Back again with a rather short chapter this time ... ^^
Hope you enjoy it nevertheless <3 <3
Wei Ying's POV
"What did Wen Ning mean by that?" Wang Ji asked me after Wen Ning left and I entered the bathroom. Wang Ji followed me and watched me as I took off my garments and climbed into the bathtub. I looked up and reached out for him, signalizing him to join me.
Wang Ji then climbed into the tub as well, without even bothering to take off his clothes. He joined me and pulled me in front of him. I leaned back, cuddled into his chest, and closed my eyes, letting out a long and relieved sigh.
His hands wrapped around me and I felt his cheeks on my left ear. "What did you do, my love?"
Of course, I told him about the self-reflection of Lan Huan as well as my punishment for him. Thinking about what I did to Lan Huan, albeit I thought he deserved it, I still felt guilty. I more or less destroyed a perfect body for revenge.
"Punishment, my love. Not revenge."
"But I can't stop feeling it was more revenge than punishment. I feel ... bad about it."
"Don't. You don't have to feel bad. There is a thin line between punishment and revenge. But what you did is obviously for punishment."
"How can one determine that? What is the difference?" I wanted to know because of what happened I wasn't sure about it anymore.
"Punishment is rational, revenge is emotional." He said. "You did that to him because it was a crime, it was wrong and he knew that. You didn't do that to inflict pain on him just to let out all your frustration and anger, to enjoy seeing him in pain. You even feel bad for what you did. You just wanted him to remember his actions and to prevent him from going even more astray."
"Do you think he knows? Your father, does he know?"
"Yes."
"But why-?"
"My father knows you enough to know you wouldn't have done something like this if my brother didn't do anything wrong. Because my brother is the beloved crown prince of everyone, he wouldn't have gotten a punishment. No one would have dared to punish him. Not even my father. Maybe he tried to make amends by not revealing anything or maybe he thought this was a better outcome than having rumors circling. I hope father knows that his way of dealing with this is wrong. Maybe he does but he thinks he has no other way."
I heard him sighing and hugging me tighter. "I thought I knew my father and my brother but... I guess I was wrong. I know that within a royal family things are differently handled than within a normal family but..." He shook his head and I turned around to him.
"You are not like them." I touched his cheeks and softly pecked his lips. "You are different."
"I love you, Wei Ying." He kissed me back and I drowned in it. I didn't know how long we sat there kissing but my lips were pretty swollen once we stopped. "We should finish the bath...." He mumbled and I had to chuckle.
"Don't you have to get rid of your garments first?" I didn't say that to provoke him or anything, it was just a matter of fact, yet I heard a quiet but very deep growl coming from him.
"My love, I was trying to not jump on you the moment we were back together but you are not making it easy for me." He gave me a passionate kiss which left me breathless as I forgot to breathe through my nose.
"Are you sure it's just that? You are.... not avoiding me?" I couldn't help but ask that question. I, myself, felt kind of dirty already, so how did he feel?
"I did want to go easy because I was unsure if you would let me close to you after ... that incident but..." He suddenly stood up and got rid of his garments by ripping them off his body. With his erection right in front of my face, I was unable to look elsewhere until he sat down again.
"Wei Ying, I was scared you wouldn't let me touch you. I wanted to take things slow. I didn't want to hurt you in any possible way, I didn't want to scare you...but you...." He sighed and I knew his patience run out.
"I don't want you to treat me differently, Wang Ji. If you do that I will get the feeling something changed between us. I hate that feeling. Nothing changed, right?"
"Why would it?" He asked me and cupped my face. "You are no different than before, my love. I wanted you before you were with my brother, I wanted you while you were with him and I want you now. I know very well about your past with him and I don't care about it. I never thought of you as dirty just because you had something with him."
He pulled me closer and I clung to him.
"I care only about you, Wei Ying, I care about us." He hugged me so tight that it almost hurt. "The only thing that I am furious about, that is different now, is that he forced you. How could he...- I hate him for that. I can't even stand the fact that I have the same blood as him."
"Wang Ji...."
"You are not dirty because of that night, Wei Ying. If you really think like that, I will make sure to change that! I love you before it happened and I love you now. Nothing changed in my feelings for you. If any, they became even stronger. I will protect you, my love."
"You won't leave anymore?" I asked in anticipation. It is ridiculous. I would become 37 this year and I behaved like a clingy young lady.
"I won't leave no matter what happens. As of now, I don't care about my title. Shall they take it from me, for all I care. You are the most important to me and I am sure as hell I won't let you out of my sight."
"Remember this promise, Wang Ji. I won't survive if you leave again. No, I don't want to."
