Give Me One Good Reason (prev: 13 Reasons) (HIATUS)

(59) Middle of the Night

PREVIOUSLY: "A'Yuan, I need you to get a bowl of cold water and a cloth. A'Ling, go downstairs and get Jinhong Eijirou to make a pot of butterfly pea flower, rosewood, white jasmine and chamomile tea. Bring it back as soon as it's ready. Jiang Cheng, hand me that jar of Emperor's Smile, please?" "Yes Senior Wei." The young men both bowed properly and scurried off to complete their tasks, hoping they would get answers later if they did as they were told now. Jiang Cheng took a swallow of the fiery liquid before passing the jug to his martial brother.

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SONG/ARTIST: Star Sky by NICK PHOENIX, ASCAP | THOMAS BERGERSEN, ASCAP

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Lan WuXian's P.O.V.
Upstairs in the Wang Ji Private Tearoom

I accepted the jar of Emperor's Smile that Jiang Cheng handed to me and taking a large swig of the fragrant liquor before picking up Chenqing and playing the melody which my Lan Zhan composed for me those many years ago. 

'What Lan Zhan said, it must mean that the scum is in the city or on his way now. I have to let A'Win know. They need to be kept safe. I will keep my family safe, this time. Nobody else will suffer.'

I hope with all my heart that Lan Taehyung and his Nie Yunghe don't suffer the same fate that me and my Lan Zhan did - being separated by death was a fate worse than death. Only after the young Master Mo XuanYu had sacrificed himself was I given the chance I had not known I desperately wanted, or needed - a chance to tell Lan Zhan that I loved him, then and still, in my own way. 

I'd forced myself into his life and been around him constantly - but I'd believed I was only a nuisance to him, the famous Hanguang Jun, the Second Precious Jade of GusuLan. I never knew that he'd felt the same way as I did since he was always so stoic faced. With his perfectly sculpted face, I was never able to tell how he felt before I died... I didn't know my Lan Zhan loved me back. It was my loss that caused so much of his grief and pain, and I know that I can never repay the years he waited for me.

But I can make sure that the pain he suffered for those long sixteen years is not inflicted on anyone else. Anyone who dies now will not be able to come back, especially since the soul summoning sacrificial ritual is no longer known by anyone other than myself and my Lan Zhan and, even then, it's been well hidden.

After a long while of playing our song I stopped, few people could recognize this song, and fewer could play it correctly. I looked at everyone in the room. A'Yuan and A'Ling, A'Win and A'Xion, Jiang Cheng, Lan Zhan and me. A'Yuan looked at me knowingly.

"Was it another prophecy?" He asked, wiping his Father's brow with a clean cloth again. Swigging more from the jar I rubbed a hand over my eyes, "Mn. It was. Since everyone's here that needs to be, I'll repeat this once. He said: 'Time is here, time is now, the sand falling through the hourglass much too soon, Death will seek us, hunt us to our doorstep, but the decision is his, if its a bane or a boon.' "  Our A'Win trembled, I could hear the bravery as he spoke up. "Izuka Yang is in the city, isn't he?" I shrugged. "Lan Taehyung, I don't know, I'm sorry. We have to wait for Lan Zhan."

I stroked my love's hair, tucking an imaginary loose strand back behind his ear with one hand and holding his hand with the other. Whenever I could I would always be touching my Lan Zhan - I have sixteen years of not being able to touch him that I missed out on, so I make up for it every day. I sensed him become more aware and smiled brightly, quickly kissing his cheek. "Ah, my Lan Zhan! You're back." A'Win's cultivation partner was the only person who looked at me hesitantly, A'Win smiled as well and it was wonderful to see him smile the way I imagine he used to. I want to keep this smiling face around.