict. While Xia Chong is weak, there's a decent chance that she'll recover. I'm sure that she'll have a fascinating story to tell to Chu Qiao once she's able."
"Perhaps Yanbei has grown too cold for us both, old friend," Zhan Ziyu said at last. "In fact, I think I fancy a trip down south, don't you?"
"These old bones could certainly stand to move to warmer lands," Dong Fang Ji said, grinning. "Thank you for inviting me along; your hospitality is commendable. Don't worry about me, old friend; I remember the way to the guest cabin."
Dong Fang Ji turned around and swaggered towards the staircase that would take him below deck. He stopped at the door and turned around, noting that Zhan Ziyu was now talking to a most unsavory-looking character who seemed familiar. Dong Fang Ji mentally shrugged and continued on, ready and willing to leave the cares of the world behind for a time.
I'll find someone else to exploit, some other avenue of attaining power; I always do. Besides, keeping track of Luo He's daughter won't be that difficult, so I'll have plenty of chances to take care of that little problem later. Maybe someone in the southlands will be interested in gaining some power and influence—with the help of yours truly, of course. Liang's crown prince always seemed like an idle, dissolute fellow; maybe he'll be ripe for the picking.
The ship gave a lurch as it slipped out of port, and Dong Fang Ji smiled in relief. A servant came in and put a pot of tea and some cups on the table, bowing as he left. Dong Fang Ji poured himself a cup and sardonically toasted his old friend.
Life goes on, indeed, he thought as he sipped the excellent tea from its equally-exquisite cup.
The first thing Yuwen Yue became aware of was the cold. He knew that for him, being cold was bad because of his illness, so he tried his hardest to wake up. Why was it so cold? Where was he? Qing Shan Yuan? The Meilin border? Xiuli Mountain?
All of a sudden, an image of Xing'er falling to the ground, blood welling everywhere and staining the snow red raced through his mind. Yuwen Yue felt a bolt of energy crackle through him as his fear for Xing'er grabbed hold of him and pulled him out of the darkness.
"X'er," he rasped softly, his voice cracking from dryness.
His eyes flew open and he did his best to take in his surroundings as quickly as he could. He was lying in a bed, which was reasonably comfortable and outfitted with nice bedding. Yuwen Yue recognized that he was in a tent that resembled the one he'd stayed in when he'd been in the Chang'an military camp. He relaxed slightly as he assumed that those who had been taking care of him were allies since he wasn't in a jail cell—or dead.
As he scanned the room, his eyes landed on a sword rack that was currently holding Po Yue Jian. His blood ran cold because right beneath his own sword sat Can Hong Jian, its hilt gleaming dully in the light of the fire burning in the brazier in the middle of the tent.
"No," he whispered hoarsely, tears forming in his eyes. "X'er..."
There aren't many possible positive explanations for Can Hong Jian's presence here. Xing'er would've never given up that sword voluntarily—especially not after…
His eyes closed in pain as images from the last day he could remember—whenever that was-assaulted himH he relived Xing'er's passionate kisses, her declaration of love, and the way the fire had burned in her eyes as she'd fought by his side. The memory of the fierceness in her bearing when she'd yelled at Phoenix—and the battlefield at large—that he was the man she loved caused a fresh set of tears to trace their way down his cheeks.
After I gave her my blood, she seemed to be improving. Maybe Phoenix...
Familiar footsteps sounded outside the entrance to the tent, so he quickly wiped the evidence of his grief from his face. He was, after all, Yuwen Yue, general of Wei, leader of the Eyes of God, wielder of Po Yue Jian...Fresh tears pooled in his eyes and threatened to spill over as thoughts of Po Yue Jian led to thoughts of Can Hong Jian—and its owner.
Yuwen Yue tried to compose himself as Yue Qi walked into the tent, but he could tell he'd been unsuccessful by the alarmed expression on his faithful servant's face.
"Xing'er's alive," Yue Qi blurted, rushing up to the side of the bed.
Yuwen Yue stared at his right-hand man in incomprehension for a few moments, his mouth gaping open in an uncharacteristic display of open confusion. His eyes returned to the sword rack, and he saw Yue Qi follow his gaze and then pale.
"Xing'er's alive, but she won't be in any condition to swing a sword any time soon," Yue Qi said. "We brought both swords with us when we brought you down the mountain last night after moving Xing'er to the barracks to convalesce."
He slumped over, the emotional whiplash of the past few minutes sapping the limited strength he'd had upon waking. Yue Qi began to speak of the various things that had happened since Yuwen Yue had lost consciousness, but he found himself incapable of focusing on more than the most important fact for too long.
Xing'er's alive.
"...and the peace seems to be holding, but..."
Xing'er's alive.
"...Underworld people seem to have disappeared except for Phoenix..."
Xing'er's alive.
"Master?"
Yuwen Yue jolted back awake.
"Sorry, Yue Qi," he murmured. "I'm still a bit tired, I think."
"Just a bit?" his guard captain said, eyes twinkling.
"Well, I did expend a lot of energy...how long ago was the battle?"
"Two days ago, Master."
"I see. Just give me a few moments, Yue Qi, and I'll do my best to get up. I know I have a lot of work to do."
I have to see Xing'er.
"You'll do no such thing, Master," Yue Qi said, his eyes widening in alarm. "His Highness would send me to the depths of the nastiest prison he could find if I let you out of this bed before you're ready."
"I am ready," Yuwen Yue said, attempting to get out of bed to prove his point.
His legs buckled beneath him, however, and only Yue Qi's timely assistance kept him from adding another set of bumps and bruises to what he could tell was an extensive collection.
