Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Xiao Shuai, wake up, wake up. We need to leave. Wake up.”

Xiao Shuai woke at the insistent voice; skin prickling with cool sweat. There was a moment of disorientation, mind sluggish with the vestiges of sleep, before he realized there was a hulking figure above him in the darkness, hand clamped on his shoulder.

Xiao Shuai’s muscles tensed in shock, mouth open to call out, when a hand clamped over his mouth, fingers digging into his flesh tight enough to leave red prints in their wake. Honeyed brown eyes shimmered liquid in the half light of early morning, as he gazed at dark figure looming over him. His tense frame relaxed as he could make out the stern face of Wang Zhen, Captain of his personal guard standing over his bed. 

Once Wang Zhen had his prince's attention, the hand fell away long enough for Xiao Shuai to gasp, “Wang ge, what were you thinking scaring me like that ? What’s going on?”

Wang Zhen moved away from the bed, allowing Xiaoshuai to sit up and reach out to the oil lamp on his bedside table. The pale yellow light illuminated his rooms and allowed the prince to see Wang Zhen cross the room to the ornate wardrobes on the opposite side of the room and began rifling through the items inside. He picked out a long hooded deep blue traveling cloak, dark riding pants and a thick grey robe.

“Hurry and change,” the older man said gruffly. “We need to leave.” He returned to the bed and chucked the clothes at his lord.  

Xiaoshuai managed to catch them before they hit his face and slipped out from under the quilt. Pulling the woolen robe over his head, he asked, " I don’t understand...”

Wang Zhen paused, eyes flicking to Xiao Shuai before skittering away. “ The Crownprince fell at the gates of Chang'an.”

Wang Zhen's words hit Xiaoshuai like a physical blow. Like a knife between the ribs, a puncture to the lungs. He wanted to flinch away from it, to let go of his magic and destroy everything around him, revolt against it all. But he didn't. He clamped down on his emotions. Hard. He tasted blood, metallic and bitter in his mouth with the effort of keeping his magic behind carefully constructed walls of iron will and restraint. "When?" Xiao Shuai choked, his voice rough like sandpaper in his throat.

For the first time since Xiaoshuai woke, Wang Zhen’s face softened in the face of his Prince’s obvious distress. “No more than an a day. Our spies were first to get the news. We need to leave before the army couriers bring the official announcement.” He picked up the riding pants and held them out for Xiao Shuai to take and put on.

Xiao Shuai took them with numb fingers, fumbling with the material. “Bu...but.... Chengyu wr....wrote  we we...were winning.”

Wang Zhen shrugged stiffly. “ Fifty thousand strong Joseon army ambushed them in the cover of the night. Even Zhou's God of War cannot beat those odds. He died at the citygates after successfully defending the city and that means we need to leave. Right now.”

He couldn’t fathom the idea of his betrothed getting hurt much less falling in battle. Before Guo Chengyu left to Chang'an, they had spent the evening in the palace library, Chengyu reading to him from a book of old folk tales, Xiaoshuai’s head pillowed in his lap as he listened. The upcoming battle was nothing more than a dark thought, to be dealt quickly but unimportant in the grand scheme of things. With the continued peace, it was just an unpleasant skirmish that slipped away the more he had thought on it. Intangible. Unreal.

But now, mere weeks since their parting, his love is no more. His beloved’s passing would herald strife in Zhou empire. Everything that had happened before was now utterly meaningless. The hard-earned peace for his homeland will crumble to dust as the remaining princes battle for crown prince position. The killing was about to begin.

Xiaoshuai stood up from the bed and pulled the breeches over his naked legs with short jerky movements. “The Emperor...? What of- What of-” Chi Cheng. 

“The ailing Emperor is bedridden with the mad prince controlling the inner court in absence of crownprince. No doubt his men will have informed him of crown-prince's death by now,” Wang Zhen replied. “Please, my Prince. We must get you to safety. Your life is in danger if we stay here any longer.”

“I....ye...,” Xiao Shuai stuttered wiping his tears, grabbing for his cloak and throwing it around his shoulders, all the while seeking out his riding boots that he had abandoned somewhere under his bed. Now was not the time for him to fall apart.

His eyes were soon drawn to the open doorway of his chambers, lamplight casting long flickering shadows on the guard posted at his doorway. He was in the copper red armor of Yue, his mother’s tribe, the wolf crest emblazoned on the chest plate as a point of pride. The guard stood facing the hallway, his sword drawn and watching intently, listening out for any sound of anyone that would do them harm.

No guard was allowed to draw their sword in the palace unless under attack. It was the sight of the gleaming blade in the guard’s hand that had Xiaoshuai’s heart hammering in his chest with the onset of fear. 

When Xiaoshuai had located his boots and slid them on clumsily without lacing them up, Wang Zhen urged him on, “We have to go now, Shuai,” and Xiaoshuai could only nod his head. He didnot trust himself to speak without bursting into tears. 

He followed the older man out of his chambers and they were then joined by the guard at the door. Wang Zhen led the way and the guard brought up the rear with Xiao Shuai in the middle. They went on silent feet, along torch lit corridors and down the stone steps towards the high walled gates of the golden palace. 

They met no one on their journey. No servants hurried about their duties, no other guards were seen along their route to mark their passing, Xiao Shuai shivered at the unnatural quiet of the palace. The stillness was alien to him, it held anticipation, like a deep breath before the plunge. It waited for something. There had always been noise in the palace, servants and guards moving around at all hours of the night. It appeared that the news of the crown prince’s death had spread faster than they had thought and now they were all in hiding. 

Hiding until royal blood was spilled on the flagstone and it was safe to come out and join the revelry of the victorious prince.

The long corridors finally ended and they were out into the open courtyard. Wang Zhen paused in the gateway, eyes darting about to check if the coast was clear, before herding Xiao Shuai across the cobblestones to where the five others of the prince’s guard were already waiting on saddled horses. 

Wang Zhen held out the reins of a riderless horse for Xiao Shuai to take. As he took it in his hands, a ringing clang of the tower bell rang out. The sound was low, sonorous heralding the death of the Zhou Emperor(The Palace guard will ring it in the name of their Emperor for the rest of the day, helping his spirit pass on to the next life that awaited him) It raised the hairs on the back of Xiao Shuai’s neck.

Xiao Shuai didn’t mourn the man. The Zhou Emperor had been polite but distant since Xiao Shuai first came to reside in the golden palace. He hated the man for stealing him from his homeland(in the name of peace) blamed him for his tribe's suffering. The Emperor took great enjoyment in pitting his four heirs against each other. It built character, he would say to anyone that would listen to him on the subject. It sorted the strong from the weak. 

No, there would be no mourning for the cruel man, not now, not ever. His death only meant the end of protection of Xiao Shuai’s tribe.

If his tribe is to stand any chance of surviving the fight of succession between the three princes, he needs to run away and not be captured to be used as a pawn. So fleeing for his life from it all is his only choice.

Xiao Shuai gripped the reins in trembling hands and mounted the horse, Wang Zhen and the guard quickly doing the same. They all formed a protective circle around him on silent command from Wang Zhen, swords drawn with a ringing hiss, like they were expecting to fight their way out of the gates and beyond.

Xiao Shuai looked at Wang Zhen, his square jaw remained firm and resolute, urging his horse forward. “I won’t take any chances with your life, Prince. Stay close to me and stay low in your saddle.”

The group moved as one into a light trot, the sounds of their horse’s hooves striking the cobblestones made silent by the ringing of the bells. Xiao Shuai’s panicked breath misted in the chilled January air, the cold pricking like needles against the exposed skin of his cheeks and the knuckles of his hands, turning them bright pink. In the rush of getting away, he had not thought to bring gloves with him.

Or anything, really. He had left everything behind, all of his books, his scrolls....

“Halt there!”

The authoritative voice rose above the bells and Xiao Shuai couldn’t help but turn in his saddle and to look back over his shoulder.

At the doorway that they had exited, stood the tall figure of Chi Cheng’s Captain of guard, the unmistakable black armour that swallowed up all colour around it, the late empress' pheonix crest etched into his breastplate in bright silver. 

His sword was drawn at his side and Xiao Shuai felt sick when he saw the blade was wet with the unmistakable dark red of blood. 

Wang Zhen cursed and spurred his horse on faster by digging the heel of his boots into its sides, the rest following suit, Xiao Shuais’s horse responding without any prompting from his own boots.  

“You shall go no further!” The Captain yelled.

“Like hell we won’t!” Wang Zhen growled and they did not stop, not when they thundered out of the courtyard and across the bridge towards the palace gates. The drawbridge had not been raised and the gatekeepers stood frozen in place as they watched the procession coming straight for them at top speed. 

The Captain called out again, this time to urge the gatekeepers into motion. “In the name of Prince Chi Cheng, stop them!”

“In the name of Crown prince Guo Chengyu, let us pass!” Wang Zhen roared back.

While Wang Zhen was incredibly impressive in his rage when he put his mind to it, it was more to do with the fact of large beasts speeding towards them that made the gatekeepers dive out of the way. Xiao Shuai’s guard made rallying cries as they passed over the drawbridge and out the castle grounds towards the promise of safety.

Away from danger and death.

Away from the only home Xiao Shuai knew for the past decade.

Away from Guo Chengyu and the memories they made together.

