Feiyan

Feiyan bit back a soft groan as a new feeling overtook her body. It was raw, unyielding, and pressed down on the child inside her. Feiyan gritted her teeth as she fought the feeling in vain.

I have to push!

A soft whimper escaped her lips as she succumbed to her body’s urges and moved to the edge of her seat to bear down. Tears filled her eyes as she felt her baby descend towards the world.

Yixing, where are you?

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Yixing

The sound of metal clashing against metal filled the forest air as Yixing’s sword hit against Yilong’s again. He skidded sideways to gain the upper hand, managing to leave a cut on Yilong’s arm before he jumped back. Both men were breathing hard as they paused to stare at each other. Yilong smirked.

“Not bad, little brother.” He sneered, “But it seems like you are getting tired!” Yixing laughed.

“Thank you, but I have plenty of energy left!” He replied as he lunged at Yilong again. The older man barely managed to slide below Yixing’s sword before returning the attack, sending Yixing’s feet skidding backwards over the snowy ground.

“Did you like the little gift I sent you?” Yilong sneered, “You were quite obsessed with your little lover.” A low growl escaped Yixing’s lips.

“So you really were the one behind that fake Ruyi!” He said. Yilong smirked.

“Of course. But you were so useless, you couldn’t even find the evidence to show that it was me!” He replied, “You completely bought the trick! If that Tibetan prince hadn’t meddled, Xu Feiyan would be long gone by now.” He sent a flying kick into Yixing’s stomach, knocking him onto the ground with a spray of snow.

“I might as well tell you one more thing, Zhang Yixing.” Yilong continued as he pointed his sword at Yixing, “Your precious Ruyi wasn’t killed by bandits.” He leaned close and sneered into Yixing’s face.

“I killed her.” He admitted with a short laugh. Yixing felt unspeakable rage fill him, and he knocked away Yilong’s sword before punching his brother to the ground.

“Why?” He demanded, “Ruyi was innocent! What did she ever do to deserve death at your hands?” Yilong laughed incredulously.

“Her biggest crime was loving you.” He replied, “Zhang Yixing, all your life, you have gotten all that you could ever want and did want. I wanted you to taste the feeling of losing what you held dear, the desperation of loss that our father always shielded you from!”

“You bastard!” Yixing snarled, “I’m going to kill you!” Yilong smirked and shoved Yixing away.

“You will have to capture me first, Zhang Yixing!” He declared. Their fight resumed in full force, both men alternating in obtaining the upper hand. Yixing felt his rage grow as he fought Yilong. The despicable bastard hadn’t spared a single innocent soul that he could manipulate in his favor! Even now, he hadn’t spared even Feiyan in order to lure Yixing out. Still though, Yilong had always been stronger in terms of martial arts, and eventually, Yixing found himself pinned under his brother’s grasp. He choked and gagged as Yilong’s hands wrapped around his neck.

“Just admit it, Zhang Yixing.” He sneered, “You cannot win over me. And now, your precious wife will pay the price of your being weak!” Yixing saw dark spots fill his vision as the air was slowly squeezed out of him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yilong grasp his sword, and knew that before long the metal tip would be aimed directly for his heart.

Feiyan...oh Yan’er, are we going to meet our ends just like this?

He could almost hear Feiyan’s sweet laughter in his ear, her soft voice singing to their baby as they sat together in the moonlight.

No! I cannot let it end like this!

Yixing felt his head clear as he found new strength welling up inside him, spurred by his desire to protect his family. He reached up and yanked Yilong’s hands off his throat, and gave him a deep kick that slammed his brother into the tree behind them. For a moment, Yilong looked stunned as Yixing staggered and coughed as air rushed back into his lungs.

“How?” Yilong stared in shock. Yixing somehow found the strength to smile bitterly.

“Because my wife is waiting for me.” He replied, “And I don’t intend to let her down.” Yilong cursed under his breath.

“Then you’d best hope your wife stays alive!” He snapped. In one fluid motion, Yilong leapt onto his horse and galloped off. Yixing growled in fury and leapt onto his horse to follow his brother.

I won’t let you hurt her!

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Feiyan

Feiyan let out a cry as she pushed one more time and felt a tiny body slip free from within her body and into her waiting hands. Within seconds, a loud wail rose from the newborn, and Feiyan quickly pulled her baby into her arms as she gasped for breath.