"Your orders—straight from His Highness, I might add—are for you to do nothing but rest and heal until you're able to do otherwise. After all, we took the risk of bringing you down from the mountaintop because we knew you'd be able to heal better where it's warmer."
I would've rather stayed closer to Xing'er.
"I know you probably would've preferred to stay with Xing'er, but we felt that leaving you in the deep cold and moving Xing'er down the mountain were both too risky."
Yuwen Yue scowled at Yue Qi, trying to figure out if his right hand had somehow developed the ability to read his mind. He mentally shrugged and did his best to order his thoughts. Of course, they returned to the same place as before.
"Take Can Hong Jian back to Xing'er," he ordered his servant. "Also take some smaller weapons she'll be able to use in an emergency like her crossbow and assassin's knives. Make sure they're all within easy reach—and easy sight."
"Yes, Master," Yue Qi said, clasping his hands and bowing his head. "You get some more rest, and I'll take care of Xing'er."
Yuwen Yue nodded his head but was already thinking of ways to sneak away from camp later. Yue Qi turned to leave, but hesitated at the entrance of the tent. Slowly, he turned around and walked to an area outside of Yuwen Yue's field of vision. He walked back with a black bundle in his hands that he set down on a table that Yuwen Yue could easily see. Recognition flared in his eyes and he looked at Yue Qi in question.
"I washed and fixed them for you, Master," Yue Qi said, eyes twinkling again. "I thought you might need them again later—if someone else were to attack us, for instance."
"Thank you, Yue Qi," Yuwen Yue said, the corners of his mouth quirking. "You're right: We should always be prepared."
"I thought you'd feel that way, Master," he said, pulling out a small box that drew an audible gasp from Yuwen Yue.
Yue Qi, to his credit, pretended not to notice the noise or the emotional look that Yuwen Yue knew was on his face.
"I thought I'd lost that," Yuwen Yue whispered. "I looked for it at our hideout, but when I didn't find it, I assumed that some Yanbei soldier had found himself a gift for his sweetheart—or whoever he'd be paying to be his sweetheart that particular night."
"I managed to grab some things as we were fleeing," Yue Qi said. "I knew how important this was to you and it was so small, so I took it before we left."
Yuwen Yue nodded, not trusting himself to speak.
"Anyway, I'm under orders from His Highness to bring you some food, drink, and medicine now that you've awakened, but you should rest in the time it takes me to prepare those things."
"I think you're right, Yue Qi," Yuwen Yue said. "After all, as I said earlier, we should always be prepared."
"And if you rest now and eat later, Master, you might find yourself with a bit of restless energy tonight."
"Indeed, I might," Yuwen Yue said calmly, closing his eyes.
He heard Yue Qi leave and allowed himself a small smile of anticipation. Before he could stop it, the smile transformed itself into a wide grin as he allowed sleep to take him, thoughts of his beloved filling his head as he lost consciousness.
Meng Feng acknowledged that she probably should be safely tucked in bed in a nice, warm tent somewhere, but she'd finally annoyed Miss Yu so much that the poor woman had practically chased her out of the infirmary. While Meng Feng knew that she should feel at least a little bit guilty about her behavior, her desire to find Yuan Song pushed any bad feelings she might've had to the back of her mind.
Besides, the sun was already high in the sky, and she'd spent all of yesterday in bed. Her midsection still pained her greatly, but she knew enough about such injuries from experience to figure that as long as she was careful not to reopen the wound, she would be fine. She was also in high spirits because Yue Qi had recently told her that Yuwen Yue had awakened and had been well enough to drink some water and medicine—and to ask him to check in on Xing'er, of course. Yue Qi had been optimistic that their master would be well enough to eat some solid food at the evening meal.
Meng Feng had walked all over the mountaintop camp, but she hadn't seen Yuan Song anywhere. Part of her hoped that the man she loved had decided to spend some time with his brother down in the camp at the base of the mountain, but another part of her wanted to think that he would wait for her to be able to leave with him first.
That's a foolish thought to have, Meng Feng berated herself. You should want what's best for Yuan Song, which is obviously leaving this sad, cold place behind forever.
Acting on instinct, Meng Feng carefully picked her way along the thin ribbon of mountain trail that led up to a certain ridge. She spotted a familiar bootprint in the snow that had recovered parts of the trail, and she smiled sadly but with relief as she realized that it was fresh. Her pace quickened and she was soon at the top, her side howling in protest. As always, she ignored the pain.
She spotted the prince easily from the top of the trail, dressed as he was in a resplendent set of Yanbei armor that had likely either belonged to some now-dead general or been gifted to him by a living one. He'd apparently decided to keep his burgundy cape, which had been freshly laundered. In spite of the circumstances, Meng Feng couldn't help but be affected by the handsomeness of the man she loved.
He was standing forlornly near the edge of the ridge, staring out over the battlefield that still bore significant scars from the fight that had taken place on it just two days ago. Her eyes were instinctively drawn first to the wooded area where she'd found the bodies of Xiao Yu and Chun'er and then to the tree under which she'd found Xia Chong as she made her way past them to her beloved.
Yuan Song whirled around in surprise when he heard the soft crunch of snow behind him, and his eyes widened further when he recognized her.
"Meng Feng? What are you doing all the way up here? You're not...You shouldn't be here."
"Where else would I be?"
"Resting, of course—either in the infirmary or down the mountain."
"Don't worry, Your Highness-"
"You called me by my name a few days ago, Meng Feng," he said wistfully. "Can you go back to that?"
"If that's what you want...Yuan Song."