"I won't leave, my love. Never!" And with that, he kissed me passionately once again. That was the moment I didn't care about anything else than about him. Wang Ji, the prince who stole my heart slowly and secretly, the prince I couldn't live without anymore.
"Wang Ji..." I panted and he looked straight into my eyes. Love and lust were to be seen in his beautiful golden orbs that made me crave him and his touches like never before.
"What is it, my love?" He growled impatiently.
"Can you clean me? I still feel dirty so clean me. I want your marks, your touches, your smell. I want you to get rid of any traces left by him. Clean me, Wang Ji. Make me yours again."
I didn't need to say anything more. He picked me up and carried me out of the bathroom into the bedroom. He put me down on the bed and followed suit immediately. My heart raced like crazy and I watched him in anticipation. Not out of nervousness, no, I was craving for his touch so bad....
He looked down at me, his eyes checking me out, slowly wandering across my face, down to my neck, and then he stopped. He glared at a certain spot on my neck. Then he leaned down and bit me. Hard.
"Argh!" It hurt. It really did. Especially when he started to suck as if he intended to draw out my blood. "W-Wang... Ji..." I moaned and held the back of his neck. I didn't care if it hurts, I didn't want him to stop.
But eventually, he did. He stopped and licked over the part he bit. "He bit you there, didn't he?"
"I .. yes, but that was two weeks ago... there shouldn't be any mark-"
"There was. A faint one, but there was one. I needed to cover it with mine." He said and softly kissed the bitten spot. "Where else?"
"I don't know... I don't remember..." I answered honestly. "But...."
He looked into my eyes, challenging me to speak.
"But I want you to mark me all over. I want to look into the mirror and see that I belong to you. I can't let others know but... I still want it."
His glare softened. "You belong to me as I belong to you. As long as we know that, the others are not important. That is what I think and believe in. But if others keep trying to take you from me, I see no other way but to show them just who you belong to." His hands wandered to my knees. He lifted them with one hand, while his other hand wandered to my front, slowly starting to stroke me.
"You are craving for me, my love. Is that it?"
"Hmm... yes...." I moaned and closed my eyes.
"Did you miss me?"
"Yes... don't leave..."
"I won't, my love. I promised you. I won't ever leave you again."
"I love you, Wang Ji." His hand stroked me faster as he lifted my legs higher. I bit my lips. For a moment I thought about keeping it low but what happened next made me forget that intention.
"I love you more, Wei Ying." Without any warning, he entered me. My hole, my walls, they were welcoming him in as he pounded into me, finding my sweet spot almost immediately, hitting it with all his strength. He had his eyes closed as moved faster and faster. Not only I was moving, but the bed was also. I couldn't find anything to hold onto so I held onto him as he bend down and kissed me passionately without getting any slower.
My hands flew to his back, like usual digging into his back. I heard his growl and he pounded into me with all his might, making me come immediately. He followed just two seconds later. As I tried to calm down from my orgasm, he didn't. It's as if he didn't even realize that we had come, or maybe he couldn't stop himself. His movement didn't slow down. He continued to hit my sweet spot. The thrusts were heavier at first but they felt good. It felt amazing and I felt myself getting hard again.
My heart raced as I moaned his name loudly, not caring if anyone could hear us. Not that anyone could as I was sure Wang Ji used his spiritual energy to prevent that.
He kissed me, stroke me, pounded into me....
This.... this is it.... this was Wang Ji... this is real...
He stopped moving instantly the moment the first sob sounded. I tried to suppress it but I failed and after the first sob, the second followed, and soon I was crying. Wang Ji was not moving at all, he looked down at me in shock.
I could feel him inside me, highly erect and almost at his limit. It must be torture for him to be so close to his release yet he didn't move anymore.
"Wei Ying?" He called me worriedly and scared. "Wei Ying... my love...."
"This is it.... Why didn't I realize it? ... I should have known... everything was different so I should have known... but I didn't wake up... I kept dreaming about you but ... I should have known... I should have woken up and pushed him away....I'm sorry...."
I didn't want to think about that night anymore but I couldn't help it as I was now met with the differences. I didn't only feel guilty for that night, I also felt guilty that without wanting it, I just compared both brothers. My tears didn't stop and the guilt was about to eat me up.
Wang Ji's shocked expression softened up and he slowly leaned down, laying on top of me. His weight felt so comfortable to me. He slowly raised his hands and caressed my cheeks as he put his forehead against mine.
Suddenly my tears stopped and images filled my head. No, not images, memories. Wang Ji's memories from the time he met me the first time until today. With his memories came all his feelings.
