Fated (Wangxian)

#30#

"This...This is the truth that you or any one in Xiang Kingdom was unaware of, except for your father's corrupted officials and Prince Zhan and Crown Prince's father, the one who planned it all." Lan Xichen said, solemnly

“Prince Ying was never cursed. It was a well executed plan of those officials and that hateful, cold-hearted, greedy King, the one who killed your parents in front of your eyes, intentionally.

All because he wanted to ensure that you yourself start to believe that you were a curse.

And he succeeded.

Because of a prophecy at the time of your birth that said Prince Ying will bring peace and prosperity to Xiang Kingdom and he will be revered and remembered for generations for his great deeds...that vile, ambitious King, afraid that you'll be the one to capture his kingdom and even kill him in the future, made this cruel plan.

With the help of the Xiang kingdom’s corrupted officials to send the blessed Prince far away from his parents and Xiang Kingdom using the excuse of a fake drought and sudden deaths of several farmers due to an unknown illness.

Rumours of drought were spread far and wide, exaggerated to no end, and the farmers... they were killed by the officials themselves.

After you- Prince Ying was sent to the temple, taking advantage of the upset and emotionally disturbed state of the King and Queen of Xiang Kingdom, he started creating troubles actively and unafraid and finally, one day, he was able to attack the Xiang Kingdom and-

It wasn't a coincidence that you chose that same day to escape that wretched temple, Aying.

Those officials purposely left the door of that God forsaken temple unlocked, and even stopped their vigilance, just to make sure that you think it's all you who did it.

Otherwise, the state in which they've kept little Prince Ying, tortured him, it would've been impossible for a weak, severely wounded and malnourished child to break free of that place on his own.

They knew, once set free, Prince Ying would immediately run back to the palace, and that's what they wanted. For him to see his dear parents getting killed.

And then, to ease the ascension to the throne and please his people that vile King spread rumors again, putting all the blame on your stars. He even tried to kill you but somehow you survived.

At first, King's wicked deeds were not known to his sons, Crown Prince and Prince Zhan.

However, the day before his last move to attack the Xiang Kingdom, the King organised a grand celebration.

It was that night, in his drunken state, he revealed all his schemes in front of his trusted officials, proudly, laughing and celebrating with them, unaware of his sons' presence who heard every single thing from behind the screens.

Brought up with the ideals to be a true and righteous royal, those kids vowed to protect Prince Ying and the people of Xiang Kingdom from their father’s evil intentions and return the glory to the fallen Prince, clearing the rumors.

But, they themselves were only little children caught in the vicious trap of dark politics.

Soon after, they found Prince Ying on the streets, brought him to the palace, but...they were too late in saving him. Prince Ying was already traumatized and believed he was cursed including others in the kingdom."

"I never believed I was cursed, Xichen gege! This is what my parents taught me. It was their last words to- Prince Ying before parting. But... everything changed when Zhan gege declared me as a cursed being." Yingying said in a silent, calm voice filled with pain.

"I- Prince Zhan never believed you to be cursed, Ying'er. He..was only trying to protect you but failed miserably. He didn't know that his words woul-" Lan Zhan struggled to clarify, desperately clinging on to his Little Love, afraid of losing him again.

"I'm not leaving you, Zhan gege. But I need to know all. Everything. It's the only way I can put the past to rest and move forward. Xichen gege, will you please tell me what happened later?!"

"As you wish, little one, but remember we are all here for you. Your Ayuan ge and Zhan gege, even I would really be hurt this time... if you tried to distance and isolated yourself after all this.

Promise that you will talk to us, share your thoughts and feelings and won't keep it all to yourself. Only then will I continue," Lan Xichen looked at Ying gently and only after Little Yingying nodded curtly giving him the smallest of his smiles that Xichen continued.

"After you were brought to the palace, Prince Zhan and I were aware of the hostility Prince Ying was facing from everyone including all the maids and servants.

The situation went out of hand when they started poisoning your food and clothing to harm you and kill you all the time!

Prince Zhan gave you his bed to sleep, clothes to wear, and left over food to eat, pretending to be rude but it's the only way he could ensure you weren't poisoned or harmed."

"...What?! A-ll those years, y-you were pro-tecting Prince Ying?!" Ying asked in sheer disbelief, his voice laced with a hint of hope and sudden accusation as he said, "But you never even looked at me!

Let alone talk or even smile a bit! And th-that day, you said you didn't know my name! That I could never be your friend as I could only be a curse! And said that you brought me to the palace to save your people from me a-and-" Ying’er questioned incoherently while trembling with panic and anxiety.

“Calm down, my Ying'er. Please. Your Zhan gege can't see you hurting like this. It breaks me, Ying'er. Calm down Little Love. I'll explain everything to you," Lan Zhan whispered hoarsely, his voice choked with tears, "There’s something you need to know about Prince Zhan.

Ever since he was born, Prince Zhan was incapable of feeling or expressing any emotions. He never smiled, cried or felt any pain, fear or anger...

Even when he got hurt, fell sick, was mocked by royalties for his extreme incapability, he felt nothing.

All he knew was the taught difference between right and wrong, good or bad and therefore Prince Zhan knew your parents and you were wronged.

When he saw the fallen Prince getting beaten up on the streets, for the first time in his life, Prince Zhan behaved so stubbornly, felt frustrated because of your constant efforts to escape and felt overprotective, to keep you closer to his private chamber, making sure that no one could harm you.

He didn’t talk to you or smile at you, it is because- Prince Zhan, he just didn't know how!"

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