He smiled at her, making her heart turn over. Something about his eyes was different; their intensity caused multiple conflicting feelings to rise up within her.
"Well, if I can't have you in bed, then I'll have to settle for you calling me by my name, I guess."
Meng Feng's eyes widened and Yuan Song blushed badly as he realized what he'd said.
"I mean...I didn't mean...What I meant was you need to be resting in bed, Meng Feng."
"Well, fortunately, Miss Yu said that I could leave the infirmary as long as I took things easy and relaxed for the next few days," she said.
He looked at her pointedly, and it was her turn to look a bit sheepish.
"Well, 'easy' is a relative term, isn't it, Yuan Song?"
His face lost all traces of happiness as memories of the last few days seemed to wipe them away.
"Compared to what we were doing a few days ago..."
"There are definitely more difficult things I could be doing now," Meng Feng said, determined to lighten the mood of her beloved like she'd been doing for...had she really only known him for weeks?
"Like what?" Yuan Song asked.
"Like trying to get Phoenix to smile."
Yuan Song's mouth twitched a little.
"Or trying to get any of the Xiulis to stop standing guard over Chu Qiao in the barracks."
"I wouldn't wish that task on my worst enemy."
"Me neither."
"I have one," Yuan Song said, his smile growing. "You could be trying to convince my brother that A'Chu is the right woman for Yuwen Yue."
"Now you're just being cruel, Yuan Song," Meng Feng said, a grin of her own forming.
"No, I have an even better one. You could be trying to convince Phoenix to be best friends with Yuwen Yue."
"Rest is sounding better by the moment."
"I knew you'd see things my way."
"I'm not opposed to resting, Yuan Song," Meng Feng said softly. "I just had...other things to do."
"Like what?" he asked, his tone light but his face serious.
"Well, I wanted to check in on Chu Qiao, of course, and Xia Chong, and then I ran into Yue Qi—who told me that the master woke up this morning. I forgot to tell you."
"Really?" Yuan Song asked, beaming. "That's great. I take it Yue Qi gave you a favorable report?"
"He did," Meng Feng confirmed. "He seemed to think that the master would be up and about soon. Given the twinkle that was in his eye when he said it..."
"I think I can add another difficulty to our list, Meng Feng," he said mischievously. "Keeping Yuwen Yue from sneaking up here to see A'Chu tonight."
Meng Feng's eyes widened.
"I'm sure that the master will do whatever's necessary to protect the woman he loves," she said.
"He's good at that," Yuan Song said, suddenly becoming a bit nervous.
"Yes, he is," Meng Feng said, unsure of what was bothering the prince.
To her surprise, he squared his shoulders and took a few steps towards her, stopping when he was just across from her. Her eyes widened as he took his burgundy cape in his hand and drew it around her before pulling her close with his arm. She stood stiffly in shock for a few seconds before melting against him, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his shoulder. The hardness of the armor didn't bother her in the slightest.
"So are you, Meng Feng," he said huskily as he rested his head on hers. "Thank you for protecting me. I never would've survived without you."
"I was just doing my job, Yuan Song," she said. "After all, that was my assignment."
"Is that really all you were doing, Meng Feng?" he asked softly. "Your job? Your assignment? Your duty?"
She released his waist and stepped back, surprising him as she backed her way out of his arm and cape.
"Of course not, Yuan Song," she said, looking him in the eye. "I was glad to protect you. After all, you're the future ruler of Yanbei, the close friend of my master, and...someone I've come to..."
Meng Feng looked down after saying that last part, her courage suddenly failing her.
I fought in a battle I thought I might not survive two days ago and I can't even speak clearly to the man I love. Not that Yuan Song seems to be able to say much, either…
"Hopefully I won't have to protect you anymore, though," she said into the silence. "Now that the war's over and the fighting's done..."
"Actually, Meng Feng, I was hoping..." Yuan Song trailed off, uncertainty written on his face. "I was hoping that you'd be willing to continue protecting me for a long time...the rest of your life, even."
Meng Feng felt here heart rate double as the implication of what might be happening hit her squarely in the chest like an arrow on a battlefield.
"I see," she said, keeping her voice steady. "So you want to hire me as the captain of your guard? I'm sure that Yuwen Yue would allow me to work for you in such a way."
"Actually, Meng Feng, I was hoping you'd take a more...hands-on role," Yuan Song said, shifting uneasily on his feet.
"Ah, like a personal guard, then," Meng Feng said, smiling.
Yuan Song blushed and ran his hand over his hair in an awkward, nervous manner that Meng Feng found adorably endearing.
"Um...yes...very personal."
"Like Yue Qi is for Young Master Yue?" Meng Feng couldn't resist asking.
"Um...actually...more like A'Chu is for Yuwen Yue."
"Or like I am for Yuwen Yue?"
The flustered look on Yuan Song's face made Meng Fung smile, but she decided to show mercy and stop teasing him.
At least he's not thinking about his sister anymore, she mused.
"Yuan Song, you could have any...guard you want now," she said, her smile fading. "Why would you choose me?"
"Because I already know who you are, Meng Feng," Yuan Song said. "Any other...guard would be someone I would be meeting for the first time—someone who might represent themselves dishonestly for money or political gain. I already know what you're capable of; I've seen it with my own eyes. I know we can work well together, can make things happen. Because you're the best...and I only want the best."
Yuan Song's voice had deepened as he'd told her these things until he'd said the last part in a low, husky tone. Meng Feng stared into his eyes, knowing that the next few minutes were going to shape her life profoundly.
"So I come highly recommended?" she asked, a small smile reemerging on her mouth.