Away from Chi Cheng.

Chapter Text

[[]]

High in the treacherous, ice bound peaks of Jengshi cho, shrouded in perpetual ice blizzards and guarded by ancient magic lies the homelands of Yue tribe. Craved directly into living rock and ice of the highest summit, their capital Anyang, is a marvel of beauty and magicks.

The Yue tribe are people forged by the harsh icy terrain. They are resilient and diligent, worshiping the mountain spirits and mythical white wolves that are said to guide lost souls. Their eyes, a striking pale golden or grey, give them the ability to see through the icy blizzards and the glare of endless snow. They dressed in heavy, layered furs, decorated with intricate depictions of great beasts and protective runes. They wore their hair long, neatly braided with silver and sparkling trinkets framing their delicate faces and large expressive eyes.

The Yue were skilled diviners, with ability to seek mountain and wind spirits to interpret omens. They were once called “Whisperers of the World”, feared and sought after by the outside world for their magical prowess and delicate willowy beauty. In ancient times, the Yue shamans adorned the court of powerful rulers, conducting rituals to appease ancestor spirits, and guide the people to the right path.

^

To the east of perilous Jengshi Chou, where the icy grip of peaks begins to loosen, lies the sprawling, sun kissed kingdom of Zhou. To its northeast, the Great Yellow river craves a winding path, its waters thick with yellow silt washed down from distant plateaus, providing life to the fertile plains that stretched along its bank. To the south, the land gradually descends to the embrace of warm, turquoise sea, where Zhou's coastal region bustle with trade and navy fleets.

The contrast between Yue and Zhou couldn't be any starker. Zhou is a land of vibrant hues, golden fields of grains, sun baked terracotta buildings, and shimmering blue of sea. Its people a hardy folk, their skin tanned, their hair darker and their clothing light, favoring linen and cotton to furs.

However, the prosperity of Zhou is overshadowed by the iron fist rule of its ruler, Emperor Qin Shi Xia. Emperor ShiXia was a man of insatiable appetite and chilling ruthlessness. He inherited an empire already strong, but his reign had been marked with brutal expansion, tryanny and oppressed populace.

He had a particular obsession with Yue tribe, launching 19 armed expeditions into the ice crusted peaks. Zhou's strongest generals and powerful warlocks whittled at Anyang's icy defenses until the Yue grudgingly bartered a hundred of their brightest rune-workers and their precious prince in peace.

*

Emperor Shi Xia sought many a beautiful, virtuous men and women from the powerful clans that made up his court into his harem to sire as many heirs as he could. These young men and women would all be the best; exquisite breeding stock that the empire had to offer. Ofcourse, they carried the strongest of magicks their clans often boasted, from divination, rune scribing, to mind manipulation, psychokinesis, and elemental manipulation.

In the Emperor's harem, it was noble concubine Guo that gave ShiXia his first son, Guo Chengyu. Guo ChengYu, the oldest and the strongest of his sons, had always been Shi Xia’s favorite. He was tall and broad like the King, but took after his mother with olive complexion, dark black hair and piercing phoenix eyes. The Guo clan were renowned for their mind manipulation and Chengyu was the strongest of his generation. He was stunning, his charm effortless, radiating a strong warm presence that lights up any room he enters.

A year after Chengyu’s birth, the Empress Chi Wen Yu gave birth to Chi Cheng followed by noble consort Wang giving birth to twins Wang Yue Yue and Wang Longzhen Long. The twins shared their father's complexion and light changeable eyes, much like their personalities. Yue Yue, enjoyed torturing the servants with her cruel sense of humor and her overinflated ego, and Longzhen, excelled at the word games and the backstabbing of court politics. Their magic was elemental based, Yue Yue’s affinity with water and Longzhen’ affinity was lightening. When they fought together, they could combine their powers that caused utter devastation in their wake.

Then came hostage Prince Xiao Shuai, born of Yue, and a very reluctant ward of Emperor ShiXia. He was the youngest of the Zhou princes and the most insignificant on account of hailing from the defeated icy kingdom. Xiao Shuai was as pale and ethereal as his snowy brethren. However he had a subtle glow about him, as if he was imbued with starlight or the magic of the world. Unlike the Yue tribe's dark silken waterfall of hair; his hair was brown with curls that quickly turned to a nuisance if not properly cared for. His hair is so light, it almost appeared blonde. He kept it long in the style of the mountain people, which caused YueYue to wrap it around her fist and yank on it when they were children.

*

From an early age, the Zhou princes were subjected to what it meant to be a Prince of Zhou, to be schooled in what it would take to be the King. They were half brothers, they shared their father’s blood, but none of the familial bonds that came with it. Brother was pitted against brother, distrust of each other colored their every interaction, friendly competition turned to games with deadly intent.

As a hostage prince, Xiao Shuai was barred from practicing either sword or axe or spear, he only had a middling proficiency with the short bow. His magic was more of a defensive nature, leaning towards runes and divining that his people practiced commonly, rather than the offensive talents of other princes. Which, to Xiao Shuai, was a good thing as he found fighting in any capacity abhorrent.

^

The Chi were the oldest and most powerful of the noble clans in the empire. To the open world, they are renowned for their mastery of psychokinesis but underneath the reverence, dark whispers followed them- tales of unnatural power, of wicked curses befalling those who displeased them. They were a enigma, who conversed with shadows and dead.

So when Chi Wen Yu set her sights on Emperor Shi Xia, none of the court noble dared to stand in opposition. In a year's time she gave birth to a male heir and was crowned the Empress of Zhou.

The court, despite his tender age viewed Chi Cheng with a mixture of profound unease and a desperate, forced reverence. He was true embodiment of a Chi, his presence casting long, fearful shadows in the hearts of palace nobles. Tales of his wicked power, his temper, of shadows that danced around him preceded him like a chilling gust of wind. Even the Queen, his own mother, approached him with cautious tenderness, a flicker of fear in her heart.

As he matured his reputation grew alongside him. His name whispered, always accompanied by a shiver of fear and disgust. No one dared to meet his gaze, his eyes a startling shade of emerald, seeming to pierce through flesh and bone, delving into the deepest recess of one soul.He moved like a specter, his presence heralded by sudden chill in the room and flickering lamps. He spoke rarely, and when he did, his voice was low, a sibilant murmur that sent chills down the spine of those unfortunate enough to hear it. He was the antithesis of a royal, a dark shadow to the forever blinding Crown prince.

*

Surprisingly, Chi Cheng was the first one to reach out to Young Xiao Shuai when the snowy prince arrived in Zhou. He was the one to put a stop to the twins' endless cruel jokes on the foreign prince. It was Chi Cheng who had shown him some semblance of kindness, of friendship as Young Xiaoshuai navigated his new life as the golden palace's hostage prince. Chi Cheng had spent time with Xiaoshuai outside of their studies, and while it alarmed their minders and tutors; they didnot dare to voice their disapproval.

When Xiao Shuai was nine summers old, he had watched Chi Cheng take a imperial guard apart with his magic from twenty feet away, the man’s screams rent the air, becoming an unwanted constant companion in Xiao Shuai’s dreams for weeks after. Chi Cheng had been sixteen at the time.

It was made worse when Xiao Shuai contracted the burning sickness soon after, the imperial healers washed their hands off the sick prince. Rumors spread through the King’s court that it was Chi Cheng's doing. It was a tense period with murmurings of war with the icy kingdom on the horizon. Against all odds, Xiaoshuai had survived. And Chi Cheng never set foot in the young prince's wing since that day.

After his recovery, Xiaoshuai sought out Chi Cheng, but never in his nine years of life, had he pictured those emerald eyes harden against him as the older prince reached for his whip to strike Xiao Shuai down. 

Any hope for their friendship, a last act of kindness were dashed as Chi Cheng began tormenting Xiaoshuai with vicious pranks and sadistic glee. Many a time Chi Cheng's Captain of guard had to step in before Chi Cheng caused permanent damage to the young child leaving Xiaoshuai to wonder; what was he to Chi Cheng?

Even now, after all these years, Xiao Shuai had no idea what made Chi Cheng change his attitude towards him.

[[]]

Chapter Text

An an hour of riding, they left the capital behind them and the city scenery soon gave way to the rolling hills of the countryside with sparse villages that had cropped up along the official road. Wang Zhen soon led them off-road to follow a dirt-path to their left. Xiaoshuai didn’t question where they were going as he trusted Wang Zhen with his life, he had been with him since he was a small child. 

The dirt-path rose with the slow slope of the hill until they came to an outcropping of twisted old trees, naked of their green leaves. Wang Zhen gave the order for them to halt as he slid off his horse in a practiced movement. He disappeared into the thicket and kneeled down next to the biggest tree trunk that looked like it had been hollowed out by a strike of lightning, the inside scorched black and the trunk split open down the side. He reached in and dragged out a worn saddlebag that bulged in several places. 

Xiaoshuai looked on as the man rooted around in the bag, checking its contents. Wang Zhen and the rest of his personal guard had no magick to speak of, as the royal guards were not allowed to practice magick, they were what the Kingdom called Voids. Everyone, even the common people, had a potential for magick in their blood. But Voids didn’t, they were the complete absence of magick. So much so, that if anyone tried to use magick against them, their bodies simply absorbed it with no ill effects to themselves. This made them the most effective bodyguards for members of noble families.  

