Royal Problems

Chapter 15- Grief

It was beginning to pour outside and Xue Yang wasn't getting anywhere. He felt dizzy and was about to collapse when a figure came into view.
"Xue Yang! Are you alright? What happened?" It was Xingchen.
"Get away from me!" Xue Yang yelled, "Leave me alone! You already killed my sister, does this make you happy? HUH? Does it make you happy?" He tried to walk away but fell to the ground.
The only thing he heard before he blacked out was Xingchen calling his name and his hands pressing on his wounds.

Xue Yang's eyes fluttered open and he saw a familiar ceiling, he sat up slowly, careful of his wounds, and looked around. He was in his room in the castle.
Xingchen was sitting on a chair next to him reading a book, he noticed Xue Yang and smiled putting the book down, "Xue Yang, you're awake."
"How did I get here?" Xue Yang asked.
"I carried you over here and told the guards that you were ambushed. We brought a doctor in and he tended to your wounds," Xingchen explained, "how are you feeling?"
"I'm fine, but I need a moment alone," Xue Yang said remembering the past events.
"Sure," Xingchen reluctantly said and stood up. Once he was out the room Xue Yang tried to stand up but fell to his knees. He felt tears fall from his face and screamed.
    "Wen Qing!" His head fell to the cold tile beneath him and he sobbed loudly. He raised a fist and hit the floor, creating a small dent. He punched the ground over and over again until his fist was bruised and bloodied.
    He was about to punch it again when his fist was held by a gentle hand. He looked up and saw through his blurry eyes, it was Xingchen.
   The prince helped him up and sat him on the bed, he gave him a pillow and said, "If you want to punch something, punch this." Xingchen walked away and came back with a small box, he took a cup and filled it with water. He held Xue Yang's hand over a bowl and poured the water over the cuts and bruises.
   Xue Yang flinched but kept his hand still. Xingchen grabbed a cream and put some on the wounds, he bandaged the hand and said softly, "There, don't hurt yourself anymore."
    "Why do you even care?" Xue Yang asked.
    "Because I'm a decent human being," Xingchen said, "I told them to not come in here and to let you rest so don't worry about being bothered." 
    "What about you?"
    "I'll be coming in here every once in a while, sorry," Xingchen said smiling weakly.
    "Where is Wen Qing's body?" Xue Yang asked.
     Xingchen sighed, "At the moment I don't know, but I did send a couple of guards to get her body."
    "Ok...wait, what about the others?!" Xue Yang stood up and winced at the pain in his leg and side.
    "Sit down," Xingchen said calmly, "what do you mean the others?"
    "I mean Wen Ning and a couple of others, a-Yuan is only 13 and he can't be killed, I wont allow it," Xue Yang said, "let me go rescue them."
    "They brought some of the gang members here while looking for Wen Qing's body, I can go take you to them. And also one of them killed Mingmei's baby, so that's one good thing," Xingchen said chuckling at the last part.
    "Really? At least Wen Qing died succeeding," Xue Yang said, "now take me."
    Xingchen helped the man to the cells where they kept the prisoners and showed him the cell where all of them were, "Here."
    Xue Yang looked into the dimly lit cell and saw familiar faces, "Wen Ning! A-Yuan!" He whispered, "Over here!"
   The two turned around and smiled when they saw him, "Xue Yang!"
   Wen Ning helped the young boy through the people, he arrived to the cell wall and said, "Xue Yang, w-where were you?"
   "Yeah," Yuan said, "we haven't seen you in months."
    "Sorry, I was a bit busy," Xue Yang said and hears the doors open, he turned around and saw the Jiang siblings, shit.
    "Chengmei! You're alright!" Wei Ying said, "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be resting?"
    "I was just visiting them," Xue Yang said pointing at the cell, "I can't believe it! They brought in a child! A CHILD!"
    "What?!" The three siblings yelled.
   Wei Ying walked forward and saw Yuan, "He can't be older that 15," he said.
    "I'm 13 actually," Yuan said.
     "13?! Why would they bring a 13 year old here?" Wei Ying asked, "That's it I'm keeping you, I'll get you out of here don't worry. You can be my son and maybe Lan Zhan's as well," he turned red at the last part.
    "Who..?"
    "Oh! Don't you know? A-Xian and Lan Wangji are together now," Yanli said smiling.
    "Really?" Xue Yang said, "Well feel free to keep a-Yuan, he was part of the gang but he only went because his friend did. His friend died a while ago and he just couldn't bring up the courage to leave."  He made up the story without skipping a beat, and Yuan went along. 
    "Yeah, I was terrified," the young boy said. Wen Ning watching the interaction smiled, he looked up at Xue Yang.
    "D-do you know where Wen Qing is? She's been missing since yesterday," he asked innocently.
    Xue Yang froze, "You mean...you don't know?"
    "Know what?"
    "Wen Ning...your sister's dead," Xue Yang said softly.
     "W-what?" Wen Ning stammered, "What do you mean she's d-dead?"
    "She's gone," Xue Yang's voice trembled. Wen Ning had tears in his eyes as he looked into space silently.
     "Who's Wen Qing?" Yanli silently asked.
   "You didn't see her but Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng saw her, the woman that I talked to at the café. That was Wen Qing, and this is her brother Wen Ning," Xue Yang said sadly.
    Wei Ying and Jiang Cheng's eyes widened. They remembered the beautiful woman perfectly, "I'm so sorry," Yanli said.
     "It was her boss, she was in the gang and her boss killed her. Wen Ning was only in the gang because he wanted to be with his older sister," Xue Yang said.
    "Wait...how do you know all this?" Wei Ying asked suspicious.
     "They told me a while ago, and so did she."
     "Oh, alright," Wei Ying said, "well she was your friend and whether she was in a gang or not it was sad that she died. I hope you know that she's at peace now."
"Yeah, I hope she is."