"Nobody else even comes close to matching what I want in a...guard, Meng Feng," he said. "Besides, as I told my brother, you're my right hand. How could I go through the rest of my life without my right hand?"
"Everyone's going to be throwing their...guards at you, or trying to become one," Meng Feng said, wanting to address this particular issue now. "I understand the ways of the world. I know a man of your status will be expected to have many...guards. What makes you think that you'll be satisfied with someone like me when you end up with numerous...guards who aren't scarred-up killers?"
A gentle look of compassion formed on Yuan Song's face as he once again draped his cape around Meng Feng and tugged her close. He didn't pull her all the way to him, though, so that she could still look into his eyes.
"I already told you, Meng Feng, that I only want the best. If I have you to protect me, then why would I ever need anyone else? If you'll agree to become my personal guard, then I'll never need to hire another because I'll already have the very best. And as for scars...I probably have you beaten with..."
He trailed off as he cocked his head towards his right side, where she could now see the balled-up material that was stuffed in the right armhole of his armor.
"Some of the other applicants might have a problem with my scars, in fact," Yuan Song said.
"While I'm sure that would deal a damaging blow to you ego, I can't say I'd be sorry to see them feel that way," she said.
Yuan Song gave her a shy smile before going serious again.
"And as for being a killer...I've killed men, too, now," he said. "I killed them because I had to do so. I killed them because they were trying to kill me. I killed them because they were trying to kill you and the other people I care for. I didn't enjoy the killing any more than you did. I hope I never have to kill anyone again."
"You won't if I have anything to say about it," Meng Feng vowed. "That will be my job—as your personal guard, I mean."
"So you'll take the job?" Yuan Song asked. "Will you be my personal guard, Meng Feng?"
"That depends on the salary and benefits," Meng Feng said, smiling. "I want to make sure I won't be getting cheated, you know."
"I would never do such a thing, Meng Feng!" Yuan Song said dramatically. "You will, of course, have plenty of money for beautiful clothes and jewelry."
She stared at him blankly.
"Or weapons—or whatever you want!"
She smiled serenely.
"I suppose that's acceptable, although I've never been concerned with such things. Continue."
"Right. So...I can also offer you the opportunity to spend time with the upper echelons of Yanbei's government."
Meng Feng looked at him skeptically. Yuan Song sighed.
"Okay, so maybe that's not a selling point. Let's see...I can guarantee that you'll have full control over planning palace security."
She smiled widely at him, nodding her head.
"I offer you money and power and that's what you approve of most?"
"That's the only thing that matters to me," she said softly, winding her arms around his waist again.
"That's how I know you're right for this job, Meng Feng," Yuan Song said. "You're the only one who could ever fill this position so perfectly. You're the only one I could trust with my life—and myself. You're the only one I could ever want, Meng Feng."
Her throat closed, so all she could do was nod.
"Share my life with me," he whispered down at her, looking deeply into her eyes. "Help me rule Yanbei. Be my princess."
Tears filled her eyes as she nodded again, a wide, serene smile forming on her face. She closed the small distance between them and tightened her arms around his waist, resting her head on his shoulder again and closing her eyes in blissful happiness. He rubbed her back gently through the cape for a few moments before slowly sliding his arm up around her shoulders.
Meng Feng looked up at him in question, her mouth only a few inches from his as his intentions became obvious. His eyes suddenly filled with shyness and self-consciousness as he seemed to struggle with what to do next.
"I'm sorry I'll never be able to hold you like you should be held by a man, Meng Feng, but I promise I'll do my best to-"
Meng Feng unwound her arms from around his waist and put them behind the back of his neck instead. She pulled his head down those last few inches and kissed him, unwilling to allow him to see himself as anything less than the man that she knew him to be. His hand snaked into her hair as he angled her head just right and kissed her back, and time lost all meaning.
"Just like you, Yuan Song, I only want the best—and I've found him," she said softly after pulling back slightly.
She tilted her head up towards his again and moved closer, but to her surprise and dismay, he stepped back and stopped her. Frowning, she looked up at him in question. All of a sudden, a silly grin broke out on his face as he allowed his own joy to shine through.
"As much as I'd like to stand here and do this with you all day, Meng Feng, we probably should step back a bit from the edge of this ridge," he said, still grinning manically. "After all, kissing you is quite distracting, and falling to our deaths on our engagement day after surviving a terrible battle would be a terrible way to end our lives."
Meng Feng stared up at him in shock before breaking into peals of laughter, startling them both. She couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed so hard—or the last time she'd wanted to.
He brings that out in me, she acknowledged.
They walked back to the tree line, his arm around her shoulder and hers around his waist. The peaceful contentment that was radiating off of her beloved seemed almost out of place in an area that had recently represented only pain and death for them. His previous shyness had been replaced by an obvious confidence that warmed her in spite of the cold.
I bring that out in him, she thought, smiling.
Yuan Song stopped a short distance near the place where they'd found Chun'er and pulled her close to him again, resting his head on her hair.
"After you built the scarecrow-"
"We built the scarecrow," she interrupted him.
"After you built the scarecrow," he said again, looking down at her, "I told you that I was going to be like him, guarding this land. At the time, I had no idea how true that would become in a few short days—and how many other similarities that the scarecrow and I would share. When you set out to make him, the first thing you did was to give him a spine, the necessary support. Then you made sure that he had two arms so that he could do what was necessary. And then..."
His voice wavered a little bit, so Meng Feng tightened her grip around his waist.
"And then, you started working on his center. You made sure he had a heart, a core that could hold him together. And then you built him up and out, shaping him into the protector that he never could've become without your helping hand. And then…then you gave him eyes to see."