“Shhh, little one.” She murmured, “It’s okay, I’m here.” The baby’s loud wails continued, and Feiyan could only be more than grateful that the snowstorm still raged around her, effectively hiding her baby’s cries from anything nearby. Feiyan hesitated, then looked down to examine her newborn. Her heart sank as she looked over her firstborn.

“A boy…” She whispered. Normally, giving birth to a boy was not a bad thing, but Yilong’s threat rang in Feiyan’s mind as she gathered Yijun in her cape to keep him warm. She didn’t doubt Yixing’s abilities, but Yilong was like a raging wolf, and an animal gone on a rampage was far from predictable. Feiyan swallowed hard as she peeked out the carriage curtain. Outside, the snowstorm had gotten worse again; Feiyan doubted she could see past the length of her hand if she went outside. In any case, a snowstorm was no place for a newborn to be. Feiyan had no choice but to sit still within the carriage. Suddenly, she heard the sound of pounding hoofbeats, and her heart lifted hesitantly.

Yixing?

Her hopes were dashed though as the curtain was yanked open, and Feiyan found herself looking at Yilong’s crazed expression. His gaze switched between Feiyan and the baby in her arms.

“Looks like it’s a boy.” He sneered. He raised his sword into the air, and Feiyan turned her body to shield her child. The blow never came though, and Feiyan turned in surprise to see an arrow protruding from Yilong’s shoulder. Before she could realize what was happening, he was yanked from the carriage, and she heard a loud and familiar voice speaking outside.

“Get away from my wife!” Yixing snarled. Despite the chaos of the situation, Feiyan felt a relived smile spread over her lips as the sounds of fighting continued outside. Yixing had come for her, just as she had both hoped and feared. She could only hope that his desire to protect her was enough to overcome Yilong’s desire for power. Before she could look outside to see what was happening, Feiyan gasped as she felt her stomach contract again.

What was that? The afterbirth? It feels too strong for it to be that.

A soft groan escaped Feiyan’s lips as another contraction hit, followed by the feeling of something hard being pressed down inside of her. It felt awfully familiar to how her body had felt before Yijun had been born. Feiyan’s eyes widened as she realized what was happening.

There’s another baby!

______________________________________________________

Yixing

The moment Yixing realized Yilong was raising his sword at Feiyan, it was like a blinding red cloud had overtaken his vision. Without thinking twice, he ran forward and drove an arrow into Yilong’s shoulder before yanking him back.

“Don’t you dare lay a finger on her!” He growled at Yilong, “Your fight is with me!” Yilong smirked.

“Now you are going to play the caring husband?” He asked, “You weren’t even able to stop me from taking her in the first place!” Yixing narrowed his eyes.

“You have no right to judge what I do.” He answered, and the fight began anew between the two brothers. Yilong’s words sparked a new fire within Yixing, but while the fire made him stronger, it also meant he was less calm and focused on the fight at hand. Before long, Yixing gasped as his back was slammed against the ground, Yilong’s hand against his neck. He bit back a pained cry as Yilong drove his dagger into Yixing’s shoulder.

“Admit defeat, Zhang Yixing.” Yilong sneered, “Perhaps I may leave you with a full body for burial.” Yixing gagged as Yilong’s hand closed in tighter on his neck, leaving little room for him to breathe. From a distance, he could hear Feiyan crying out, but he couldn’t tell from what. Then, just as Yixing’s vision was fading, he heard a new sound. It was entirely unfamiliar to him; it sounded like the whimpers of a young animal, and then grew increasingly louder into a lusty scream. Yixing’s mind cleared as he realized what the sound was.

A newborn’s cry!

The sound of a baby crying could only mean one thing: Feiyan had given birth inside the carriage. And the only thing stopping Yilong from destroying the hope the new life brought was Yixing’s own life. Yixing suddenly remembered the many times when he had promised Feiyan that he would protect her and their child, that they would create a safe future for their child to live in. No, he wasn’t going to let Yilong keep him from fulfilling that promise. Yixing turned his head to look for his sword, but it was lying far out of his reach. In one last grab for survival, Yixing reached up and grasped the hairpin that had been holding his hair out of the way during the fight. He had no sword in his hand, but perhaps the tip of the hairpin...new strength flooded into Yixing’s body as he thought of his family, and with a loud cry, he plunged the end of the hairpin into Yilong’s neck. His brother froze, eyes widening in shock at the sudden turn of events. Yixing took the opportunity to kick Yilong in the chest, sending the older man sprawling in the snow. Finally free, Yixing rose to his feet and took his sword into his hand as Yilong gagged at his feet, the snow slowly turning red beneath him.

