Dusk And Dawn ✔️

Part 1 :- In 'Sickness' and In 'Health'

{Note:- The Past arc starts where 'Part 3:- Lost and Found' left off}

Past

 "Nooooooooooo! Please come back! Please stay. Please....." YiJun screams, holding Xian's body close and rocks them gently.

When he finally lets Xian go, his eyes fall on Xian's wrists. 'They have healed.' YiJun notices and turns to Shen, who is standing just behind YiJun. "His wrists healed. Do you think he is healing slowly? He said we would meet again. He never lies. I merely have to wait." YiJun says more to himself than to Shen before continuing, "Tomorrow morning, I will take him to Aunty Xi Xi. She will know a spell to wake him up." YiJun says, smiling at Xian's unmoving body.

'Xi Xi?... Xiao Xi Xi! She is Xian's mother! Xian. Xiao Xian! No. No. That can't be; shouldn't be!' Shen panics, "YiJun, what was Xian's family name?" He asks, fearing the worse.

"What do you mean WAS? Xian's family name is Xiao." YiJun strokes Xian's face, "Don't worry, Jun is right here. You must be missing your mother and father right, don't worry, I will take you to them."

Shen buries his face in his hands, and fresh tears make their way down his cheeks, 'First Xi Xi's brother and now, her son... How will I face her now!?' He thinks woefully. He is pulled out of his reprieve when he hears slurping noises. He watches YiJun lick dried blood on Xian's wrists, "Look at how dirty your wrists are... I will clean you." 

 YiJun's eyes move to Xian's blood-stained robes next. He tries to dust them; the stains don't come off, "Xian, you have messed your dress up badly...I am afraid they won't come off." He smiles and kisses Xian's hand, "I will get new robes, red robes. Xian, I killed her. You know what that means, right? I don't have to marry her. We can be with each other forever." YiJun says before once again kissing Xian's lips. 

Shen gulps, "YiJun." He doesn't understand what his nephew is doing. When Wangji doesn't reply, he puts a hand on YiJun's shoulder, squeezing it gently. 

YiJun looks up and smiles, "It's over, I killed her. We can be together now."

Shen leaves YiJun and goes to check the palace for survivors. He searches every room, but all he sees are lifeless bodies of maids, palace guards, and some unfortunate wedding guests. At last, he decides to check on the Princess, who they had left in the grainary.

On arriving there, however, he notices that the body had vanished. 'Where is Shin's body?' Shen wonders, looking around the room. 

He finds that except for the body of that one man who YiJun had killed, there is no one there. Deciding that he should let YiJun know of his predicament, he exits the room and almost bumps into YiJun, who is carrying Xiao Xian's body in his arms. 

"She is not here," Shen informs, but YiJun doesn't pay any attention to Shen's words. He turns around and walks out of the palace; Shen follows YiJun in the dark. None needing flames to light their way.

"Where are you going, YiJun?" Shen asks the Prince, who had not spoken a single word after Shen had left him to look for survivors. 

"Home." YiJun answer.

"Whose home?" Shen asks, for the path YiJun had chosen did not lead to Xian's village. 

YiJun doesn't answer. He keeps walking and muttering something under his breath.

After walking for a few minutes, Shen realizes that his nephew was walking towards the small cottage Shen had seen YiJun leave that morning. He moves closer to his nephew, trying to understand what YiJun is muttering. Then he hears it, "It's ok, Xian, you are fine. See, all the wounds have healed. I will wait. All I have to do is wait; I am good at waiting. You will wake up soon; I will stay with you always. We are going home now. I know you hate it when I am busy. I am not busy anymore, Xian. I am yours; all yours. We will spend the night together just like we always do. I will be with you. Just hold on. We are almost home. You need a bath." YiJun pauses and looks at himself; he chuckles, "I know you hate it when I am messy. We will bathe..."