"You gave him eyes to see," she corrected gently, tears pooling in her eyes.
He started to refute the point, but then shrugged.
"Maybe that's why those eyes were looking at you, then," he said, his seriousness giving way to his irrepressible good nature as he grinned at her.
She shook her head and readied her reply, but before she could say anything, his lips covered hers again, no hesitation in the motion.
We bring out the best in each other, she thought before deciding that maybe leaving Xiuli Mountain could wait for a while after all.
"Chu Qiao!" a woman yelled.
"Chu Qiao, get up!"
She was so cold.
"Chu Qiao, wake up!"
The icy cold of the water sapped the warmth and life from her.
"X'er!" a different voice yelled.
Pain lanced through her chest.
"No, X'er!" the voice—a man—begged.
A pale face loomed before her; she kissed its lips passionately.
"Stay with me, X'er," he pleaded.
She fell to the ground, sword still in hand.
"X'er, you promised," he grated, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Yuwen Yue!" she remembered yelling.
"Get up!" he said brokenly.
Yuwen Yue! She thought hazily. That's who he is. I have to…
Chu Qiao's eyes flew open, and she was shocked to find herself surrounded not by frigid water but by blankets that smelled like…
She inhaled once, and her eyes widened.
I thought He Xiao survived, she thought in dismay. Was he hiding a wound from me? Or maybe there's some other explanation.
Her eyes adjusted to the dimness, and she realized that she was in the general's quarters of the crude barracks on Xiuli Mountain. More specifically, she was currently curled up in her commander's bed, which raised more questions than provided answers.
Not that he would hesitate to give me his bed if I needed it, she admitted.
"Yuwen Yue," she tried to say, but her throat was parched, so it only came out as a raspy whisper.
Chu Qiao turned her head to the right and felt instant relief when she saw her loaded small crossbow resting on a table within easy reach of her hand. A couple of her assassin's knives were resting beside it, cleaned and ready for action. Propped up against the table was the familiar, comforting presence of Can Hong Jian, the sight of which brought a mist of tears to her eyes.
Footsteps sounded outside her door, and all sentiments fled as she instinctively reached for her crossbow. A bolt of pain ripped through her chest and shoulder area as she did so, but she neither cried out nor stopped going for her weapon of choice. She had the crossbow aimed at the entrance to the room with her finger on the trigger by time the intruder walked through the door.
"Don't shoot, Chu Da Ren!" He Xiao said, his eyes widening in a way that would've made her laugh under other circumstances.
"S-sorry," she rasped, setting the crossbow by her side with relief. "Didn't know...can't talk...thirsty."
"I'll get you some water, Chu Da Ren," He Xiao said, leaving before she could say anything more.
Chu Qiao leaned her head back against the pillow, unsure of where her commander was going and who he'd bring back with her. To her relief—or was it disappointment?-he came back almost immediately with just a simple clay bowl of water in his hand. He set it down on the table and carefully helped her into a sitting position, holding the bowl out to her. She took it from him and drank greedily, sighing with disappointment when she reached its bottom all too quickly. He Xiao rose to refill it, but she stopped him.
"Don't worry, He Xiao," she said. "Water can wait. Tell me the news first."
Her commander hesitated, and her heart sank. He still found a smile, though, and told her the answer to the main question she'd had.
"Yuwen Yue's alive," he said. "He's down the mountain in a camp set up at its base. He woke up yesterday for a bit and was able to eat and drink a little, but then he fell back asleep and slept the rest of the day and night. Yue Qi tells me that they expect him to make a full recovery."
Chu Qiao closed her eyes, relief blooming within her. She could tell that He Xiao had some painful news to tell her, but the man she loved was safe, so she could face anything.
"Miss Yu and Mister Wu are alive and relatively well. Prince Yuan Song and Meng Feng are alive, although Meng Feng took a nasty gut slice from a battle axe that will likely hurt for some time."
Her eyes flew back open as a suspicion began to grow within her.
"A battle axe?" she asked, dread pooling in her stomach. "Not many Yanbei warriors would fight with a weapon like that."
He Xiao hesitated, and Chu Qiao closed her eyes again, tears filling them this time.
"A'Jing?" she asked stoically after reopening her eyes.
"Meng Feng killed him at the base of the mountain. Apparently he attacked them—or, more specifically, he attacked the prince."
Chu Qiao took a few moments to honor the memory of the man who had once been one of only a few people who had stood by Yan Xun in his gilded cage. Part of her regretted not being able to save her friend, but the rest of her stood by her and Zhong Yu's instinctive feeling that he not only wouldn't have come over to their side but might've warned Yan Xun about their activities.
"What about the Xiulis?" she asked, bracing herself for more bad news.
He Xiao was silent for a number of moments. Chu Qiao lowered her head in sorrow and shame, knowing that she'd completely failed the men she'd tried so hard to protect.
"I'm sorry, He Xiao," she whispered. "No more of you were supposed to die. This was supposed to be a peaceful transfer of power—although maybe that was only ever a dream in the first place. Either way, I shouldn't have involved you—any of you."
"Do you really think we would've let you attempt such a thing without us, Chu Da Ren?" He Xiao asked. "When have we ever let you go into battle without us there to protect you?"
"You weren't supposed to protect me!" she said, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I was supposed to protect you!"
"No, Chu Da Ren," He Xiao said, coming closer to the bed. "You weren't supposed to protect us. You were supposed to lead us—and you did."
"Straight to your deaths," she muttered.