When Wang Zhen was satisfied with what he had found, he came back. Xiaoshuai made an inquiring sound and Wang Zhen answered Xiaoshuai’s silent question. “Money and provisions, Prince, from your mother. We’re going to need every coin to get you out of this wretched land safely.” 

It was stupid, but Xiaoshuai hadn’t even thought of the necessity of money and provisions. His mind had been completely occupied with Chengyu.

“Where do we go for now?” He asked out loud, trying to keep his rising panic in check. Now wasn't the time for hysterics, but of planning. Of action.

Wang Zhen tied the saddlebag to his horse and mounted it with ease. “To the coast, where we’ll take a ship across the warm sea to Wu. Wu and Zhou have never been friends, so they won’t help Chi Cheng look for you within their borders.”

“Wu,” Xiaoshuai said, surprised. “Not to the mountains to my mother?”

Wang Zhen didn’t look at him. “No, Prince. It would be the first place Chi Cheng would look for you. If they harbored you now, it would result in our tribes' complete annihilation.”

Xiaoshuai swallowed thickly and nodded. The continuous attacks of the past century had taken almost all of their warriors and rune-masters leaving behind only the young, sick and elderly. Their tribe had grow smaller and weaker, their defenses failing against the elements and raiders. His mother had done everything she could possibly do to help their dwindling tribe and not giving any chance to greedy vultures circling their peaks. He cannot be the one to bring war to their door step. “To the coast, then.”

“It will be a hard journey,” A guard to his left said, eyes tracking the scenery with restless eyes. He was young, perhaps only three or four years older than Xiaoshuai, with dark eyes and the beginnings of stubble on his chin. “We’re not exactly inconspicuous, eight armored travelers on horses, even if we change our appearance. People will talk if anyone comes asking.”

“Our first priority is getting out of the armor and changing into traveling clothes,” Wang Zhen answered. “It’s a three week ride to the Behai port town on a good road, shorter if we ride on harder. The problem with that is it’s the obvious route to the ships if Chi Cheng figures out where we are heading for. One of the busiest roads too, so more likely for us to be recognized for who we are. We could take a lesser known route to the west, less likely to be spotted on it. But it would mean the journey will take longer, a week or so, perhaps more.”

Wang Zhen turned to Xiaoshuai, seeking out his opinion, “The question now is what road do you want us to take, Prince?”

Xiaoshuai thought about it, really thought about it. “Chi Cheng will be preoccupied with killing off the dissenters to his claim to the throne, and then there are the twins, it won’t be an easy fight. That must give us some time to put distance between us and our pursuers. We need to take advantage of that as much as we can by taking the shorter route.”

Wang Zhen nodded, something warm like approval in his eyes and Xiaoshuai felt like he had made the right choice. “The shorter route it is, then. We’ll stop at the next village to get new clothes and push on to Beihai in the cover of the night.”

No one offered any protest as they followed Wang Zhen back down the hill to the official road and on-wards.

Benhai. It was the furthest Xiaoshuai had ever been from the golden palace.

^

Five days into the journey, Xiaoshuai was already sick of all the endless riding and looking back over his shoulder, searching for the smallest glimmer of pursuit. Every morning he would wake up wrapped up in a blanket in the makeshift camp they made away from any civilization, bones aching and stiff from the previous day in the saddle. They broke their fast by eating a portion of cold lumpy porridge, before jumping right back on their horses and pushing on wards.

Their midday meal was flat breads and smoked meat, eaten on the horses' back with few breaks to rest the horses and answering calls of nature. They rode until the daylight faded and they couldn’t go any further for fear of an accident that would risk them slowing down. A meager camp was set up, a dinner of watery soup was eaten and then falling into an uneasy sleep to start it all over again the next day.

Their fear of being followed was slipping away the more distance they put between themselves and the palace, helped by the monotony of the days and the lack of sleep and pain they felt from the hours of riding. The speed, despite their best efforts, was slowing down as the horses needed longer and longer to rest and be watered.

Those they met on the road were mostly farmers with carts of produce going to market and merchant guilds traveling along the official road. There were no soldiers that they could see, no mercenary that were heading in the direction of the capital. There were no weapons in sight and Wang Zhen’s large shoulders eased with every mile they ate up.

Their group drew some curious stares as they passed, with their large well-fed horses and the guard’s soldierly demeanor, but didn’t invite too many comments. While they were no longer wearing their armor, the armor being sold to a delighted metal-smith, they were clearly not farmers or from the peasant class. But commonfolk didn’t look for trouble by being nosey for their own good.  

When they did stop at a village to pick up supplies and hear what little news of the capital that they could find at the teahouses, the people were full of talk of the Emperor's death. Eunuchs' bearing the black flags of mourning had passed through the villages with the news, but there was very little detail of anything to do with sixth prince's rebellion or even the crownprince's fall in battle. There was nothing of Yue hostage prince's flight from the palace, of any fights that might be happening, or how remaining royal family fared.

Or if any of them were dead.

So Xiaoshuai kept his head down, kept his face averted and his hair tied back under the hood of his blue cloak. Not that he really needed to make the effort. The people they met were not people of the capital who might recognize him. People this far out had never seen Xiaoshuai or any of the royal family or Yue Shamans in person. As far as they were concerned, Xiaoshuai was simply one of their own.

“Better to be safe than sorry,” Wang Zhen said as he unceremoniously yanked the hood lower on his head, effectively covering the whole of Xiaoshuai’s face and muffled his indignant yelp. Xiaoshuai slapped at the man’s hand and glared balefully at him when he was released. 

The journey not only proved painful and exhausting, but for Xiaoshuai it was wretchedly sorrowful. Grief on the run is a different kind of monster. His fiancee is dead and he didn't know his whereabouts. Did Chi Cheng bring him back to the capital. Was Chengyu laid to rest with proper grace and honor he deserved. Who was keeping vigil? Did Chengyu's soul to pass onto higher realm safely and here, he was selfishly running away.  There's no time for sadness, no time to fall apart in the safety of his chambers. He can only mourn in silence, in the stolen moments of solitude, a silent sob when others are asleep- his cries echoing ever inside his head. He wished he had someone to talk to. He knew he couldn't trouble Wang Zhen with his grief since the man had so many things to take care of. Frankly, Wang Zhen never understood his love for Chengyu, and saw it as  weakness. He was surrounded by his guard night and day, yet entirely separate from them. He was of royal blood and the men were in his employ, he had only met them once, when they escorted him to Zhou and had no other interactions with them in the past decade. There was no camaraderie between them or any shared experience to bond them together. They were not friends and Xiaoshuai didn’t know how to broach nor overcome the distance between them. The guards were more than content with Wang Zhen speaking for them all to save them any awkward conversation. Wang Zhen led and they followed. 

Xiaoshuai was grieving and isolated with every mile they took, he felt the sorrow and guilt grow and grow inside of him, until it felt like a yawning chasm and he was desperate for some sort of feeling other than that unending lonely aching.

Which was why he was forced to resort to something so stupid as to use his divination to find ChengYu. Not only was it despair that made him stay awake when all his guards settled down to sleep at nights, but the news they heard in the villages was so lacking about what was happening back at the capital.

Had the fighting for crown begun? Was Concubine Guo safe? Was ChengYu laid to rest in the royal mausoleum? These questions kept him up at nights.

He couldn’t take the not knowing. He needed something tangible to get him through the days ahead.

Once he was sure the others were sleeping soundly, he stood up from his bedroll on silent feet and moved away from the banked fire and further into the woods they had put up for the night. If Wang Zhen knew what Xiaoshuai was about to attempt, he would never be able to understand. He had expressly ordered Xiaoshuai to not use his magic under any circumstances, to not bring notice from people in Chi Cheng’s employ, to have the means to find them, but Xiaoshuai couldn’t not do anything.

It was like he was being driven to do it by the strongest of compulsions. He was helpless against the need other than to obey it.

Xiaoshuai may not be good at magick, but divining was his power and he was confident enough to mask himself from any hostile eye that may be casting in search of his signature.

Satisfied that he was far away not to disturb the guards from their dreams, he kneeled on the freezing ground and drew a circle around him in the dirt with the nail of his finger, his hand aching from the cold and digging deep into the hard earth. He closed his eyes, drew the energy from the earth and, on a breath out, sent his conscious outwards into the world in search of his beloved.

He soared across the miles they had already covered, the landscape blurring before his eyes. He felt no wind against his face, felt no forward momentum, he had no physical presence in his journey- soaring, soaring, soaring, until finally....

The land surrounding the golden palace was a field of the dead and dying. All of them were soldiers, a trailing mess of green cloaks that belonged to Wang clan, and the black armor of Chi's.

So the battle had begun or it had finished? But who had been the victor of this skirmish?

They were no purple cloaks indicating that the Guo's have chosen to stay away from the fight. The relief that washed over him was so intense like a great wave that his concentration left him entirely. He calmed his breath, steadying himself to focus on finding the royal mausoleum.

Xiaoshuai turned away from the grim scene and moved through the palace like a ghost, through walls of solid stone and open passageways lit by torchlight until he came to the Great Hall. There, black clad soldiers were reveling in drinking from overflowing cups and singing their victory songs. He watched the spirits of the men heightened by the free flowing alcohol, and Xiaoshuai couldn’t bear to watch anymore. 

