As Light and Darkness

=Chapter Fifteen=

The morning arrived and the servants hurriedly prepared for the funeral of the beloved King.

"You Highness, you are requested to please tidy yourself. This humble servant is here at your service."

Nodding at the maid he walked towards his designated room and cleaned himself up. His hands hung loose to his sides as the attendants dressed him in a coal black hanfu with a white mourning belt across his abdomen.

The food that they brought for him rested unattended as the Crown Prince crumbled on the mat. He was soon asked to make an appearance.

"Your Highness."

Greeted the High Priest. Fengmian nodded at the older man as the pier was set onto the flames. The grey ashes met the brown soil of the imperial graveyard as ashes rose high above the ground.

Mianmian kowtowed to his uncle with tearless eyes and spun around to leave.

"Rest well, uncle. Until next time."

Quickly making his way around the now familiar hallways, he got to the room where his siblings were.

He knocks open the door and closes it behind him.

"Shhhhh..."

Roulan pulls him away from a sleeping Jiahao and smiles at her brother lovingly.

"Just managed to get him to sleep."

Mianmian curls his lips at the young girl.

"Ge-ge...you don't look good. Are you okay?"

"Roulan...our uncle-"

"I know..."

"You-"

"I'm a medic, Ge-ge. He wasn't going to live long. He spent almost all of his energy in keeping me alive. That's the reason why the Fire tribe doesn't fight back 'gainst the Heavens. He spent all of his power in getting you back here but those men were a step ahead. They set traps against Fire cultivators. He was wounded but firmly insisted on getting you back here. Not to mention that the teleportation spell consumes a whole lot of energy. He was exhausted."

"D-didn't he die from Arsenic poisoning?"

"That was but an excuse. I had prepared myself for his death all these years but it's saddening to know that he's gone."

"You knew it all beforehand?"

"I can glance into the future. It's more of a curse than a blessing. Just bits and glimpses of the future or the past even. Never mind. You need to rest. You look...worn."

"Jiahao?"

"What am I for? Off you go."

Jiahao wearily makes his way to the duo and leans onto the wall for support.

"Mian-ge, it will be fine."

He hugged his elder brother and comforted him with light pats onto the latter's back.

"I hope so, Jiahao. I hope so..."

The three spent time talking about the palace.

"Mian-ge, where is senior sister? I want to meet her."

"Uh that...."

"Hm?"

"Ge-ge married senior sister."

"He did what?!"

"You heard me. Don't worry about her. He will take care of sister. You know that they had a thing for each other."