"Yes, straight to the honorable deaths that many of us never would've gotten otherwise," He Xiao said. "Had you not done something, Yan Xun and Cheng Yuan would've killed us bit by bit until we were no more. At least many of my—of our—men got to die with swords in hand fighting for a just cause. Just think of it, Chu Da Ren. A little more than a hundred soldiers and a handful of pugilists managed to hold off thousands of Yanbei troops until Yuwen Yue's people showed up. This was truly a great victory."
"How many survived, He Xiao?" Chu Qiao asked, unwilling to wax poetical about war at the moment.
"Roughly forty," he said. "Some of those are injured severely enough that they'll never be able to fight again; others have had enough of war and are going to retire. The rest of us..."
"I'll take care of you, He Xiao," Chu Qiao vowed tearfully. "You don't have to worry."
He Xiao smiled softly at her.
"I'm not worried, Chu Da Ren. I never have been."
"Who else?" Chu Qiao asked, wiping her eyes in irritation.
"There was a battle up on one of the ridges between the Liang princess and Xia Chong."
"Xia Chong?!" Chu Qiao asked, eyes widening at the news that the woman who had saved her life not long before she'd lost her memories had shown up at this battle. "Was that really her? I couldn't tell from where I was, but I thought I saw someone else using Ice Martial Arts techniques up there."
"Yes, it was really her," He Xiao confirmed. "Xiao Yu hurt her pretty badly, but Mister Wu thinks she'll recover eventually."
Chu Qiao noticed that her commander suddenly seemed to be uncomfortable, but in a different way than he'd been when talking about the deaths. She didn't know why talking about Xia Chong would make him fidget like that, but she shrugged it off and moved on.
"And Xiao Yu?"
"Dead," he confirmed.
She smiled for the first time since waking up, satisfied that the woman who had caused so many problems for all of them had met a fitting end and wouldn't be troubling them any longer.
"So Xia Chong killed Xiao Yu? That's twice I owe her now."
"Actually, Chu Da Ren, Xia Chong didn't kill Xiao Yu. It was...Chu Da Ren, it was Princess Chun'er who killed Xiao Yu. She shot her in the chest with a small crossbow."
Chu Qiao gaped in what she knew to be a ridiculous fashion, but her mind was having a hard time processing what He Xiao was telling her.
"So she killed both Yan Xun and Xiao Yu," she whispered. "Incredible."
He Xiao clearly didn't know what to say to that, so Chu Qiao moved on.
"Make sure that Xia Chong receives the best medical care possible, He Xiao."
Her commander looked at her in startlement.
"Actually, Chu Da Ren, Phoenix has taken over her treatment herself, especially since she now has the really good medicine that Prince Xiang gave us."
"Prince Xiang?!" Chu Qiao said, bolting upright in bed. "What's he doing here? Was he…? Was there another battle?"
"Nothing bad happened, Chu Da Ren," He Xiao soothed. "He showed up to conquer Yanbei, but Prince Yuan Song managed to talk him out of it."
Chu Qiao felt a warm glow erupt inside of her as she acknowledged that, while she may have gotten the Xiulis slaughtered, at least she'd been right about her old friend.
"You were right about him, after all, Chu Da Ren," He Xiao said. "He will be an excellent ruler of Yanbei—and Meng Feng will be an excellent princess if he has anything to say about it, I think."
Her eyes widened, and she felt herself tiring even more. All of this news was overwhelming her, and the pull of oblivion was overpowering her despite her best efforts.
"Chu Da Ren, I need to get Mister Wu now since you're obviously tiring," her commander said. "I was supposed to get him when you first woke up, but..."
"Thanks for telling me the truth, He Xiao," she said, her eyes drooping. "You were telling me the truth about Yuwen Yue, weren't you? He's really going to be okay?"
He Xiao smiled at her tenderly.
"He's really going to be okay, Chu Da Ren. You're going to live—both of you. In fact, he's the one who made Yue Qi bring your weapons up here because he knew you'd want them. Yue Qi said that Young Master Yue was particularly adamant that your sword be placed nearby where you could see it easily even if you couldn't use it."
Her heart melted at the obvious love and care that her beloved had demonstrated towards her even when he was injured. She wished she could do something in return, but she had nothing to offer him. Chu Qiao's eyes roamed the room in search of something, anything. They landed on the table with her weapons on them—but also a small square of white cloth resting next to them.
Eyes widening in astonishment, she reached out towards the handkerchief that she vaguely remembered having been covered in her blood the last time she'd seen it. The motion caused her breath to hitch, however, and He Xiao sprang into action, handing her the handkerchief. She caressed it lovingly before placing it gently under her cheek, smiling softly all the while.
"He Xiao, come get this handkerchief in a few hours," she said, unable to keep her eyes open much longer. "Take it to Yuwen Yue; he'll understand."
"I could take it now, if you'd like, Chu Da Ren. After all, I have to get Mister Wu so that he can look you over."
Chu Qiao smiled, knowing that Mister Wu's evaluation was going to have to wait for later. She also understood that her commander would find the reason for her actions with the handkerchief awkward, but she knew she didn't have time to explain them in a longer, more tactful way.
"You can't take it now, He Xiao," she mumbled, eyes closing. "If you do, it won't smell enough like me."
She smiled as the sound of her commander's strangled cough took her mind back to the inside of a certain cave right before unconsciousness claimed her again.
He Xiao headed to the infirmary full of mixed feelings. On the one hand, he was elated that his general had woken up for a few minutes and had seemed like she was going to recover, but on the other...He winced as he imagined the tongue-lashing he'd likely receive from both Mister Wu and Phoenix. What was he supposed to have done, though? Chu Da Ren had given him an order, and…
He shrugged, figuring that he could live through a tirade after surviving both the Battle of Xiuli Mountain, as he'd heard people calling it already, and the medical battle for the lives of his people. Some of the things that he'd seen and done over the past several days seemed extraordinary and even ridiculous to the degree that part of him wondered if some of those events had even happened.
