I am Here

Chapter 12 Vows

Dinner has come and gone. The village is silent. The sacred tree is now alone with only Lan Zhan and Wei Ying standing before it. It's twilight, the last shades of pink and purple are painting the clouds in the sky. The moon and stars are beginning to shine on the quiet world below. Lan Zhan and Wei ying feel the majesty of the tree and feel dwarfed by it.

As they approach the tree once said to be planted by an Immortal, they bow deeply while clasping their hands together in prayer. They again perform the three formal bows of marriage to reaffirm their vows. When they are done they touch their foreheads and share a kiss.

Lan Zhan holding his beloved's hands and looking in his silver eyes that rivals the moon, he swallows hard and starts to speak with a voice full of his emotions "From the very second your eyes looked into mine I was lost. I belonged to you then and when you didn't want me and I thought you would never be mine, I still belonged to you. I belonged to you when you decided to come back to me and I belong to you now and till eternity. To you and only you. You are my heart and soul, the very air I breathe. I cannot begin to tell you how hard and agonizing life was without you and I thought you didn't care about me. I would've loved you even if you never loved me back. I will always want you by my side. I never, ever want to be without you. For I will surely die if you ever leave me. So please promise to stay with me and never part from me."

Wei Ying's lashes are sparkling with tears "Oh my fuddy duddy, my heart is near bursting with the love I have for you. Trust me, I was a fool in the past for not trusting my own heart. Because even when I wasn't with you I only thought of you. I realized, I needed and wanted only you. Without you, life had no meaning, I couldn't bear it. I cannot sleep without listening to your heartbeat for it is mine as well. I need to be in your arms always. Thank you my love for never giving up on me. I will never leave your side for I cannot face a life without you. So you are stuck with me."

They look deep into each other's eyes. Their eyes speak what words cannot fully express. They hold each other tightly feeling each other's heartbeat and know they beat as one.

Lan Zhan reaches for his headband and removes it. He then reaches for Wei Ying's red ribbon and removes it as well. Wei Ying understands his husband's heart, and uses a talisman and intertwines the ribbons together. Using another talisman the ribbons rise to the top of the sacred tree and blend with the tree. They bow once more to the tree that is witness to their love and pray they can be together forever.

The tree answers by sending down two heart shaped leaves to them. They are astounded and grateful, feeling their prayers have been heard. They kneel in front of the tree and place their foreheads on the ground in thanks.

They rise and Lan Zhan grabs Wei Ying's hands and brings them to his lips and whispers "Forever". Wei Ying does the same with Lan Zhan's hands and brings them to his lips and says "Forever my love."

They walk back silently to the inn, each lost in their own thoughts. They feel so much closer to each other but still hidden in the background is the reason they are here and not in Cloud Recess. Lan Zhan stops walking and turns to face Wei YIng. At first he says nothing, only slowly stroking Wei Ying's face and getting lost in those silver eyes he loves so much. Wei Ying patiently waits as he knows it takes time for his husband to gather his thoughts to speak. While waiting he lovingly looks into the amber eyes that always stirs his heart.

Finally Lan Zhan says, "Let's go back to the Lotus Inn in the morning and rest for a while. Do you feel ready to try and work on our issues? Have we begun to heal enough to try?

Wei Ying's body stiffens, his first thought is "No!!,No, I'm not ready, I will never be ready to face my past." But as he looks at his husband's eyes and feels his arms embracing him, he knows he's not being fair to either of them. Even as Lan Zhan waits, he does not pressure Wei Ying, he knows it's not easy and wants to give him time.

Wei Ying thinks "Lan Zhan is home and his safe place. Why is he always so slow to fully realize things? He knows his husband will protect him." So he visibly relaxes and places his head on Lan Zhan's chest and listens to his heartbeat for a moment. He remembers Lan Zhan once told him "The face might show nothing but listen to the heartbeat." and so he listens.

At last Wei Ying looks up at Lan Zhan "Yes, my dear fuddy duddy I'm ready as long as you are with me."

They kiss and smile at each other, ready for the next chapter in their lives. They know that as long as they have each other all things are possible. No longer are they just inseparable but bonded together by love and by their souls. They will always fight, love and live together, they are Soulmates.