Rosa: A Wangxian Reincarnation Story

Hope Flys in the Window

Lan XiChen lay on his side, staring into space. Tomorrow, he might die. He welcomed it a day ago, but the idea that he was a father-to-be and that his tormentor might become his child's as well, was eating at his soul. The alternative, living as Xue Yang's toy, degraded in front of that child was not an option either. The anger in his core was eating him up.

A noise interrupted his reverie, something high above. The windows, six of them, were tucked 20 ft up sheer walls; they were too small for a human to enter and exit and if one was stupid enough to try, one small mistake and the fall to the cell floor meant instant death. He started to lie down again and suddenly, a tiny song began, Pure notes, a songbird's, were floating down to him and after straining to see, he spotted a tiny bright yellow bird with black eyes and markings. He was amazed. A songbird, a gold finch was trilling, and the sound was entrancing. He lay back down and listened. It was as if a miniature ray of sunshine had strayed far from dawn and insisted on breaking through early. He found himself relaxing and he started to doze off. The song ended and he woke with a start to try and spot the little avian, but it was gone from the window. He lowered his eyes and jumped! The goldfinch was sitting just outside the cell, staring at him. It cocked its little head curiously then opened its beak and let a shrill note, long and piercing. He placed his hands over his ears and even more frightening, the bird opened its mouth, and spoke,

"Good evening, Zewu-Jun, Lan Huan, Lan XiChen." It was a quick staccato, and eerily, it spoke...human. "I am Iris and I bring greetings from your wife, General Lan Hu Ming."

Oh gods , he thought. Xue Yang has won. I have lost my mind. I am just going to lay down a quick minute a shut my eyes. He did so and after he settled his nerves a moment he popped straight up and stared. The bird was gone, but a small lady sat there cross-legged, looking brightly at him She was dressed in yellow and gold wings grew down the inside of her arms. She stretched them out and they were also attached to her alongside her body.

"Ahh! That's better. That dear little body can be a bit confining. Now, how can I help you?"

 He sat speechless, he could not have spoken, even if had not been muted.

 "Oh, pardon me. I am a bit older, and I can tend to ignore niceties. Let me take care of that while I am here!" She pointed a small finger at his mouth, and a beam of light hit his lips, warming them.

"Try it. You are able to speak now.'

He cautiously cleared his throat. 

"I... Why... Who are you again?"

'Iris. A secondary goddess who was close to Zeus."

"Z...Zeus?"

"Never mind, too deep to mansplain it to you at the moment."

"Mansplain..."

"Don't you keep up with the vernacular?"

"Yes but..."

"Your wife awaits you outside."

"Ming?"

"You got another wife?" She cocked her head to the other side.

"No, but..."

"Trust me. Ming says to. You know how cranky she gets when she is pregnant, now do as I say before she gets pissed. Walk to your bedding and sit down. Here is what will happen. You will go into a state of meditation. So, Lotus position, please."

He obeyed. What did he have to lose? If he had gone mad, he would still be mad when this was over, and he would have lost nothing.

"This body is your only real prison. I will help you shed it. You have the power to change and take form as your Wang Menquin if you wish. I can make that happen. Your Owl form is small enough, with folded wings, to fit through the arrays' bars and then when you begin to rise, you will fly to the window. Your Menquin is waiting for you. "

"This cannot be real."

She sighed in exasperation. "Quick, hold out your hand."

He obeyed and she dropped something in it. When he looked at it, tears filled his eyes. "My engagement bracelet. The one she placed on my wrist in our first lifetime together. "

"Yes. Before she left China to come to the States, she retrieved it and hid it in case she needed to prove something. And you are one of the most difficult doubters I have had to work with."

"Sometimes one loses faith."

And you, my child, have had a reason. Trust this one last time, and you will fly free with her." She waved a hand and a male owl appeared next to her."Give me your bracelet back a moment. She fastened it around the owl's neck . It glared at Lan XiChen and blinked at him with those great golden eyes. 

"Here is your vessel." She urged the bird through the bars, and it stood proudly, waiting for him.

"And this body I am in?"

"It will begin to rot. Within a6 to 8 hours, after rigor mortise sets in and then releases, no soul can return to it. Your brother-in-law may have found the way to extract his soul from your body. We must coordinate exactly in order for you to be here to reenter."

"If not.?"

"You will remain as Wang Menquin."

He nodded. "I will take the chance. At least, as Wang Menquin, I will live a free life with her. Taking to the skies is not a bad way of living."

She smiled in delight." She feels the same, so let's get to this."

Lan XiChen began to meditate. He was soon deeply under, and Iris moved in front of him and sent energy to seek out his core. Weakened but there and so yearning to be free. Her energy wrapped gently around it and Iris began to ease it close to the surface, Xue Yang's body began to shiver as its warmth started to leave, but it could not stand against the goddess's strength. She built a golden bridge across from the hated body and slowly maneuvered the core along it until it was clear, and then gently eased it into the white owl before her. All the light left Xue Yan's body, and it sat, frozen on the palette.  The owl stretched and fluffed its feathers. He hopped up, right into Iris's lap and nestled against her, eyes full of joyful thanks.

"You are welcome, Wang Menquin. Go to her. Look up, she waits for you."

He twisted his head upward and there, at window's ledge was Menquin, elegant, white as a distant snow cap. His scream of greeting shattered the stifling quiet of the dreaded prison, and he streaked towards her. She leaped from the ledge into the Virginia forest and circled until he exploded into the night to join her. Diving at each other, they brushed wings, screaming in ecstasy, and disappeared from view. 

Iris cleared her throat and shouted, "Hey! Fools. Come in here right away!" 

The door edged cautiously open, and two guards entered.

"Go tell your Sect Master to get down here. His prisoner is dead." Then she shifted into finch form and flew out the window to return to her flock.