Besides, the dragon throne that sat in all of its glory at the head of the hall remained empty. Did Chi Cheng win? Did any of the twins survive the fight?

If Chi Cheng’s men were here, then where was Chi Cheng himself?

No, he had no time to worry about that mad man's whereabouts; he needs to get a glimpse of Chengyu and see with his own eyes his final resting place.

Xiaoshuai focused on the image of Chengyu in his mind’s eye, he felt a sharp tug in his chest, leading him onward. Following the insistent tug, he left the Great Hall and the revelry behind and ventured back out into the courtyard. He turned right and came upon the two familiar gates of the Eastern Palace. Passing through them, Xiaoshuai drifted up the staircase, unlit and depressingly cold, passing through the hallway to.... 

To Xiaoshuai’s own bed chambers.

He hesitated on the threshold, pangs of homesickness in his chest as he peered inside. Everything was exactly as he had left it almost a week ago. The scene surprised him enough that he starred in wonderment. He had thought his possessions would have been taken as spoils of war, distributed amongst the opportunists as prizes, perhaps even thrown into a pile in the courtyard and set alight with his likeness at the top like some tragic effigy.

But it all remained there as it lay, even his bed was still unmade, his sheets pulled back in a heap, his sleep shirt discarded on the floor. It was like Xiaoshuai would be coming back at any moment.

It felt like a shrine.

In the middle of the room, Xiaoshuai spied a exquisitely craved wooden coffin, a large man laid inside it motionless, his beautiful brow illuminated by the bright light from the large crystal chandeliers. His heart gave a lurch, thumping painfully as he laid eyes on ChengYu. He was without his armor, the golden plate and chain-mail nowhere to be found. He was dressed in layers of blue and golden silks, a large embroidered four clawed dragon sitting on the front of his ornate robes, befitting of his station as the crown prince.

Xiaoshuai couldn’t help himself. He drifted closer, circling the wooden box so he could finally see his beloved’s face clearly. ChengYu looked so peaceful, as if he is in a deep restful slumber. His golden complexion is a bit tanned from weeks of fighting in the hard sun. His dark hair is combed neatly, free of any grime and sweat from the battle. Xiaoshuai gasped, his entire frame trembling with raw sorrow as he eyed the angry red slash down the side of his long powerful neck. He could make out the beginnings of purple and blue bruises on his broad torso hidden by the silken robes.

Yet Xiaoshuai felt relief coursing through him to see ChengYu here in his rooms and not amongst the carnage of the battlefield. It filled him with an odd mixture of sorrow and relief churning together. The feeling made Xiaoshuai blow out the breath he had been holding in since he first received the news of his beloved's death.

Lost in his thoughts, Xiaoshuai was caught unawares as a dark shadow pressed against his consciousness. He grew lightheaded at the sheer oppressive force of it.

Xiaoshuai suddenly saw Chi Cheng in his mind eye, poison green eyes fixed unerringly on him. 

He gave a wordless cry and tried to pull back, to get out of there and back to his own body, but to his rising dread Chi Cheng reached out, his movement blurring with the speed of it, and clamped Xiaoshuai’s arm in a vice like grip.

He shouldn’t be able to sense him, let alone touch him, Xiaoshuai thought with a touch of desperate hysteria. This can’t be happening.

He tried to wrench his arm out of the grip, but Chi Cheng held firm, pulling him closer so that their faces were mere inches apart, Xiaoshuai’s head tilted back to glare at him. 

“Why did you run from me?” Chi Cheng demanded, his voice soft but it carried mounting anger with it. “The moment I slayed my father, I sent Gang Zi to get you, but you were already fleeing the palace.”

Xiaoshuai had no lips to speak with, no voice box to form the words he wanted to shout at the mad man, so he just shook his head and tried harder to pull away from his grip. 

Chi Cheng wasn’t having any of it, his fingers digging harder into Xiaoshuai’s corporeal form like he was solid. Xiaoshuai felt the touch like it burned him to his very core. “Come back to me,” he entreated. “I have already defeated Longzhen in battle, he’s one of the corpses rotting outside. I would have had Yue Yue's empty head too but she deserted the field with her men and is hiding in the surrounding forest. Tomorrow I will follow her with my army, her only course of action would be to face me. There’s nothing stopping you from returning to me safely. I swear no harm will come to you.”

Xiaoshuai couldn't understand why Chi Cheng was telling him all this. Did Chi Cheng want him to go back so he can spare his men the trouble of hunting him down? Who in the right mind would willingly walk into a perfect deathtrap?

Did Chi Cheng think he was so trusting, so naive, so weak to survive for much longer.

Xiaoshuai reached up with his free hand and grasped Chi Cheng’s hand, meeting his eyes and keeping it. He mouthed carefully so that Chi Cheng could understand every word he was saying. “I won’t die by your hands.”

Xiaoshuai used considerable magical strength to pry Chi Cheng’s hand from his arm and finally get out of his reach. Chi Cheng watched him do it with a tightening of his jaw, his eyes darkening with an intense emotion that made Xiaoshuai cower, wanting to hide from that poisonous glare. 

“Come home,” Chi Cheng said again, his voice low and cruel. The magical compulsion in his words hammered at Xiaoshuai’s resolve, shaking him to his very core. “Come home or I will hunt you down to the world’s end. Do you hear me, Xiaoshuai? There is nowhere you can go, where I won't find you, no place that will protect you from me. Your guard won’t stand against me, not even the mighty Wang Zhen. One by one they will die in your name if you don’t come home.”

Chi Cheng’s eyes lit up and burned black at his words, like he had made a solemn vow to the spirits themselves. Xiaoshuai trembled with stark terror at the sight. 

He backed away, fleeing. Chi Cheng tracked his every move, turning his body to keep them facing each other as Xiaoshuai fled to the door.

Despite his mounting fear, Xiaoshuai firmed his resolve and stood taller, looking Chi Cheng right in those snake eyes. “Never,” He whispered before turning and leaving, traveling at breakneck speed back to his waiting body. 

He entered his body, taking a deep breath of the frigid air, the needle-like pain of his throat settling him back in his skin. The silence of the night felt thick and heavy. It pressed on him, trapping him in the moment as he recalled Chengyu and his encounter with Chi Cheng. The tears he couldn't shed built up behind his eyes, a heavy weight waiting to be released. The first sob was a ragged tear in the silence, a wrenching, gut deep sound that came from a place of pure agony. He doubled over, a primal wail escaping his throat as the dam finally broke. Tears pour down his face, hot and relentless, blurring the world around him. He's shaking, trembling, every part of him screaming at the desolate reality. He cried until he collapsed under the weight of his sorrow and exhaustion, a small pitiful figure in a cruel indifferent foreign land.

When he came to, his body screamed with exhaustion. He had used up a great deal of his energy and magic to send himself so far. He rolled over onto his back and stared sightlessly up at the sky, the dark shadows of the tree’s naked branches like cracks in the open canvas of darkness. His upper arm throbbed with pain and he reached up with the other to fumble at the ties of his robe with slow, sluggish movements. It took an age to undo the ties and pull the collar back enough for him to uncover his shoulder and the top of his arm where Chi Cheng had gripped it tightly. 

There, in the pale morning sun, he could just make out the dark purple bruises that were shaped like fingers across his skin. Xiaoshuai laid his hand across it, swallowing painfully and let his hand slide away from the brand to glare up at the sky again.

“Xiaoshuai!” The sharp call of Wang Zhen roused him from his thoughts and he lifted his head from the ground to spot the bulk of his captain coming towards him. “What are you doing?” He demanded. 

Xiaoshuai let his head drop back to the ground with a thump, unable to keep it up any longer. “I’ve done something incredibly stupid,” he replied, not having the heart to lie to him. “And now I think we are all about to pay for it.”

[[]]

Chapter Text

[[]]]

Xiaoshuai thought he was all out of tears, but the moment he saw Wang Zhen swoop-in to his side, he started all over again. He squeezed his eyes shut, to stop the fresh tears streaming down the dried tear tracks. He whimpered, calling for the older man, a pathetic cry lodged in his chest desperate to escape.

At once, Wang Zhen scooped him into his arms, strong calloused hands gentle on his thin, shaking shoulders. He leaned in close, voice soft, murmuring soothing nonsense as Xiaoshuai hid his face in his broad chest and cried harder.

Wang Zhen held him patiently, rubbing comforting circles on his back as he revealed what had transpired between sobs and whimpers. Each word came in a ragged gasp, punctuated by soft whimpers. Snot ran freely down his nose, mixing with tears, creating a shiny slick on his jaw, but he paid it no mind. He shook violently as he spoke of Chengyu, his body sagging under the torrent of raw emotion.

Through it all, Wang Zhen remained a silent pillar of support. His face etched with worry for his prince, yet he held steady, warm and accepting, an unwavering pillar of strength as Xiaoshuai lost himself in a sea of raging grief.

^

The sun has risen in the early morning sky, painting it shades of red, purples and golden. The young prince has regained enough composure for Wang Zhen to let him go to fetch some water.

Xiaoshuai sat hunched in on himself when Wang Zhen returned. Seeing his prince in better spirits, he jumped right into the glaring problem at hand.