I saw what he saw, I felt what he felt. I felt Wang Ji's love for me from the first time he met me, and how it grew with every meetup. How he look forward to meeting me, how much he enjoyed these meetings, and how upset he was when we bid goodbye. I felt the longing for me, his love for me, his desire for me. All that filled my head, my heart, and my soul.
I could feel his current feelings, his current thoughts. He never not once thought of me differently just because of that night. He still loved me like before, no, he loved me more with every day that passed. He was angry at his brother, he hated him for what he did. He hated how his father and everyone else always treated me like they did, not caring much about me and my feelings. Wang Ji believed he would go insane if he would lose me. He couldn't live without me. He still held that thought of killing Lan Huan but didn't do it because he didn't want to lose me.
He showed me all that to explain to me that he wasn't angry with me, he didn't give me any fault. He wanted me to know that no matter what happens, he loved me. Unconditionally. I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed him tightly. I hugged him like there was no tomorrow.
I knew that I was nothing without him. I need him. If he wasn't there, life had no meaning.
"Do you understand now, my love? I love you so much. I did so in the past, I do so now, and I will do so in the future. Nothing can change that. I know what you think, I know you feel guilty but you don't have to be. That night..." He stopped and moved a little so our eyes could meet.
"That night you dreamed about me. All you saw was me. That night, I made love to you, Wei Ying. It was me. Just me. Forget everything else, only think of me. That night I made love to you, we made love. I make love to you right now, we are making love. Wei Ying, I love you." He kissed me deeply. His tongue played with mine before he sucked it.
Suddenly I felt everything falling off of me. All the negative thoughts and feelings. Everything was gone with this kiss. It was as of Wang Ji took them from me. He probably did.
"I love you so much more, Wang Ji." I stroked his cheeks and nudged my nose with his.
"Shall we stop?" He asked seriously and this made me fall for him all over again. He was still deeply connected with me down there. He was highly aroused and close to his release. This was surely very painful for him, yet, for me, he wanted to stop.
"No." I shook my head and smiled. I didn't want to stop. "I missed you. This is our chance to make up for the days we were apart. Wang Ji, you were gone just about three weeks. But for you, it was longer. Over a year, right?"
"Little over two years." He answered and I hissed feeling him getting harder inside me, symbolizing his longing for me.
"Let's make up for that time, Wang Ji."
"Mhn." He smiled and soon I started to moan from the pleasure my beloved prince gave me.
We didn't stop for a very long time until both of was were tired out. Wang Ji managed to clean our bodies and change the sheets before the both of us went to bed, falling asleep in each other's arms.
Only later I remembered Wen Ning, who just wanted to go and get us some breakfast. He never came back, though. I found out later that he did come back but once he felt Wang Ji's protection wall around the room, he left again and made sure no one would come close to my bed room, knowing full well what was happening inside.
3rd POV
Wang Ji looked down on the sleeping Lan Huan. It was the middle of the night and while Wei Ying would still sleep for another couple of hours after their lovemaking, Wang Ji decided to visit his brother.
He certainly knew that Lan Huan would be asleep and that was exactly the reason he came at this time. Wei Ying told him about the punishment he gave his brother but Wang Ji wanted to see him with his own eyes and indeed, the scars looked everything but pretty now, that they have not yet healed.
But no matter what, Wang Ji wasn't satisfied enough. After all the things Lan Huan did to his beloved, these scars were not enough. Of course, while Wang Ji was still with Wei Ying just 30 minutes ago and felt rather calm, seeing his brother like this brought back all the negative feelings.
'Not enough!' He thought and stepped closer to the bed. The closer he came, the more his feelings grew. But seeing Lan Huan's small and simple smile on his lips was the last straw. Wang Ji gritted his teeth and for a moment forgot about anything but the thought of killing his brother.
He stepped closer and raised his hands, spiritual energy gathered in his palm as he stepped closer and closer. When he was within reach and only needed to stretch out his palm to make sure his brother would never do something against his beloved Wei Ying again, suddenly a voice sounded right behind him,
"Wang Ji..." It was a soft sound, almost a whisper, and Wang Ji took back his hand immediately. He couldn't believe his ears. Hundreds of years might have passed, but this voice was not something he would ever forget. He turned around and widened his eyes seeing the only person he loved almost as much as Wei Ying.
"Mother...." He whispered while staring at the glowing woman in front of her. "Is this... real?"
A smile appeared on her face, her eyes forming into half moons. "My baby... you grew up so well."
"Mother... how...?"
She shook her head. "I don't have much time so listen carefully." She looked at her oldest son who was sleeping peacefully in his bed.
"He is your brother. I might have only raised you for about 650 years but I am sure I didn't teach you like this, coming at night to assassinate your older brother."
