Rosa: A Wangxian Reincarnation Story

Silent Goodbye.

Lan Xi Chen lay on a freezing floor. He knew where he was, in a holding cell beneath the Safehouse. And he knew that it would be a while before they would come to confront Xue Yang...him... And he knew that the silencing spell would not be lifted. Xue Yang would not chance it. At least not when the others were in the room. 

His body screamed in agony, stretched into an iron-bound prison of chains, it took all his strength to endure. The scold's bridle bit remorselessly into his tongue and his jaws ached. The darkness and the fetid smell of the hood was the worst. All of his senses rebelled and he found no release within the sweat-soaked cloth. He tried to maintain calm. Yet he knew who had defeated him and he fought the desire to panic. He yearned for the gentling, comforting touch of his Ming.

Out of nowhere, there came a touch. But it was not gentle. It did not settle him at all. It was insistent and probing. Stroking the thigh he was trapped in, curving toward the back. He froze, rigid in a sudden, primal mass of terror.

 A voice, his own, whispered. "Hello, my long-lost love. Have you missed me?"

His breathing stopped.  Like one of Lan Zhan's rabbits, he stayed perfectly still, as if his assailant would leave if he played dead.

It only elicited a deep chuckle. "Foolish bunny. Nothing will happen right now! That would be tempting, screwing myself and you at the same time, but no. The damage I want to commit, well, it would not be something I want my own body to experience. I am rather fond of it. What do you think of it? I have kept it up pretty well, haven't I?" Again, the unnerving laugh of a mad man. Lan XiChen allowed himself to breathe again, once he knew that an assault was not immediately pending.

"They will be here soon. I'll have my hands full. convincing them to allow you to live. I think I can win the day, but who knows. They really want a slow death. That would be worth watching, your beloveds tearing you apart and never even realizing. Gods, the possibilities are marvelous, whichever way I look!"

"Well, as much as I am enjoying this quiet moment, I better make myself presentable. I am hard as a rock right now. You, know, your body is really well-endowel. You kept your possibilities well hidden from me during our first honeymoon, You were such a shy and frightened virgin. That will not be allowed to happen in the future. I will have all the time in the world to make you love it."

First Xue Yang removed the noxious hood and Lan XiChen drew as much air as he could in through his nose. He needed more but the bridle blocked air's access through his battered mouth. Xue Yang waited in delight as he watched the man try to be patient, grateful for even this small indulgence. He walked behind him and released the clasp at the back of XiChen's head and quickly ripped the device from his mouth. His eyes widened with pain and no sound emerged as he tried to cry out. The spell did not afford him that release. However, he gulped large amounts of air now, swallowing it as if it was a long-denied meal and he was suffering from starvation.

Next, the shackles and gloves were removed and he was jerked to his feet. Every muscle rebelled, vicious cramps racked him as slow inch by inch, he began to force feeling back into them. There was a pole erected in the center of the room and another set of shackles waited. Xue Yang was smiling as the Sect Master used it to pull himself upward into a standing position. All in silence, horrible silence that did not even allow him the mercy of outcry. 

"Now, there is a talisman inside your robe that will keep you from weaving any clever little spell you may have in mind. You are helpless, stripped of every thing that can uncover out little secret. I will allow you a few words and some water, but the silencing spell will go back on before they enter."

He handed Lan XiChen a glass of water and he gulped it down, feeling the cool liquid as it flowed down his parched throat.

"They are not idiots Xue Yang." His voice rasped out. It was difficult to to form words around the swollen lips. "They will know something is amiss."

His nemisis laughed. "You have such simple faith in human beings, Sweetheart! They will see only what they have longed to see for eons. Me. Chained and waiting for judgement. And you, ready to comply with their desires." He replaced the silencing spell again, jerked the weakened man to the pole and fixed him in position, back against it and chained once more. There was only enough slack to allow him to shift in order to watch the family jury as they began to enter one by one. 

They formed a semi-circle about six feet away from him and he had never before seen that sort of look on their faces as they stared across the space at him. Hatred, loathing, disgust. All aimed his way, all filled with a single purpose, seeking Xue Yang's ...no... his death. He felt fear wash over him and knew that he was doomed. His family, his friends, would soon obliterate him and he was not even going to be allowed to say goodbye.

Then Xue Yang took stage. He was in his element, eloquent as he spoke.

"We are here, my friends, my family, for one reason. To decide the fate of Xue Yang, murderer, genocidal maniac, sadist and rapist. There is no reason for him to speak in his own defense, we know his guilt. We know he holds no remorse. All we need to know is what punishment to mete out. Whatever you decide, I will pass proper judgement."

Nie Hauisang spoke. "Let's get this done. This is distasteful for all of us. Taking a life, even one this loathsome is abhorant, but we must rid the world of him now that we have the chance."

Yenay stepped out. "He has destroyed lives, murdered clans. Why waste time? A vote is needed. Let us do this thing."

Lan XiChen wanted to scream yet he did not have the strength to break through the spell that kept him silent. He raised his head and looked at them all, their faces set in stone, implacable, remoresless and he simply stopped trying. 

XiChen closed his eyes. He was wrung out and all he wanted, suddenly, was peace. He simply let it all fly upward into the hands of karma and opened the mink-brown eyes to gaze at them as they began to step forward to vote. His eyes were sad, and resigned as Qinyang spoke first,

"Death." Little Sister.

Yenay:"Death." My Guardian.

He did the only left that he could do. As each took that pace forward his eyes softened and he tried to pour every ounce of care and eternal love outward to them. Shining love, Love filled with understanding and forgiveness. Full of peace and acceptance. He felt no fear; why would he? He had faced death many times. It was nothing new. He only wanted to protect them in this moment. And if this moment was inevitable, he would send all of his love forth to help them through it.

His beloved Ming. His largest regret, that they had had so little time together.

Death.

Little Nie, seething from seeing the wreckage brought on David/Mingjue. Death

He saw silver eyes turn his way and golden ones also waiting. 

Wei Ying stepped forward and a single tear rolled down XiChen's cheek. He gazed at his brother-in-law and looked beyond him to his Didi. The look of hatred and contempt in the usually stoic face did him in and the tears became a torrent. He blinked rapidly and simply radiated love their way. Then he closed his eyes in exhaustion and waited. 

If giving himself in servitude to his worst nightmare could save them all, he would bow to Xue Yang willingly, this time.

Wei Ying stepped forward. Took a steady breath and said,

"Life imprisonment."

Then he walked to his own husband and took his hand in his. They did not say a word. Wei Ying just held his hand firmly. Trust me, his fingers seemed to say

"Why? Why would you chose this?" Lan Zhan asked, his voice trembled in confusion and fury.

"It cannot be a decision without more discussion.  And it must be unanimous. I need more time. I have things I need to express and not in front of the condemned. It would be too unseemly." That was all he said, and all Lan Zhan needed to hear.  Lan Zhan turned to face them all and said,

"Life."