“What in the spirits' name, did you think you were doing?” Wang Zhen snarled, his face turning an interesting shade of purple as he loomed over the still sniffling, crumpled mess; who is by some fate's sick humor his foolish master.

The last time Xiaoshuai had seen Wang Zhen so angry was when Xiaoshuai was six and he had fallen down from climbing the large pear tree down by the frozen river and broke his arm. He hadn’t let Xiaoshuai leave his sight for months after he recovered.

But this time, Xiaoshuai couldn’t begrudge Wang Zhen for his ire. He had been incredibly selfish, endangering everyone's lives, the fury was justifiably deserved. Xiaoshuai, contrite, was all the more sorry for it.

The other guards were up and getting ready to move on from the camp. They gave the duo a wide berth, eyes on their chores and acting like the tension wasn’t so thick, they could hardly breathe.

“What the hell were you thinking?” Wang Zhen hissed, unable to stand still, his pacing back and forth wearing the ground down beneath his booted feet. “Does your highness not understand the danger he is in? Do want me to explain why we are currently on the run?”

Xiaoshuai thought it is best to keep silent. When Wang Zhen started calling him 'his highness', it always meant Xiaoshuai was in deep deep trouble.

“Are we or are we not trying to smuggle you out of this god forsaken land so your mad brother-in-law doesn’t end your life right here and now?”

Xiaoshuai’s shoulders drew further in on themselves. “We are.”

“Then what the hell got into your silly little head that it was a fantastic idea to undo everything and spy on the palace? Not only that, but to get caught by Chi Cheng whilst doing it!”

“That wasn’t my intent!” Xiaoshuai protested tears starting afresh, unable to keep himself in check. “I just....I needed to see ChengYu one last time. I ne...needed to know. We were getting nothing from the people we’ve met along the way, no news, no answers and I...” he faltered, hi-cupping, he hated himself for showing his weakness in front of others. “I needed to know ChengYu was well-cared for in his final moments.”

Wang Zhen was silent for a moment, his anger spiking before it left him completely and he deflated like a balloon. Xiaoshuai didn’t look at him, instead staring at the hard ground and willing his shoulders to stop shaking.

He heard the older man move away, the sound of rustling, before something wrapped landed in Xiaoshuai’s lap. It was the last of their lotus pastries. “You better eat up,” Wang Zhen said, his voice back to its normal pitch, “You expended lots of energy in your ridiculous escapades.”

Xiaoshuai nodded and forced himself to take a bite, chewing but not tasting it. His hands still shook, but he was a bit steadier in his body and the exhaustion had left him for a while now.

Wang Zhen came to kneel by his side, large hands steadying him as he spoke gently. “Xiaoshuai, You should listen carefully when I say this. You must forget ChengYu. His face, his thoughts, his memories, everything wipe them from your memory. It is cruel to ask that sacrifice from you, but it is the only way for Yue tribe to survive, for you to survive.

With Zhou royal family dead by Chi Cheng's hands, the light priests, the Guo clan and the dragon army will rally the empire under your banner to oppose Chi Cheng. Jengshi Cho will be dragged into the civil war. Our tribe cannot bear to fight another war.

You are the last thorn at Chi Cheng's side. He needs you gone, and will use everything in his arsenal to do away with you.”

Wang Zhen isn’t wrong and Xiaoshuai understood this, yet he couldn't bring himself to turn his back on ChengYu and all the time they spent together.

“What worries me more is that Chi Cheng was able to sense you. To grab you like that, like you were corporeal.” Wang Zhen spoke again, his voice filled with worry and confusion.

Xiaoshuai felt a chill go down his spine as he recounted the moment, “He shouldn’t have been able to do that. He’s not a diviner, the Chi Clan doesn't have the ability. Only a diviner can sense the presence of another, and only a Master diviner can physically hold another in their manifested form. I don’t know how he did it.”

Wang Zhen watched the sky for a while, frowning in thought. “The Clans have been known to hide different affinities of magick, as long as it is in their best interest. It could be that Chi’s have some divination in their bloodline. It would explain why Chi Cheng showed interest in you when we arrived in Zhou a decade ago. He acted differently around you. Like calls to like, afterall.”

The direction of conversation made Xiaoshuai pause. “He acted differently around me? How so?”

Wang Zhen shrugged his big shoulders. “It’s hard to put into words. Before I became your captain of guard. I was a runner in your mother's elite guard. Three summers before you were born, she was invited to the golden palace for peace talks.

The Wu sent assassins to foil the talks. Chi Cheng was the only prince in attendance that day. Halfway through the meeting, he wandered off. Nobody taught much of it as children tend to get bored of diplomatic talks and assumed he went to play. A few minutes, we could hear muffled screams from outside the room, everyone rushed to the great hall to see what the commotion was.

The golden hall was a scene of carnage, blood and guts decorated every visible spot in the large hall. In the midst of the gore was, Chi Cheng ripping a large part of the wall and repeatedly dropping it on the dead assassin. He seemed to have sensed the attackers and decided to do something. He never showed any emotion crushing that man to his death, didn’t even seem phased that he just killed a dozen deadly men. He was five at that time. I still have nightmares of that day.”

Wang Zhen watched Xiaoshuai thoughtfully.“ Before you came along, he never showed interest in anyone, except those he intended to kill immediately.”

Xiaoshuai blinked in surprise. “I didn’t know. No one said anything about it to me.”

Wang Zhen shrugged again. “Well, it was an embarrassment to Zhou to have a bloodthirsty lunatic in direct line to their throne. The Empress thought you would mellow him out, but what do you know, a little delayed but same conclusion.”

“Hey!” Xiaoshuai puffed up, annoyed.

Wang Zhen shook his head, trying to hide a cynical smile. But, his words got Xiaoshuai thinking. He had witnessed Chi Cheng's cruelty that Wang Zhen spoke of, when he sometimes caught Chi Cheng interact with other princes. In the early days of his engagement to ChengYu, whenever he attended the royal feasts and celebrations by ChengYu's side; Xiaoshuai felt like there a noose around his neck, tightening slowly and carefully as Chi Cheng looked at him. The older prince watched him all the time, like he had to know where he was at all hours of the day. Sometimes he couldn't help but wonder if ..... Xiaoshuai stopped short, better not think about it.

Thankfully, Wang Zhen continued, “It doesn’t matter. Not anymore. The Chi Clan have no Divining power that we know of. You said that a diviner can sense another diviner? But you didn’t sense him?”

Xiaoshuai shook his head, “There is no way that I could have missed Chi Cheng being another diviner.

Wang Zhen sat straighter, “Chi Cheng was always secretive. But it is unheard of someone having more than one ability. Besides as a royal, all the princes' magick prowess are carefully tested and their progress are recorded in the royal archives.”

Xiaoshuai watched Wang Zhen. “Then how did he sense me? How was he able to grab me and hold me there to his will?”

This time Wang Zhen turned to face Xiaoshuai, a strange shadow in his grey eyes, “I hope, my guess isn't the true, in any sense. But I suspect, somehow, you and he are connected.”

Xiaoshuai felt his heart drop to his stomach. “What do you mean? How can we be connected?”

“There are ways, Xiaoshuai.” The older man said grimly. “ You remember who my mother was. Before the war, she was the great shaman of Southern Dao. I followed her, when she taught the disciples, all she knew about magick, warning them of dark magicks. Dark magicks that can bind a person to another, their very life essence locked together as one.

It is said that, before Xiling and their teachings, it was a practise between loved ones. It strengthened familial bonds. But there were people who would abuse it, corrupt the bond and keep those close to them that wouldn’t want to be. People killed each other for it.

So, when the Light Priests came, they deemed the practise as black magick, to be outlawed and feared. The elders of our tribe hated such magick, they thought it to be enslaving one to another.”

Xiaoshuai listened to it all with a steadily growing sense of disbelief. “There’s no way Chi Cheng would have bound me to him in that manner. He wouldn’t sink so low.”

Wang Zhen scowled at him. “You put a lot of faith on a bloodthirsty maniac who killed his own father to sit on the dragon throne.”

^

“You just spent the last hour telling me how Chi Cheng wanted to kill me.” Xiaoshuai said through gritted teeth.

“For such a binding to be done, to lock your life essence with another, surely it would have been long and costly to the caster. He was fighting for the throne. He wouldn't wast his magick on something so useless as me. Moreover, moreover, it’s not something you can do without anyone noticing what was happening. Without me noticing.” Xiaoshuai spoke getting a bit hysterical.

“And...and, you’ve been with me my whole life, do you really think Chi Cheng could have slipped past you?”

^

Wang Zhen looked at him with sympathy. “Xiaoshuai, you need to calm down. All this could be nothing, just silly talk. We are tired and hungry, fleeing and facing the greatest challenge of our lives. We might be getting ahead of ourselves. Chi Cheng grabbing you could be a fluke or stroke of luck, or something much simpler. We should stop jumping at our own shadows and think rationally.”

“I don’t feel anything,” Xiaoshuai persisted, no longer listening. “Surely I would have felt something if I am bound to someone? Its not a fluke, he touched me. I have his finger prints on my shoulder.”

“How else can we explain a non-diviner sensing me and anchoring me to the spot? If Chi Cheng and I are bound, he could sense me hiding anywhere in the world.” Xiaoshuai cried, dread coiling in his stomach. He couldn’t bear thinking about it. “ Running isn’t an option anymore, is it? He's going to kill me. Chi Cheng's going to torture me first for making him waste so much of his valuable magick and then kill me.”

