A Phoenix Rising - An Untamed Story (Book 1 In Series)

Chapter 01

"Bath first, then food." Lan WangJi ordered.

"But I'm hungry, " Wei WuXian whined. After months of traveling and mostly eating alone he was looking forward to dining with his friend. Even though that friend insisted, or at least tried to insist, upon silence during meals. And even though the food in Cloud Recesses was distinctly lacking in spices. Glancing quickly over at Lan WangJi, he amended his thoughts: it wasn't the food he was looking forward to so much as the companionship. I missed you.

Lan WangJi sniffed delicately in Wei WuXian's direction. "Wood smoke, grass, dirt, peppers.... What's that other smell? Fermented apples?" He wrinkled his nose in disgust.

Wei WuXian laughed. "Little Apple and I slept near an orchard a few days ago. He broke his tether and gorged himself while I slept. Then he vomited on my head. I did wash, but I guess my soap wasn't strong enough."

Lan WangJi knelt beside a chest and pulled out a set of clothing from the bottom: dark blue outer robes with a matching sash and white underclothes. "Here, you can wear this after your bath. I've never worn it. Give me all your dirty things later, and I'll have someone wash and mend them."

Wei WuXian looked over the garments. The outer robe was embroidered with silver threads in a delicate cloud pattern. "Why do you have this?" he asked. "The darkest color I've seen on you is pale blue."

"It was a gift."

"Was she pretty?"

"I didn't notice."

Wei WuXian was incredulous. "How do you not notice if the girl is pretty or not? I guarantee you, she was hoping you'd think she was pretty."

Lan Wanji looked over at Wei WuXian out of the corner of his eye. "I performed an exorcism at her parent's house a few years ago. A few months later, I happened to be passing through her town, and she gave me the outfit as a thank you gift. Neither time did she impress me enough that I wished for another meeting. I took the clothes out of courtesy, because she insisted they were simply a thank you gift, not anything else."

"I'm surprised the Elders haven't married you off, yet. You and ZeWu-Jun. You both have excellent reputations, good bloodlines. And I'm pretty sure that a son adopted from outside the Sect is not suitable as an heir." Wei WuXian laughed as another thought occurred to him. "You're going to have to learn how to talk, Lan Zhan! I'm quite certain wives like to talk with their husbands about many subjects, not just the weighty important matters." He laughed louder. "Your poor wife to be! She'll be chattering on about which dish pattern you should use for your next banquet, and you'll be ignoring her." He felt a pain sear through his chest at the thought of Lan WangJi married. But that's the way it's supposed to be, he thought. Men are supposed to fall in love with women.

Lan WangJi's heart sank at the mention of marriage. He was quite sure Wei Ying was right about the Elders wanting to marry him off, and he was equally as sure that they disapproved of his choice. What he was unsure about was how his choice felt in return. "I do not enjoy the prattle of beings who are allergic to the silence of their own thoughts." Present company excluded, he added mentally.

Wei WuXian laughed again. "No wonder you're always ignoring me. No matter; I stopped minding a long time ago."

"I always pay attention to you, Wei Ying. You speak because there is something that I need to hear, not simply to fill the silence." Inwardly, he smiled. Apparently his friend was struck silent by that admission. It wasn't completely true; Wei Ying did talk to fill the silence. But this was one voice Lan WangJi would happily listen to prattle on for the rest of his life.

Lan Zhan had more to say, words that he ached to tell his friend. But words that would admit his love if ever spoken. And a confession of love could destroy their fragile friendship.