The infirmary came in sight, and he stopped pondering things he couldn't change. The past was in the past, after all, and now he was looking to the future. He Xiao did his best to ignore the unsettled feeling in his insides as he walked inside the infirmary and saw her.
Instead of going over to her immediately as he felt compelled to do for some unknown reason, he forced himself to walk over to where Mister Wu and Phoenix were standing talking about something-or-other. The soldier figured out that he needed to take his lumps before spending time in the pleasurable company of Miss Chong—and the somewhat less-pleasurable company of his men.
Not that I don't care about my men, but they sure do love to draw ridiculous conclusions about my visits to Miss Chong, he thought as he relayed the news about Chu Da Ren to the two pugilists.
They were predictably upset at him, and he endured their scolding with equanimity. Once the fussing was done and they'd both left to go check on their charge, He Xiao walked over to the corner where some of his men were convalescing—along with her. The Xiulis saw him coming over and snickered, a few of them even making somewhat insulting assumptions about his motives for being there.
"And here I thought you'd like to hear my news about Chu Da Ren," he said, scowling fiercely at them. "I guess I'll just turn around and leave you wondering how she's doing."
A chorus of protests and apologies erupted behind him, and among them was her voice telling him that he should ignore these idiots and at least tell her what was going on. He couldn't resist such a plea, so he relented and turned back around.
The roar that erupted from the throats of his men when he told them that Chu Da Ren had awakened and conversed with him was loud enough to bring some of the guards in. They whooped in delight as well and ran back outside to spread the news. He Xiao could hear the news being shouted all over the camp, and he shook his head.
His men had a bevy of questions to ask him about their beloved general, and he answered them all patiently. He Xiao couldn't prevent his mind from drifting to thoughts of her as he was already looking forward to talking with her again. He had no idea why she affected him so, especially since he'd only known her for a few days.
"So Chu Da Ren has sprouted wings and can fly?"
"Mm," He Xiao answered absent-mindedly.
I know what most people would think, he admitted. My men have already hinted at it right in front of Miss Chong, in fact; but they're wrong. She may look like Chu Da Ren, but the way she makes me feel when I spend time with her is completely different.
"So Chu Da Ren is going to hold an expensive funeral for Cheng Yuan?"
"Of course," He Xiao answered, his mind thinking of topics to broach with Miss Chong.
I wish we could be alone so that I could ask her about her connection with Chu Da Ren. Whatever Miss Chong did for her in the past made Chu Da Ren get that protective expression on her face, which was good enough of a character endorsement for me.
"So Chu Da Ren's going to marry Prince Xiang and possibly become the future empress of Wei?"
"Ye—what?! No! Of course not!" he sputtered indignantly.
His men laughed at him and he glowered at them; they didn't seem even remotely intimidated. Gathering as much dignity as he could muster, he turned his back on them and turned around to face her. Miss Chong gave him a small, crabbed smile from her bed that made him grin in response. He sat down in a chair near the bed, ignoring the chuckles of his men. As they began to converse about this and that, He Xiao mentally shrugged and let his questions go for the moment.
Why waste time trying to figure out my reasons for feeling this way about her? After all, I didn't even expect to survive the battle a few days ago, yet here I am. Now I'm getting to enjoy life for once; I'll just take this path and find out where it leads later.
He Xiao grinned fiercely as he related the story of Chu Da Ren almost shooting him with her crossbow, complete with appropriate expressions and motions on his part. Her low, somewhat scratchy chuckle made him smile all the more—and vow to live well in memory of the men who could no longer do so.
Yuwen Yue paced around the large camp at the base of Xiuli Mountain, trying to appear busy but figuring that he probably wasn't fooling anyone. After all, His Highness had given him strict orders to do nothing but convalesce, so he'd stuck to eating, drinking medicine and water, meditating, and taking short walks around the part of the camp that was nearest to the mouth of the main pass.
The spymaster scowled as he remembered the humiliation of waking up to see the light of dawn seeping through the walls of his tent and realizing that he'd slept through all of the late evening and night. He'd glared at Yue Qi for allowing him to fall back asleep after he'd eaten a small meal and taken his medicine, especially since his right hand had known of his intentions to go to Xing'er at night. His faithful servant had calmly told him that he was going to need a lot of strength to sneak up the mountain and that Xing'er hadn't awakened at all yesterday anyway.
That's not the point, he mentally growled in frustration. I have to be with her, to make sure that she stays with me and lives on—that we live on together.
His eyes strayed once more to the entrance to the pass, and his mind took him back to late yesterday afternoon when he'd been able to spend a small amount of time outside before his desire to sleep had overwhelmed him. The Wei soldiers had set up a wagon that could take injured but recovering people down the mountain to the lower camp, which they did several times a day. The ride was bumpy and uncomfortable, but most who took it felt it to be worthwhile in order to be off of that frigid, forbidding mountain.
A commotion had arisen after its final arrival down the mountain for the day as both Yuan Song and Meng Feng had been helped off of it. While there had been nothing inappropriate about their seating arrangement, most who saw them had been able to tell that that they were now together. There'd seemed to be something deeper about their relationship than there had been before, and Yuwen Yue had little doubt that Yuan Song would be talking to his older brother quite soon.
Yuwen Yue grimaced as he imagined that particular conversation taking place.