Wang Zhen caught his prince in a gentle embrace before the younger man could spiral into a nervous breakdown. “Chi Cheng's not gonna get you, atleast not until I am alive. Nothing is set in stone. If he really did bind you; I am using 'if' as in not 100% true, there are ways to break the binding. Any shaman powerful enough can break the connection. Everything will be fine.”

Xiaoshuai sniffled, looking at Wang Zhen curiously. “Do you know any powerful shamans?”

Wang Zhen’s scowled and nodded his head, yes. “Now eat your pastries. We need to get started if we are to find you, a powerful shaman.”

Xiaoshuai smiled, all wobbly as he looked at the crumpled wax-paper holding the pastries. “I think you should hold me some more before we leave.” Wang Zhen side eyed him but didnot move.

“Who is this shaman. Where does she live?” Xiaoshuai asked, anything to distract him.

Wang Zhen sighed. “ It's a man. He lives in a village a day’s ride to the east. It’s out of our way, probably adding another day to our journey, but I don’t think we have any other choice.”

Xiaoshuai sobered at the thought. “No, I don't suppose we do.”

“If we want to get to our destination before nightfall, then we better leave now.”

^

It was once they had dismantled their camp site and mounted their horses again that Xiaoshuai sensed the disquiet of the other guards for the first time. The protective circle they had made around him had gotten a little bigger and they averted their faces whenever Xiaoshuai looked at them. There was no doubt that they had heard the conversation between him and Wang ge' and it had disturbed them greatly.

Xiaoshuai couldn’t blame them for their reactions. The odds had always been stacked against them and now, if he was truly bound to Chi Cheng as Wang ge' thought, it was looking like an impossible task.

[[]]

Chapter Text

[[]]

Xiaoshuai fell asleep in his saddle as they set out to find the shaman. He dreamed of his first encounter with ChengYu.

It was the spring of Xiaoshuai's fifteenth  year, when he experienced his first crush. The receiver of his feelings wasn’t from the royal court, as one might expect.

Xiaoshuai never felt comfortable around the fawning Young lords and ladies of court, who wouldn’t hesitate to stab you in the back for the slightest gain. When he first arrived at the golden palace, he was fascinated by delicate beauties, primped to look like stars in the night sky, but he learned quickly that they were just as cold and unreachable. Xiaoshuai quickly became indifferent to their wily charms and it did nothing to tempt his interest.

When he was finally tempted, it was none other than a new stable hand who arrived with that years' new horses. He was called SuoWei and he was three years older than Xiaoshuai. He was lithe, yet strong from all the backbreaking work in the stables, his soft skin, a sun kissed wonder with brown freckles on his crooked nose, his hair pale silver that fell in his dark brown eyes. At first, when Sou Wei smiled at him, it was a shy little thing that he ducked his head to hide like it was a secret. As he spent more time with him, Xiaoshuai got to see all his smiles, from big wide grins to the mischievous quirk of his lips as he played pranks on some poor unsuspecting passerby.

Xiaoshuai loved his hands, larger than his own, quick and dexterous. Despite their size, they were gentle on the horses. Xiaoshuai’s face heated when he thought about them. He often wondered what they would feel like on his skin, would they feel rough with callouses, different from his own soft hands. Would he like it? He was sure he would like it.

Xiaoshuai began to spend more of his time in the stables with every possible excuse of wanting to improve his horsemanship. He wasn’t lying exactly, Suo Wei was teaching him the correct posture in the saddle, but they both knew the real reason he was there. At fifteen, Xiaoshuai didn’t really know how to hide the new feelings that he was experiencing. 

It was Suo Wei who broke the stalemate between them. If it had been up to Xiaoshuai, he would never have had the courage to do anything about his infatuation. Suo Wei, brave bold Suo Wei, solved the problem for him. One evening, while they had been whiling an hour or two together in the stables, he had reached out to Xiaoshuai and drew him closer by a hand on his waist. He dipped his head and Xiaoshuai met him halfway, experiencing his first kiss.

Xiaoshuai felt a full body shiver from the shy contact and pressed closer for more, chasing the tingly sensation that sparked a growing sense of awareness in him. Suo Wei clutched at him harder, too pleased to offer more to the little Prince.

Xiaoshuai made a soft sound in the back of his throat as he opened his mouth wider, tongue seeking Suo Wei’s own, he felt the other boy respond with a shiver of his own. Knowing that he had such an effect on Suo Wei elated Xiaoshuai further and he repeated the movement with more confidence to see if he could produce the same result again and again.

“Jiang Xiaoshuai.”

The sound of his name made him freeze for a moment before quickly pulling away. Xiaoshuai’s heart was in his throat as he whipped around to look to the entrance of the stable like a guilty child being caught doing something he shouldn’t have.

Standing in the doorway with his expression hidden, was Chi Cheng, dark shadows dancing along the long lines of his body. The dread that Xiaoshuai felt had his legs turning to jelly. Chi Cheng hadn’t uttered anything else but his name, and yet Xiaoshuai knew instinctively that something terrible was going to happen.

“Pi...Prince Ch..Chi..,” Xiaoshuai stuttered, the rest of his words dying on his lips when Chi Cheng stepped into the light, poison green eyes focused on him. In the half decade, that Chi Cheng tormented him, Xiaoshuai had never seen Chi Cheng look like that before.

His green eyes darkened almost turning black, the muscles in his jaw and his neck stood out in sharp relief as he ground his teeth together. Xiaoshuai desperately wanted to be anywhere but here at the moment.

“Pri...:Prince Chi Cheng,” he tried again, voice cracking, tears filling his large golden eyes, but Chi Cheng interrupted him with a deceptively soft voice, that contradicted the tension in his body.

“You should go back inside. I think you’ve had enough practise of your horsemanship for today.”

Xiaoshuai’s cheeks heated with shame at the older prince's words, he took a couple steps forward before he realized what he was doing. His body obeyed Chi Cheng’s command. He turned his head to Suo Wei, wanting to warn the boy, hoping to get his message across.

“Don't look at him.” Chi Cheng said, his voice snapping like a whip in the silence, dark magic rising sharply in the air. Wooden rafters in the stable’s roof creaked ominously.

Xiaoshuai ran. He ran as terror filled every cell of his body, the dread rising further as he did not encounter a single person on his way. Tears flowed freely as he desperately called out to Wang Zhen. He didn’t want to leave Suo Wei with Chi Cheng.

So he ran, screaming Wang Zhen's name, tears blurring his vision. He collided with someone, his relief of finally finding someone was so immense, Xiaoshuai barely paid any mind to who the other person was. He clutched at his arms, begging for help, pulling him in direction of the stables.

By the time, they arrived, Wei Wei was on the ground clutching his injured hand wailing, the same hand he used to pull Xiaoshuai closer. A black shadow charged at Suo Wei, Xiaoshuai screamed and leapt on Wei Wei, shielding him with his body. He closed his eyes praying for a quick painless death.

“Chi Cheng!” the newcomer shouted as purple energy intercepted the black shadow.

Chi Cheng stood frozen in disbelief as Xiaoshuai shielded the stable-hand with his body. He couldn't comprehend how the little prince could disobey his direct command, he felt thrown off his kilter.

“Getout!.” ChengYu's booming voice pulled Chi Cheng  back from the shock. With clammy hands, he swiveled and left the stables.

Guo Chengyu watched as Chi Cheng stalked away before turning to the two boys on the ground. First he helped the little prince to his feet before attending to the bleeding boy. The stable hand's arm was crushed completely, his body shutting down from shock. There was nothing anyone could do to save the boy.

ChengYu couldn't bring himself to tell the little prince that his friend was dying. He cradled the injured boy in his arms and marched towards the healing rooms, all the while Xiaoshuai followed behind.

Once in the healing wing, doctors crowded the crown-prince, pushing Xiaoshuai to a corner. He stood there with unseeing eyes as the doctors took Wei Wei away, as the kind man walked away. He stood there, too afraid to move. He stood there, until the man came back and coaxed him to walk. He stood there unseeing....even when Wang Zheng tucked him in his soft silken bed, drugging him into dreamless sleep for next two days.

Xiaoshuai never saw Suo Wei after that. When Xiaoshuai gathered up the courage to ask another stable-hands' of his whereabouts, he was told that Suo Wei had quit and left the capital.

Chapter Text

The sheer agony that coursed through every single cell of his body, had rendered Xiaoshuai senseless, allowing him to understand the conversation being had above his writhing body.

“Why the hell is he screaming like that?! What have you done to him?”

“Shutup Wang Zhen and keep ahold of him! There is only room enough for one hysterical person in this house and it certainly isn’t you.”

“You’re killing him, Shuo. Stop it!”

“Something is blocking me, I can’t break it,”

The wave of agony took him again, rolling him over and over until he didn’t know which way was up.

^

Emptiness.

Everything was pitch black around him. Silent and still, a void that stretched on for eternity. He felt no pain, no discomfort, only a certain calm that started from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. The absence of it almost made him feel euphoric, as he floated in the current of nothingness.

Is this death? Did severing the bond kill me?

“You’re not dead. Far from it, in fact.”