"But he-"
"Wang Ji, no matter what he did, it is not your task to punish him. You have no right to take his life, nor anyone else's. Fate will decide his life and death, no one else. Lan Huan made mistakes. Heavy ones and smaller ones. Not all the wrongdoings were made because he wanted to. Some of them happened because of influences. But he is regretting his actions, Wang Ji. And as long as he knows that, and what he did wrong, as long as he regrets them and wants to change, he has a chance to be forgiven."
"Forgiven?! After everything he did...?"
"The mercy of the goddesses knows no bounds. They will give second chances, sometimes even more. The goddesses know far more than everyone else."
"Why are they not doing anything? Why didn't they stop him?" Wang Ji asked heartbrokenly. Thinking how Wei Ying cried in his arms, how he felt so guilty for something he did not influence on.
"Not even the goddesses are allowed to interfere with fate as they want, my dear son. Fate is something that is fixed before birth and it will change at every reincarnation. What do you think will happen when the goddesses interfere every time they are not satisfied with the fate of someone?"
The late empress stepped forwards and touched his son's cheeks. "Everyone would become puppets. No one wants that, the last the goddesses. So they rarely interfere."
"Rarely? Does that mean they do interfere? What must happen for them to do? What should have happened for them to stop what he did?" Wang Ji pointed at his brother.
"My dear Wang Ji, the task of the goddesses are infinite and difficult. But you have to have faith in them." Wang Ji didn't look like he accepted what his mother said so she sighed.
"Your father..." She started and Wang Ji frowned. His father was at fault too, so the second prince thought.
"He made this all happen!" Wang Ji hissed and the late empress stroke her son's cheeks.
"Your father fell in love with me at first sight. He courted me and tried every possible way to receive my attention and love. He didn't succeed as I had no feelings for him. Not the first time I met him and not when I died. I was forced to marry due to a decree by the late emperor. I wasn't happy with that but I accepted it as I had no other option. In the end, he was my fated partner. "
"A loveless marriage... you weren't happy. How could the goddesses not help out? How couldn't they just change your fate a little."
The late empress smiled. "If they did, you and your brother, the lights of my life, wouldn't have been born. Both of you were my everything, the two of you were the only reason I was happy. If I haven't given birth to both of you, none of you would meet your fated partner or even your soulmate. And if that didn't happen, it would change the fate of your partner and soulmate as well. The children you might have given born to wouldn't have been born, they therefore wouldn't have been able to meet their fated partner. And this continues on and on. Everything would fall into chaos. Do you understand?"
Wang Ji understood but couldn't accept that it seemed to be Wei Ying's fate that Lan Huan's forced himself on him. How could such fate even exist?
"Wang Ji...." He looked at his mother who smiled lovingly. "There are things out there many won't be able to understand or to accept. No matter how gruesome some things are, no matter how ugly some parts of one's fate are, you have to have trust in the goddesses. They have more knowledge than all the seers together."
Wang Ji looked at his older brother and realized his intention to kill him was fully gone. But he still didn't want to leave him unpunished. So he once again raised his hands and shot some of his spiritual power at him.
"Wang Ji?" His mother called him. "What did you do?" She wasn't angry at Wang Ji as he didn't kill his brother and hoped that the goddesses would have mercy on him, should he have done something terrible. Hearing her son's explanation made her sigh in relief.
"He won't be able to think of Wei Ying inappropriately ever again. Should he dare to have improper thoughts about him his scars will start to hurt until these thoughts are gone. If the goddesses want to punish me for this, so be it."
"If you get punished or not is for them to decide."
"Mother, will everything be alright as of now one? Nothing else will happen, right?"
"I can't answer that, Wang Ji, as I do not know about the future. What is fated to happen, will happen." Slowly the late empress started to vanish.
"Mother...." Wang Ji tried to reach out to her but couldn't even touch her. She smiled.
"Wei Ying..." She said his beloved's name. "I like him. He is special. Far more special than you think. No matter what might happen, hold onto him. He needs you, you need him. Follow your decisions."
"Mother!" He called her once more but she was gone, leaving her youngest son behind. Wang Ji, took one last look at his older brother before he made his way back to his home.
To be continued...
I am relieved that Wang Ji did not kill Lan Huan because it would have surely separated Wei Ying and Wang Ji.
What do you guys think about the fact that the goddesses are not interfering? Do you think this is a good thing or a bad thing?
I, in my opinion, think this is not a bad decision of theirs. But that doesn't mean I like that people are suffering...
Apropos suffering... there are a few things about to happen in the next chapter.
Feel free to leave a vote and a comment or two. I love reading your opinions <3 <3