ALWAYS, ABIDE WITH ME

Chapter 15: The Council of Elders

Dedicated to @chocolatewithtea, my Beastie!

In Cloud Recesses an unspoken excitement had seized the imagination of both the Disciples and the Commoners who worked for the Clan. Everyone was waiting to see what would happen when Matron Beaver and her team faced  Grandmaster Lan Qiren. With the notable exception of Lan Wangji, no one in living memory had ever dared to as much as disagree with Lan Qiren, much less argue against and defy him. Needless to say everyone remembered how it had gone for Lan Wangji.

Having made friends with several of the disciples in Lan JingYi’s batch, SaMi and Pranith were now in possession of the facts that preceded the infamous whipping of the second Jade of Gusu. It was with no small amount of trepidation that they narrated the story to Matron Beaver.

Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng entered just as SaMi was describing the 33 strokes. Jiang Cheng's happiness transformed into a mask of horror. The rage he felt on behalf of his Shidi had Zidian actually transforming into an impossibly large serpent sporting hideous green eyes and hissing fearfully!

The hackles on Matron Beaver’s and SaMi's necks rose and they both stood upright on their hindlegs. Matron Beaver suddenly emitted a roar.

As everyone watched mouths agape, she grew and expanded till she was well over 5' tall, definitely as large as an average human. Her beaver claws and teeth looked especially dangerous as she turned slowly glaring at the Purple Hisser that had dared to threaten her brood. One swipe from that paw would slit the hisser from belly to tail in the time that it took to exhale!

SaMi and Pranith wore proud grins and various voices called out “Mamma! Naenda*!” in Beaverish and Otterman, with various degrees of excitement in their voices. SaMi turned and hushed them. The words ‘Chosen One’ featured several times as she explained in whispers to the huddle of youngsters.

Zidian, faced with a martial Matron Beaver hissed ferociously. Jiang Cheng  recollected where the Lankans stood and uttered a sharp ‘No!’ The snake desized and the hissing changed to a more sibilant tone, almost conversational. Matron Beaver cocked her massive ears, nodded and hissed right back in reply, much to the junior's amusement! The snake leapt back onto Jiang Cheng's wrist and transformed into its bracelet form. Matron Beaver and SaMi exchanged quiet smiles.

Lan Xichen, tears in his eyes, wordlessly first knelt and then kowtowed to Jiang Cheng.  Shocked, Jiang Cheng  dashed away his own tears and raised his husband up by the shoulders. “Please no, A’Huan!  What are you even thinking, it's not your fault! I know you must have tried to dissuade Shushu, but he'd have walked all over you!” he exclaimed bitterly.

“I failed, Wanyin, I failed to protect my brother!”

“Our Brother.”

A tense silence punctuated by Lan Xichen's sobs. Jiang Cheng put his arms around Lan Xichen and quietened him, but his expression was sombre as he said, “I have to agree, A’Huan, but I'd say the failure was that of a Clan Leader failing to uphold Justice in the face of deep prejudice. Let’s get to the matter at hand. Nushi, did you and your team rest well?”

Matron Beaver smiled kindly at the troubled couple and bade them to join them for breakfast. Lan Xichen mopped his face and said stoically, “Nushi, this time I will ensure Justice is served.”

“No!” Jiang Cheng 's sharp retort surprised everyone. “Listen, A’Huan this is what we're going to do: do this my way and no blame will be attached to either you or the Lankans.” 

“But I don't want to put you at risk.”

“Hah! I would like to see anyone try touching even a hair on my head; I am, after all, my mother's son!” Jiang Cheng  smirked. Zidian woke up and hissed helpfully.