Dust & Gold

18

~*Wei Wuxian's POV*~

It was a bit exhausting to keep up this facade. After my conversation with Zewu Jun and Lan Zhan, things seemed to have gotten a bit better but I still didn't feel all that happy. I thought it was enough that I could spend time with Lan Zhan and I'd be fine, but he is busy most of the day and I see him at most, once maybe twice a day. It would be in the morning or evening and sometimes both. I said I'd give this a try but how can I be happy or comfortable here when no one other than Lan Zhan would talk to me.

I would sit outside my guest house on the porch leaning against the wall. I stared out at the scenery before me. It was forested and there was a path that cut through it. I had my brown bamboo flute in my hand but I had no desire to play it. I had my sword laying down on the ground beside me and I also had no desire to go train.

I set my flute aside and pulled my legs up toward my chest. I wrapped my arms around myself and rested my head down. I felt tears slowly making their way down my face. I balled my hands into fists and suddenly realized I do not need to endure this. I want to accept Lan Zhan, but I do not belong here. If he wants me, he can find me. I need to find a better place for myself. I wanted to get revenge on the Jiangs for hurting me and making me feel this way.

I stood up and grabbed my sword and flute. I then went inside and grabbed some robes and put them in a Qiankun pouch. I then grabbed some parchment and ink and wrote a letter:

Lan Zhan,

I am sorry.

I cannot stay here anymore. I hardly see you, and I do not want you to feel as if you have to choose me or your sect. I have to go and do some things. I need to get my life back. I am going to find some way to help me. If you really want me, you can find me.

Thank you for the care you have given me and for being there or...trying to at least. Just know that through this bond of ours, I am sure we will meet again. For now, I hope you understand,

Wei Ying

I then left everything there and left the house I was in. I walked through the main courtyard and left through the front gate with ease. I then just went on my way. I'm sure I will be fine. Because I knew I would be looked for, I had some money. I even had that token Lan Zhan gave me. I didn't want to use it if I didn't have to, but he did say I could use it to buy things and it will be charged to the sect under Lan Zhan's name. Though I had robes, I bought new ones. I even bought a little donkey and had it with me.

I traveled south towards Baling and looped around Yunmeng until I reached Yiling. I found a nice run down and abandoned cabin and it had a shed attached to it. It had some straw inside so I used that shed for the little donkey I bought. Throughout the next few weeks, I began to clean up the place. I changed up the shed a bit and it was soon a little stall for the donkey. I then put a fence around the entire property and planted a garden.

Since being away from Lan Zhan, I didn't realize I would be affected by the bond. I could actually feel his distress of me being gone but also his determination. He must be keen on finding me. It hurt to do this to him but I don't want to hold him back or burden him with my problems. I know it's new to be dependent on someone like that but we don't know each other well enough yet.

I was a bit sad but to keep myself busy, I would find more work to do. There was a town nearby so I would sell my best produce while I kept the not so good produce for myself. I would even go to a nearby river and catch fish. I made a basket by weaving strips of bamboo. Growing up on the streets for a few years, I learned a lot on my own on how to survive. This situation was a bit different as I wasn't homeless, just alone. That situation I was homeless and alone, and I was merely a child.

After a few more weeks, I noticed more and more Wen Sect members around Yiling. I even heard some soldiers nearby say they were planning ambushes. Their first two were Qinghe and Gusu. I grew worried. I didn't want to get involved but I knew Lan Zhan was in trouble. I sighed and because I knew where to find him, I send a butterfly message to him to inform him of this information I discovered. He would not know where I was as the butterfly didn't give off locations. At least, not this one.

The butterflies are useful. The color indicates which sect they belong to. Light blue is Gusu Lan, red is Qishan Wen, green is Qinghe Nie, purple is Yunmeng Jiang, and gold was Lanling Jin. Butterflies not associated with a sect can also vary in color. Individual and private one are based off of the person's spiritual aura. Though my aura was red, the butterfly was black with a red shimmering glow. I can place a location charm on the butterfly if I so desire but I decided not to. I then forgot if you wish to send to someone specific, the other person doesn't need the location and the butterfly will just find them on its own. Therefore, a pure white butterfly with a blue shimmering glow appears in front of me a few days later.

Wei Ying,

Please tell me where you are. I passed on the information to my brother and he and Shufu will set up protection. I want to find you and talk. Please?

I sighed and decided that we should actually talk. It's been a few months and I know that Lan Zhan doesn't deserve this silence from me. I sent him a new butterfly and it had my exact location on it. It will now depend on if he actually wants to come or believes that my information holds true.