His surroundings changed with the intruding voice. Xiaoshuai was no longer in darkness but on open grass-fields that his tribe once called home, before they were forced into the icy peaks. It was covered in layers and layers of pure white snow, his breath misting in the frosty air. The snow made it difficult to see clearly, Xiaoshuai couldn't make out familiar landmarks other than Jengshi Cho at a distance, he had no idea where he was. Or even if any of what he was seeing was real and not a dream of his making.

“You’ve been rather wilful as of late, Xiaoshuai,” Chi Cheng said from behind him. Xiaoshuai stiffened in surprise, spinning to face him.

Chi Cheng stood leaning against a bare tree trunk that bordered the grass land, arms crossed in front of his chest, pose calm and relaxed. Behind him, stood rows and rows of tents, men setting camp around burning fires. They were a mix of black and golden armored soldiers, Xiaoshuai fell to his knees as he recognized the dragon army along the Chi clan's personal guards.

Chi Cheng was in his tribe's sacred grounds, with Zhou imperial army setting up camp. Chi Cheng is preparing to go to war with his people.

“Why am I here? Why are you showing me this?” Xiaoshuai asked, proud to note that his voice didn’t shake.

Chi Cheng pushed off the tree and stalked towards him, a frenzied light in his eyes. “You left the palace without so much as a goodbye, you willfully ignored my orders to come back and now I find out, you have sought out a shaman to break our bond. If I had less of an ego, I would think you were trying to get away from me.”

Xiaoshuai wanted to back out of reach, but anger made him stay his ground, meeting poison green eyes with a sharp look. “That’s called self preservation.” he said archly. “And bond? Is that what you call it? I call it a leash. I am not your dog.”

Chi Cheng stopped within inches of him, staring down at him unblinkingly. He was a good head taller than Xiaoshuai and broader in the chest and shoulders too, so being this close made him feel incredibly small and vulnerable.

From this distance, he could see something was wrong with Chi Cheng. He was paler than usual and there was sweat at his hairline and across his upper lip. Shadows played under his eyes. He looked tired and drawn, thinner in the face, the bones of his cheeks standing out in sharp relief.

Chi Cheng sneered. “I did it to save your life! You were dying of the burning sickness and I wasn't about to lose the only person I cared for.”

Xiaoshuai reeled from Chi Cheng’s confession, breath punched out of his lungs. 'Chi Cheng had bonded him nearly a decade ago, all the while he lived his life, blissfully ignorant.' He tried to find the lie in it, he couldn’t.

Xiaoshuai fought desperately to cling to his anger. “You did it for your own selfish reasons. I never asked for it.”

A sudden thought crossed his mind, “Is this because of the prophecy? Some sick twisted plot to prevail over ChengYu by binding his mate to yourself?” He felt sick, he couldn't bring himself to look at Chi Cheng a second longer.

His eyes shifted to the soldiers behind them. The men did not look at him, which allied his fear a little. He wasn’t physically there as his body was back at Wang Shuo’s, so whatever Chi Cheng had done to bring his corporeal body here meant that only he could see him. He wouldn’t be able to harm Xiaoshuai without his physical body being present.

Chi Cheng watched the younger man for a long moment, as though he was weighing his words before speaking. “You lay a lot of accusations at my door. But you forget that it is I who had your heart first, it is I who reached out to you first. I set the twins in line, when they picked on you. You are mine, mine to protect, mine to break. I bound you to save your life, my only thought at that time was of keeping you with me no matter the cost.” He smiled bitterly. “Where does ChengYu fit in all this?”

Xiaoshuai sobbed, hearing everything Chi Cheng said, “ You are sick, I was just a child.” “What do you want from me? Why not simply kill me than torture me in this manner?”

Chi Cheng’s hands shot out and gripped Xiaoshuai by the shoulders and yanked him close, Xiaoshuai closed his eyes, prepared for sharp cruel hands to finally choke him to death. “Killing you is the furthest thing from my mind. Haven’t you figured that out already?”

An intense look stole over Chi Cheng’s features, his eyes darting down to to Xiaoshuai’s parted lips. He swayed forward, dipping his head to rest on Xiaoshuai's. Xiaoshuai’s felt his stomach drop and tighten with an unknown emotion. He felt ice creeping down his spine, his breathing growing heavy.

Chi Cheng hissed a breath through clenched teeth, pain blooming on his face and let go of Xiaoshuai like he had been burned. Xiaoshuai stumbled back on trembling legs before he righted himself and stared cautiously at Chi Cheng, he had his eyes closed, the muscles in his neck straining. “What’s wrong with you?”

Chi Cheng laughed hoarsely. “Your shaman is tenacious, I'll give him that.” He took slow deep breaths, before his muscles eased and he opened his eyes once again. “But of the two of us, I have the stronger will. I have more to lose, after all. I will not back down.”

Xiaoshuai swallowed around the hard lump in his throat and spoke lowly, “The shaman said I was bound to you for life. There’s no getting away from you, is there? Not without killing us both. Just let me go and We can put whatever this is behind us and start fresh. I’m no threat to you, we both know it. I’ll leave for good. No one will dare challenge your claim to the throne.”

Chi Cheng stayed silent, just staring at Xiaoshuai until Xiaoshuai started to fidget with discomfort. Chi Cheng finally spoke. “When you beg like that, I find it nigh on impossible to say no to you.”

Xiaoshuai’s heart lifted at those words, but it came crashing down at the next utterance.

“But I cannot let you go. I won’t.”

Xiaoshuai closed his eyes and his face crumpled. “ For spirit's sake, Chi Cheng; What did I ever do to you!”

Gentle hands cupped Xiaoshuai’s face, making Xiaoshuai jump at the touch, golden eyes wide open. “I’m not letting you go, Xiaoshuai,” Chi Cheng said again for emphasis. “I have no intention of killing you or harming you. I want you back, safe and sound to me.”

Xiaoshuai wanted to believe Chi Cheng. He didn’t know quite how much until Chi Cheng had uttered the words.

“If you don’t plan on killing me, then what do you want?”

Chi Cheng’s hands tightened on his face, pulling them closer, their foreheads touching, they were practically breathing each other’s air. Chi Cheng opened his mouth to speak but Xiaoshuai never got to hear what he was about to say.

He felt a sharp tug at his naval and he gasped at the feel of it. It tugged again, this time harder, and Xiaoshuai doubled over with pain, hugging his stomach like he could protect himself from the sensation. 

“Xiaoshuai!” Chi Cheng stepped towards him, reaching out for him but by then it was too late. The darkness came rushing back like a tidal wave and he was washed away from Chi Cheng and into the void.

^

“Xiaoshuai!”

Xiaoshuai blinked awake and found himself back on the table, staring directly into Wang Zhen's worried face. He swallowed, tasting the metallic tang of iron and croaked, “What happened?”

“That’s what I would like to know,” the older man said as Wang Shuo pushed him to get closer.

Wang Shuo looked exhausted, his skin sallow, hair falling out of the braid, flyaways sticking to the damp skin of his forehead.

Xiaoshuai didn’t even have to ask, his face said it all. “It didn’t work.”

He shook his head. “I’m sorry, little Prince. I’ve never felt power like his before. He overwhelmed me.”

“So that’s it then?” Wang Zhen shouted as Xiaoshuai closed his eyes, nodding.

“So it seems,” Xiaoshuai answered, eyes still closed. Every muscle screamed at him if he so much as twitched, a bone deep weariness settling in his heart.

^

Later, as Wang Shuo undid the ties, Xiaoshuai noticed livid red marks on his wrists, from where he had been pulling at them. They were in stark contrast to his pale skin.

He stared at the pattern of them for a long moment, before he tugged his sleeves down to hide them from sight.

The older man shoved a cup under his nose. “Here, drink this. It will make you feel better.”

Xiaoshuai drank in big gulps, scowling at the bitter taste. “What is it?” He asked hoarsely.

“Not poison, if that’s what you're asking,” the older man said without any real offense. He pushed the cup to his lips again. “Just some pain medicine for your throat and bruised skin. You nearly screamed the place down.”

Xiaoshuai blushed with mortification. “Sorry,” he mumbled before drinking the last of it.

“Don’t be sorry. I said it was going to be painful. Now you know I wasn’t lying to you.”

Xiaoshuai gave the cup back with a soft thank you. Wang Shuo smiled wanly as he took it and filled it up to drink himself, hardly pausing for breath. 

Wang Zhen stood silently by the table, just watching the two of them, with a shuttered expression. Xiaoshuai glanced at him from under his lashes, taking in the heavy brow that often meant troubled thoughts.

He didn’t like the look of it, it reminded him of a lost boy trying to figure out what to do next. Wang ge' always knew what to do in any given situation and to see that look on his face is jarring.

Wang Zhen noticed Xiaoshuai looking at him, his face closed off completely. He turned to Wang Shuo. “If it’s alright with you, we’ll stay here for the night. Xiaoshuai's too exhausted to do anymore traveling and it's night out. Best not risk any accidents.”

“Your soldiers have to stay outside,” Wang Shuo said implacably. “I don't want them stinking up my home.”

Wang Zhen nodded his acquiescence. “They will keep watch outside,” he promised.

To Xiaoshuai, he said, “ Tomorrow we will think of our next course of action. A night of good sleep will help, clear our heads.”