Prince Xiang didn't even approve of Xing'er as a suitable choice of bride for me, so I know that he'll react badly to the notion of Meng Feng as a suitable wife for his own brother. I understand Xiang's position; after all, it's the same one that most of our society holds. Her connections are lacking, so the most that she should ever be able to be for a royal like Yuan Song is a concubine. And yet, I would never consider making Xing'er anything other than my one and only wife, so how could I blame him for likely wanting to do the same thing with Meng Feng?
Motion at the head of the pass banished all thoughts of anyone but one person from his mind. The runner was dressed as a Xiuli and was barreling down the pathway as if a pack of wolves were at his heels. He seemed to be scanning the faces near the mouth of the pass, and Yuwen Yue found his feet moving him forward almost of their own accord. The man's eyes met his own, and Yuwen Yue almost passed out as the Xiuli's face broke out in an enormous grin.
To the outside world, Young Master Yue was as unperturbed and serene as ever, but inwardly, Yuwen Yue was almost weeping from relief. As the Xiuli staggered up to him, Yuwen Yue allowed the man to have a few moments to catch his breath.
"Chu Da Ren...woke up," he gasped out. "He Xiao...talked to her...said she was...aware of everything...alert...concerned about her people...and about you especially...Young Master Yue."
Yuwen Yue thanked the man, more to give him further opportunity to rest than anything else.
"She wanted to know...about the battle," the soldier said. "Who lived...who died..that sort of thing. He Xiao said he told her most things...but not everything."
"I take it he didn't tell her about the blood transfers," he said wryly.
"I wouldn't know, Young Master Yue," the man said. "Mister Wu and Phoenix checked her over... although she'd fallen back asleep by that point. I don't think they were pleased...about He Xiao not getting them immediately."
"I suppose they weren't," Yuwen Yue said, smirking inwardly as he visualized the prickly Underworld leader not getting her way.
The soldier had recovered somewhat from his sprint down the mountain, but Yuwen Yue could tell that the man probably needed longer to replenish his strength than he'd gotten.
"Would you like to go to the mess tent for some warm food and wine?" Yuwen Yue asked the man. "You could at least get out of the cold for a while."
"Thank you for offering, Young Master Yue, but I must get back to my post," the soldier said, clasping his sword in his hands and bowing. "We all take Chu Da Ren's safety seriously, you know, and there are plenty of threats lurking around here still. Nobody will be able to sneak past us, that's for sure."
"Your dedication does you credit," Yuwen Yue said, inclining his head and thinking of the black robes folded up in his tent. "You may leave first."
The soldier went to bow again, but before he did so, he jerked a little and sheepishly pulled out a small, flat package.
"I'm sorry, Young Master Yue, but I almost forgot to give this to you," he said, handing the spymaster the package. "He Xiao told me to hand this to you personally and to tell you that Chu Da Ren wanted to you have it because, as she said, 'Yuwen Yue will understand.' He also said to make sure to tell you that she was grateful for her weapons—especially the sword."
Yuwen Yue thanked the soldier and dismissed him again, eagerly walking back to his own tent so that he could open Xing'er's package in private. He had no idea what his beloved had managed to find to give him in such a short amount of time, but he knew better than most just how resourceful his Xing'er could be when she put her mind to something.
The entrance to the tent closed behind him, so Yuwen Yue carefully opened the small package. His breath caught as he recognized their handkerchief, and his nostrils flared as he detected Xing'er's scent on it.
She must have kept the handkerchief close by, perhaps on the table near her bed.
He held the square of soft fabric to his nose and inhaled, his nostrils flaring even more as he recognized stronger, more complex scents than he'd been expecting.
These are not the kinds of smells that the handkerchief could've picked up by sitting on a nearby surface, the spymaster concluded, inhaling his beloved's scent again. In fact, the only way that this handkerchief could smell just like this is if it had spent at least several hours in Xing'er's hands—or, perhaps, tucked under her head and cheek.
Yuwen Yue's eyes darkened as the meaning of his beloved's message hit him. While he knew Xing'er to be somewhat inept at verbally expressing her feelings, she'd managed to send him a simple yet profound gift that had conveyed so much with so little. The gift was Xing'er through and through, and his heart swelled with tenderness for the woman he loved.
His resolve strengthened, and he walked over to his bed at sat down on it, crossing his legs and properly positioning his hands. He began to center himself, knowing that he was going to need every bit of strength in order to carry out his plans for tonight. Images of his beloved, his black robes, and a small wooden box flitted through his mind as he waited for the appearance of the moon and stars.
AN: Now we're getting to the part y'all want to read, right? YWY is as tired of the XingYue separation as the rest of us, and he's ready and able to take matters into his own hands. Next week: XingYue proposal (Whoopsie. Did I really type that? I guess my fingers slipped.) The week after: XingYue gets busted; historically inaccurate fan-service ensues. Three weeks out: Life really starts moving on; more kissing ensues. Four weeks out: They finally get off the mountain and stuff? (Seriously, this part of the outline's only half-baked—kinda like me.)
Musical selections: In terms of capturing the mood at the end of this chapter, "Bring Me the Night" by Sam Tsui and Kina Grannis works well. Bonus: There's a song simply entitled "Warrior" by Beth Crowley that I've been sitting on for awhile now. It's long given me XingYue feels, but I didn't know quite where to list it. I gave this chapter the nod due to the last part (although you could also apply the last part to the icy lake).
Translation/fic updates: Ddmcmc has posted a new chapter recap at yunshengw dot wordpress dot com, and Angel Chua continues to update her fanfiction, "Secret Princess," at princessagents dot wordpress dot com.