Solstice Souls

The Blame Game

Wei Ying POV

Wei Ying sat silently as he waited for his mother to return from the healers. His heart was broken into two pieces. One shard agonized over the fact that his mother had almost died protecting him because he had acted irrationally. The other jagged edged piece cried out for someone he longed to be with but would never could be.

He had wanted to be by his mother's side to make sure the Jiang Clan healers took proper care of her. But his father had refused his request saying Wei Ying had caused enough trouble for one night.

When Cangse Sanren returned to the guest house, Wei Wuxian ran to her and fell into her open arms. Large, apologetic tears streamed down his cheeks as he sobbed against her robes. He held her tight, the fear of what could have been crushing him under an unbearable weight.

"I'm so sorry, mama!" he wailed. "I-I-I didn't mean for you to get hurt. I-I didn't w-want....."

"Shhh." Cangse Sanren said soothingly. "I know you didn't, A-Xian. I'm alright. See? Just a flesh wound that will be healed in a few days."

Wei Ying held her upper arm tenderly, examining the bandage she now wore. No blood had seeped through making him feel a little better but his heart was still heavy with guilt.

"You're NOT alright!" Wei Changze fumed. "How dare that impulsive brat think it's acceptable to attack unprovoked! And why did you allow him to cut you?! You're better than him!"

"If I had not, Wei Ying would not be here in my arms right now." Cangse Sanren answered calmly. She lifted her son's head and comforted him with a soft smile.

Wei Ying shuddered at that thought. Hanguang-jun had tried to kill him. He kept replaying the events in his mind, looking for some sign that his jade had not intended to hurt him or his mother. Yet the hatred raging in those golden eyes as Lan Wangji charged towards him made his blood run cold. Shivers crawled up his spine. Tears he had no right to cry welled up in his dull grey ones.

"What's going to happen to us?" Wei Ying asked with a shaky voice.

Wei Changze sighed and stopped his incessant pacing. "Hopefully, we can end this situation peacefully. At least Jiang Fengmian got the Lans to agree to a discussion tomorrow morning. Maybe we can present our side of the story and prevent further bloodshed."

Wei Ying looked at his mother. Her silver eyes were only one of the gifts she blessed her son with but they were the most beautiful one.

"Don't worry. I promise we'll be going home soon. Your father is an excellent negotiator and is the smartest man I know. You don't think I married him just for his looks, did you?" Cangse Sanren teased with a playful smile aimed directly at her husband.

She let her son snuggle close to her chest like he did when he was a child and ran her fingers through his still damp hair. Placing a loving kiss on the top of his head, she glanced up at her beloved.

"Would you please see if we could get some water and some food, my love? I don't know about either of you, but I'm starving after that exciting fight!"

Wei Changze chuckled. "Like mother, like son." he said with a shake of his head. He leaned over and kissed his wife's lips before slipping out the door.

"Wei Ying." Cangse Sanren murmured.

He sniffled. "I'm sorry." he said again.

"That's not what I meant." She continued combing his hair and Wei Ying slowly began to relax in her embrace and the seconds passed by.

"I know there's something between you and Hanguang-jun." she whispered.

Wei Ying's head shot up. His eyes were wide and his heart pounded like a giant drum in his chest.