He left through the door, before Xiaoshuai could form a reply. Xiaoshuai stared at the closed door. 'What exactly was there to think about? They weren’t able to sever the connection, Chi Cheng wanted him back so Xiaoshuai couldn't endanger both their lives as he goes on his merry way. Wang Zhen and the rest of the guards would put up an honorable fight and get slaughtered for their troubles. Chi Cheng won’t show them any mercy.'

Xiaoshuai thought of Wang Zhen dying in that manner and it made him shudder with revulsion. He thought of Chi Cheng's army setting up blockade below the snowy peaks. He couldn't bear thinking about the consequences of him fleeing anymore.

“I’m not letting you go, Xiaoshuai.”

There were lives at stake, not just Xiaoshuai’s, and he couldn’t bear the thought of any of them dying because of him.

^

“He’s a chivalrous man.” Wang Shuo remarked as he fell into a chair, a pained moan escaping him as he stretched out his legs in front of him. He looked pale and exhausted. “One could say it’s almost a fault in his personality. If you’re worried he will abandon you now, he won’t.”

“That’s not what I am worried about,” Xiaoshuai replied. He shuffled forward, so he's sitting on the edge of the table, his legs dangling over it. “The exact opposite, actually.”

Xiaoshuai looked at Wang Shuo and he was already looking at him with those sharp eyes of his. “Why would a Prince care about the lives of soldiers sworn to his protection?”

He spoke with frankness, without any subservience in his tone. Xiaoshuai wasn’t used to such frankness but it was refreshing. He got the feeling that he was an honest person who wouldn’t lie, even if the truth would endanger his life in the process.  

“Wang ge' is different, he is the one consistency of my life. He never left my side since the day I was born. He followed me to Zhou. We went through everything together. He is my big brother in every sense.”

Wang Shuo tilted his head, studying him. “You know, that’s the saddest, most depressing thing I have ever heard.”

Xiaoshuai couldn’t help but smile at him.

“And what of Chi Cheng? What are you to each other?”

“It's complicated. I don't even know where to begin. He hates me....hated me. He bound me to save my life. He wants to cage me. I don't know anything anymore.”

“Try.” he said.

“No,” Xiaoshuai said, resolutely. He didn't want to think about Chi Cheng anymore.

Wang Shuo opened his mouth to say something else, but was interrupted by Wang Zhen coming back in from outside. If it was possible, he looked more upset than he did before he left. “Nothing is amiss. The horses have been fed, the men have managed to barter for bread and cheese from nearby farms.”

Xiaoshuai didn’t buy the assurances. “What’s wrong?”

Wang Zhen’s reply was too quick in coming. “Nothing. You should eat something and sleep.”

“Ge'.”

Wang Zhen deflated at his tone. “Two of the guards are missing. It seems they left while we were preoccupied.”

The news should have made Xiaoshuai feel worse than he already did but it didn’t. It was understandable that they would escape while they could and he couldn’t really blame them for doing it. They knew what was coming for all of them, after all. I would have done the same if I was in their shoes, he thought.

“This doesn’t change anything,” Wang Zhen assured him and Xiaoshuai got the impression that he was saying that to reassure himself just as much as Xiaoshuai. “In fact, it’ll speed us up if anything. They were the slowest riders out of the six.”

It changed everything, but Xiaoshuai didn’t voice his opinion aloud. He smiled instead. “Of course. Tomorrow, we will make our plans.”

“I have spare blankets for you to use,” Wang Shuo offered. “The chairs are not ideal for much sleep but they will be better than the stone floor.”

“Thank you,” Xiaoshuai said with feeling. “For all you did.”

“It didn’t do you much good though, did it?”

Xiaoshuai shrugged. “It was a small chance to begin with. You tried to help, that’s the main thing.”

Wang Shuo nodded. “You’re welcome. I have soup on the boil, and a large bathing tub for afterwards, if you are interested.”

“Yes please,” Xiaoshuai said eagerly. For the moment, at least, his troubles had been lifted by the chance to have a nice long soak in steaming hot water. 

His smile dropped when their backs were turned, his eyes roving to the door. There was no point in waiting for tomorrow to make a plan. He had already come to his decision.

^

Wang Shuo set the table, as Wang Zhen fetched plates and bowls. The three of them sat close, sharing rich flavorful lotus pork soup, soft bread rolls with real butter, tender beef ribs and soft flaky butter pastries. Wang Shuo even fetched a half filled jar of honey peach wine and the three drank together as Shuo shared silly anecdotes from his and Wang Zhen's shared youth. They talked and laughed together until Xiaoshuai could no longer keep his eyes open.

Wang Shuo gently took Xiaoshuai by hand and led him to the back room where a large steaming tub awaited him before he retired upstairs to his room. 

By the time, Xiaoshuai was done, Wang Zhen has cleared the table and retired for the night, sleeping sitting up in one of the mismatched chairs. The room was dark save for the soft glow of the banked fire, Xiaoshuai could just make out enough of Wang Zhen’s face, the deep lines smoothed out in slumber. He looked at least a decade younger. He was hunched over with a blanket pulled tight to his chin, his bulk making the position he was in look uncomfortable.

Instead of going upstairs to the spare room, Xiaoshuai sat staring at Wang Zhen for a long time, committing his face to memory. Afterall, after today, he wouldn’t be seeing him again.

He sat for a long time until world outside has gone quiet, when he felt confident enough that his leaving would go unnoticed. Having one last look, Xiaoshuai padded on silent feet to where his traveling cloak was hung. He slid his feet into his boots and grabbed the clock.

The door was a little trickier. It had a heavy metal latch that he slowly eased out of the joint. There was an ominous click and he glanced over his shoulder at Wang Zhen, worried that it had woken him up, but he was still dead to the world.

Xiaoshuai tugged the door open, making the smallest space possible to fit through before he was finally outside. He shut it as quietly as he could. Out in the open, he laced up his boots and pulled the cloak over his shoulders and tied it at his neck. 

Making his way past the stone wall, Xiaoshuai made for the outcrop where the horses had been tethered for the night. He stopped short when he saw a Wang Shuo with the horses, staring straight at him. 

Fear made Xiaoshuai freeze like a deer caught by a big cat. They stared at each other from across the distance separating them. Any moment now, Wang Shuo will raise the alarm and Wang Zhen would come storming out in all of his furious glory.

“Out for a nighttime stroll, little Prince?” Wang Shuo drawled and Xiaoshuai had to literally stifle a cry, for his voice was too loud in the dead of the night.

“I thought you were sleeping,” Xiaoshuai accused breathlessly, his fear robbing him of the air in his lungs.

Wang Shuo remained standing, his face unreadable in the dark. “I was, until I heard the door open.”

Xiaoshuai was impressed, despite being caught out. “Good hearing.”

Wang Shuo shrugged his shoulders. “I’m a light sleeper. I looked out the window and saw a thief sneaking about the horses. I figured I should come and investigate.”

Xiaoshuai really didn’t have time for this. He is risking getting caught by standing around. “You should go back inside, it’s cold out here.”

“You’re going to Chi Cheng, aren’t you?”

Xiaoshuai thought about lying, but thought better of it. He wasn’t the most accomplished liar and, besides, it was pretty obvious what he was doing out in the dead of night. “ I need to do this. Wang ge' and the rest of my guards will die if they stay with me. Chi Cheng will make sure of it and I can't have that on my conscience.”

“So you’ll steal away in the night without a proper parting?” The tone wasn’t accusatory, merely questioning, but heat rose in Xiaoshuai’s cheeks anyway. It hit too close to a raw nerve.

Xiaoshuai scowled at him. “Can you honestly see Wang ge' letting me go without him? As you said, he’s a chivalrous man to a fault. It’s better this way.”

Wang Shuo came closer and said carelessly. “Well, far be it for a simple shaman to meddle in the affairs of Princes. I won’t stop you from doing what you think is right but I hope that you know what you're getting yourself into.”

He had no clue what he was getting himself into, but Xiaoshuai knew he was making the right choice and that was what counted.

“You’ll look after him, won’t you? He’s going to be lost at the beginning, not having someone to protect anymore. You might have to knock him out a couple of times, you will be fine. I see the way he looks at you, after a while, I'm sure he will be happy here, with you.”

Wang Shuo scoffed. “What makes you think I want him here?”

“Because you look at him the same way he looks at you.”

Shuo blinked, pulled up short by his answer, he let out a huffing laugh. “Fine, fine, go on your merry way, little prince and I will look after your stubborn old captain for you.”

“Promise me to name one of your many disgustingly adorable babies after me, Shuo ge'.” Xiaoshuai teased, causing shuo to choke and splutter with red embarrassed cheeks.

“I’m glad to have met you too, ge'.” Xiaoshuai said sincerely, bowing to the older man, who took him in and helped him in the time of his greatest need.

Slowly, Xiaoshuai walked closer to his brown mare and untied her reins. Murmuring softly, he walked her a little distance before he turned back to Wang Shuo. With one final nod, he swung himself up onto the horse and led her in a slow, smooth gait. He followed the path they had come earlier that day, his eyes slowly adjusting to the lack of light, his resolve firm in his heart.

[]

Chapter Text

Sorry ppl. There won't be updates for atheist a week from today. Injured my hand playing lacrosse . Can't type. Will be back with 2 chat for next update. Bye