The Legend of Moonflower

Chapter 23 - Illness and Death

A/N:  I've read all your comments.  You are all so amazing - Thank you.  I had to exercise a shitload of "Lan" restraint to not respond and spoil the story.

Chapter 23

It hit him instantaneously and without warning. A searing pain in his stomach was how it began and then there was the desperate need to be touched, held, and then most prominently, the need to be mounted. Wei Ying waited to see if it would pass, he palmed himself to help relieve the pain, but it only made it worse. His body began to overheat and he found himself lying on the ground seeking relief from the cool stone beneath his body. He didn't know at what point the delirium set in.

Cool hands were on his face and he must have whimpered.

"First attendant?"

He didn't know if he answered or just continued to whimper. He kept his eyes closed, trying to fight against what his body needed.

"Wen Ning, we need to get him off the floor."

He moaned when arms went around him and lifted him off of the ground. Another round of searing pain hit him as he was laid onto the bed. He doubled over clutching at his stomach and cried out in pain. His wolf began to howl and pant in desperate need of their alpha.

"Wei Wuxian, it's Wen Qing, can you hear me?"

He whimpered and felt fingers on his pulse point.

"What's wrong with him?" Wen Ning asked.

He began floating in and out of consciousness and Wen Qing's answer was disjointed.

"Heat... different...the herbs.... emperor now."

Wei Ying opened his eyes. The pain was gone, he felt remarkably better, but weak. Flashes of Lan Zhan hovering over him, clothes being frantically pushed out of the way and cool hands caressing his overheated skin filtered through his mind. Then the feeling of being full with the alpha's knot had him trying to sit up. Was it a fever dream? It was then that he realized there was a brief scent of sandalwood lingering on his skin.

"Lan Zhan?" his voice came out raspy like he'd been screaming.

The door opened and quick footsteps came to his bedside.

"Liu Yu," he said in disappointment when he saw the servant. A-Qing must have stepped away and left the only other servant he had to attend to him.

"First attendant, how are you feeling? Qing jie went to find Wen taiyi," Liu Yu said, bringing a cup of water to his lips.

"Was I sick?" he asked after taking a sip.

The servant shook her head. "You went into heat," she replied.

"Heat?"

She pulled the cup back when he indicated he was no longer thirsty.  "Yes, your majesty has been here with you for two days."

Wei Ying noticed the tremor in her voice and the slight furrow in her brow. "When did he leave?"

"Just this morning," Liu Yu replied. "The imperial doctor told A-Qing and I to stay by the main doors and to not enter past the courtyard until the emperor left."

Wei Ying nodded, grateful that Wen Qing had given the order.

"Wen gong gong, stood guard outside your chambers," she stated. "He left with the emperor this morning." Again, her voice trembled and she averted her eyes.