WangXian Forever 7

Chapter 64 Saviour

In the chaos and all the screaming, the children were frightened with the panicking happening around them, but Lan Zhan sent Bichen to help Wei Ying while he made his way to the front of the fleeing crowds.

When he got there, Wei Ying had wrapped his wings around himself and Bichen was pointing at the priest's neck.

"Move and you die." Lan Zhan told him, watching the fear leap into his eyes. He turned to Wei Ying who was still bracing himself for the blow that never came, the knife having fallen on the ground.

"Wei Ying!" He tried to keep his voice calm, but when he had seen Wei Ying fly to the Queen's rescue, his heart had been in his mouth with anxiety, even though Wei Ying had promised he would not put himself at risk. Trust was there but Lan Zhan had to make sure he was alright.

Wei Ying was grinning at him already.

"Remember my love? Wings are knife proof."

Lan Zhan had indeed forgotten.

"Wei Ying will be paying for that stunt later." He smiled dangerously, heat travelling into his golden eyes, setting them on fire.

Well, the adrenaline had to go somewhere...Wei Ying thought with a hard swallow.

"Guards!" The Queen barked as soon as she had grasped the situation. "Arrest this man! Take him to the King!"

Red and gold uniformed soldiers appeared out of nowhere with swords at the ready, and only when the priest was securely in their hands did Lan Zhan collect Bichen.

"And you!" The Queen pointed a long taloned finger at Wei Ying and Lan Zhan. "Shall accompany me to the Palace." She swirled away back to her palanquin, entered it and was on her way within seconds.

The dancing singers surrounded them, Lan Zhan, Wei Ying and the children.

"I guess we're going with them then." Wei Ying curled his wings back and grabbed Lan Zhan's hand, after taking Rumi back.

Lan Zhan picked up Li Xiwang and then they were allowed to move forward.

Wei Ying caught Hongse's eye and she raised a brow as if to say, want me to get you out of this?

He shook his head and whispered a message to Lan Zhan, who discreetly sent a butterfly.

Hongse had been following them at a distance, when she received the message, she nodded and stayed back.

Wei Ying knew she would make her way back to Dunshi and her sisters.

Now they would have to see what was going to happen to them.

The singing dancers were packed in quite tightly around them and they had no choice but to move forward. Ahead of them, they could see the palanquin bobbing up and down in front of them, and Wei Ying had to stifle a laugh at the struggling bearers.

They walked down an avenue lined with palm trees and Wei Ying was glad they had waited until the strongest of the sunshine was over.

As it was, he had worked up a faint sheen of sweat on his upper lip and his robe felt a little too warm by the time they stopped outside a golden palace.

He had to shield his eyes from the sunglare, looking at the ostentatious building through his lashes.

It was a big building, housing at least fifty rooms. Blue flowers had been twisted into garlands which were wrapped around the fancy pillars on the outside of the front door.

And when they reached inside, the front foyer was all white and gold with blue garlands hanging from the ceiling, hundreds of petals littering the floor. There was a winding staircase and the bannister was wrapped in blue gauze. These splashes of colour only highlighted the white and gold, to make them stand out more.

The Queen marched to a set of golden double doors and flung them open. The servants on the other side cowered as she stormed past to climb the golden steps at the far end of a great hall. Her seat as it turned out, was right next to the King, on his gold throne.

The King was surprised to see her. He wore a gold crown encrusted with pearls and Sapphires. His robes were of a deepest blue, contrasting in a fine manner with hers, and together they made for a stunning couple.

The priest who had tried to harm the Queen was already kneeling in front of the royal couple, his head held down by a mean looking man with a scar running down his face.

"Explain yourself, Priest. You have served the royal family for nigh on twenty years. What happened?" The King asked, stroking his beard.

"Your Highness...I have no explanation for my deeds. Please punish me. It is all my fault." He muttered quietly, not looking up.

"That is the strangest thing." The King remarked. "You expect me to simply mete out a punishment when clearly there is more to this than what little appears on the surface. I want an answer." His tone was terrifying.

The man cowered but refused to speak.

The King turned to Wei Ying and Lan Zhan, eyeing the children with interest.

"Thank you kindly for saving my beloved. If you don't mind, please enlighten me? How did you know my wife was in danger?"

Wei Ying studied the serious man. His eyes were of the darkest green, almost black and just as intense.

Wei Ying stepped closer to Lan Zhan unconsciously, and apparently, Lan Zhan felt the same uneasiness emanating from this situation, because he wrapped an arm around Wei Ying's waist.

They both bowed to show respect first, being the most diplomatic thing to do, and it seemed to soften his face.

Rumi had been growling from the moment they entered the great hall, and perhaps Wei Ying was a little biased, but since his demon baby had been spot on so far in his judgement of people, he couldn't be blamed for siding with the little one.

"It was simply a matter of observation, your Highness." He replied, honestly.

"Then I commend your eyesight. In fact, I am so grateful, I would request that you stay here with me for a few days." The King was looking at Rumi and Li XiWang when he said that.

"Ah, unfortunately, you've caught us at a bad time." Wei Ying said, smiling to ease the burn his words might cause. "We're actually part of a group, and we're late already. We are travelling south still, and there's a long way to go yet."

"Then one night at least." The King replied immediately.

"But-" Wei Ying tried to protest.

"I insist." The King spoke over him as though it was decided.