Untamed Hearts

Chapter 9

Jiang Cheng had thought he had already let go of his feelings for Wen Qing, especially since it had been over sixteen years and he had already a new established relationship with Lan Xichen. But there were still lingering feelings, though not feelings of love, but rather guilt and regrets.

"There wasn't much I could do to protect you or your family back then," Jiang Cheng said, speaking directly to the cenotaph as if it could hear him. "But your cousin is still alive. And your brother too." He released a soft sigh.

"If this year, I am able to try and...repair my past mistakes, I can start with Sizhui. Even if the world has found out his identity, I'll protect him. I promise." Not knowing what else to say, he bowed three times to the cenotaph and headed into town to find his brother.

"Jiang Cheng." A soft voice made him turn.

"Xichen!" Jiang Cheng exclaimed in surprise. "A-Huan...," he says more softly. "What brings you to Yiling?"

"I was running errands in Moling and was going to stop by Lotus Pier. I was informed that you and A-Xian were near Yiling." Lan Xichen stepped closer to him.

"I missed you." Jiang Cheng leaned into him.

"As did I." A hand cupped around his head.

"Jiang Cheng!"

They both pulled back, startled at the sound of someone's voice.

"Xichen, you're here too."

"Is something wrong?" Jiang Cheng saw the uneasy look at Wei Wuxian's face as he kept looking behind him.

"Nothing," Wei Wuxian said hurriedly. "Just that...someone was following me. I only just lost them now and then I saw you two."

"Someone followed you?" Lan Xichen frowned.

"Let's go back to Lotus Pier then." Jiang Cheng decided. "We don't know if they are friend or foe. It's not worth the risk."

Lan Xichen nodded in agreement. They hurriedly fly back to Lotus Pier.

"Jiang-shushu!" Hong Feng and Hong Mei ran out to greet them as soon as they landed.

"Oh? Who's this?" Lan Xichen's eyes softened at the sight of the two young kids.

"My disciples found them on a nighthunt. Their parents-," Jiang Cheng paused. "Well, let's just say they'll be staying at Lotus Pier now."

"No one was able to find them then?" Hong Mei asked in a small voice.

"We're sorry," Jiang Cheng said quietly, not knowing how to comfort the small children.

"They wanted us safe." Hong Mei squeezed her brother's hand. "That's why they sent us away. They wanted us to live..."

"Parents always want what's best for their children." Wei Wuxian rested a hand on the girl's hand. Jiang Cheng looked away at these words, a lump in his throat. He couldn't help but think of his own parents at that moment.

"Xichen, I'll take you inside to a guest room. It's too late to return to Gusu now." Wei Wuxian took the girl's hand in his and gestured to Lan Xichen with another.

"I'll do it, Wei Wuxian. Take the children to bed," Jiang Cheng says. Wei Wuxian gave him a meaningful look and nodded. He took the children down one hall while Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen walked down another.

"Have you been well? I know what today is." Lan Xichen's words came out carefully and softly, but not without sympathy.

"It's been well. I...I usually spend this day alone. With Jin Ling I mean," Jiang Cheng said.

"Both of you are healing.. Spending this day together shows that you are improving." Lan Xichen's eyes are warm.

"Yes. It's what...it's what she would have wanted." Jiang Cheng thought of all the times that his sister had been the bridge between him and Wei Wuxian.

"Will you allow me to pay my respects to her as well?"

"Sure." Jiang Cheng led him to the ancestral hall and waited.

"I've been trying to heal as well. With H-, with Sect leader Nie." Lan Xichen confessed. "It isn't exactly...easy."

"It isn't, I mean it wasn't easy for me at first. It's different for everyone, so take as much time as you need," Jiang Cheng told him.

"I will." Lan Xichen smiled.

"Speaking of Sect leader Nie...Wei Wuxian and I have also been trying to reconnect with him. We try to meet up together and just have tea together."

"That is nice," Lan Xichen said. "You three were very close back then. I still remember the mess you caused with drinking too much."

"The mess Wei Wuxian made," Jiang Cheng corrected automatically. They had finally arrived at the guest room. The two of them had taken their time to walk there as they got deep into the conversation.

"Good night, A-Cheng." Lan Xichen gave them a tender smile before he entered the room.

"Good night," Jiang Cheng replied. "A-Huan." The door closed and Jiang Cheng returned to his own quarters to sleep. He settled down onto the bed and closed his eyes.

"A-Xian!"

"A-jie?" Jiang Cheng looked around himself. They were in the Yiling. The town was empty and a single glowing path led in one direction. Jiang Cheng followed it, followed the sound of his sister's voice. As he continued to walk, he realized he was getting close to the Burial Mounds.

"Kill him!"

"Don't let him run!"

"Kill the Yiling Patriarch!"

The yells got louder, all of them calling for his brother's blood. All except one, filled with desperation and worry.

"A-Xian, where are you?"

Why was his sister in the Burial Mounds? That can't be right...

He tried to push his way through, but there were too many people and the scent of blood in the air was overwhelming.

"A-jie! Wei Wuxian!" Jiang Cheng yelled through the crowd. And just like that, everything fell silent. The cultivators around him vanished, replaced by black fog.

"A-Xian!" The cry came again, this time filled with distraught and grief, choked in sobs. He saw them. His sister crouched on the ground, still wearing the mourning clothes from Jin Zixuan's wedding. Someone lay unmoving in her arms, eyes closed and covered in blood, enough for it to stain Jiang Yanli's white robes. Jiang Cheng stumbled backwards, unable to approach them. He had finally found them. His sister was alive, but...his brother...his brother had..

"A-Cheng!" Someone was calling him. Not his sister. Nor his brother.

"A-Cheng, wake up!"

Jiang Cheng blinked open his eyes to see Lan Xichen standing over his bed, a worried look on his face.

"What?" He asked groggily.

"You were crying out in your sleep."

"Oh...I..." Jiang Cheng sat up, barely noticing that his face was red.

"Jiang Cheng?" Rapid footsteps approach the door. "Are you alright?" Jiang Cheng let out the breath he didn't know he had been holding. His brother was alive.

"I'm fine," Jiang Cheng says, steadying his voice. "It's nothing, really. Go back to sleep." Wei WuXian hesitated, looking back over his shoulder, but he nodded once and closed the door behind him. Lan Xichen stayed sitting on the bed.

"I'll stay with you."

Jiang Cheng found himself too tired to protest and rolled towards the inner edge of the bed to make room. Warm arms wrapped around him, luring him into a much more quiet sleep for the rest of the evening. 

A/N: Short update this time! I've been grinding studying for finals + trying to write at the same time XD