“Yixing...you…!” Yilong choked, but could barely make out more than a few words. Yixing took a deep breath.

“As khan of Mongolia, I declare you guilty of the following crimes.” He declared, “Zhang Yilong, you are guilty of killing the former khan with poison, of killing many innocent lives, of conspiring to revolt, of killing a Ming prince, and many other crimes that are too numerous to list!” Yixing took a long breath before continuing.

“Your punishment, is death.” He decreed. Yixing raised the sword into the air, plunged it downward, and Yilong was no more. For another moment, Yixing stood staring at his brother’s body, his heart pounding in his chest. At last, his greatest foe was no more. Neither he nor Feiyan would ever have to fear being the subject of his plots ever again. They could live their lives in peace. Slowly, the snowstorm that had been raging around them died down, as if welcoming the new period of peace. The sound of a baby crying drew Yixing from his daze, and he rushed for the carriage tied to a tree nearby.

“Yan’er!” He cried, yanking open the carriage curtain. Feiyan’s eyes widened in alarm as she saw someone approach, then her gaze softened as she realized it was him.

“Yixing.” She breathed, her voice tinged with exhaustion. Yixing’s gaze focused on the crying infant in Feiyan’s arms, the source of the cries he had been hearing.

“Is that…?” He asked hesitantly. Feiyan grinned.

“Come say hello to our daughter.” She said, motioning him towards her. Yixing carefully climbed into the carriage and knelt at Feiyan’s feet. Carefully, his wife handed him the squalling infant. Yixing stared in wonder down at the tiny human in his hands.

“Ruo Xue…” He whispered in amazement, “We have a daughter…” The little baby’s cries slowly died down at the sound of Yixing’s voice, and Yixing felt his heart melt as a tiny smile spread over his daughter’s face as she looked up at him. Feiyan giggled and gathered another bundle in her arms.

“She’s not the only one who arrived today.” She added, holding out the second bundle for him to see. Yixing looked over and his eyes widened in shock as he realized that Feiyan was holding another baby.

“You had twins?” He gasped. Feiyan smiled and nodded.

“Say hello to Yijun.” She said softly, “Ruo Xue’s older brother. He had just been born when Yilong returned and you pulled him away from us.” Yixing looked from his children to Feiyan’s exhausted face and back to the babies.

“Yan’er...you’re telling me…” He said slowly as reality sank in, “You were captured by Yilong...while in labor...and gave birth to twins alone?” Feiyan laughed softly and nodded. Yixing leaned over and pressed a deep kiss to Feiyan’s lips.

“Oh Yan’er,” He whispered, “You are so brave, so strong. Words cannot express how beautiful you are.” Feiyan laughed again and returned the kiss.

“The babies wouldn’t wait.” She replied, “I had no choice but to have them here.” Yixing chuckled and gently touched his son’s cheek.

“To be born first during such a chaotic day,” He commented, “He has the makings of a warrior already!” Feiyan shook her head in amusement.

“He isn’t even one day old yet!” She protested. Yixing chuckled.

“It is never too early to begin preparing.” He replied. Feiyan could only laugh in amusement. A light breeze blew the curtain slightly open, and Feiyan’s smile faded as she spotted the body in the snow.

“Yixing...is Yilong…?” She looked up at her husband questioningly. Yixing smiled faintly and nodded before pulling Feiyan into a gentle hug.

“He will never interfere with our lives ever again.” He said simply. A soft sigh of relief escaped Feiyan’s lips as she leaned against Yixing’s chest.

“At last.” She said softly, “We can have peace.” Yixing nodded and gently squeezed Feiyan’s shoulder.

“Shall we go home?” He asked, “I’d believe Yifan and Luhan’s forces have already destroyed whatever fight Yilong’s army put up.” Feiyan grinned and nodded.

“Let’s go home.” She agreed. The sun began to peek out from behind the clouds as Yixing and Feiyan started heading home, as if sending blessings to the new khan’s reign. As Yixing looked back at Feiyan and their children, he knew his decision to fight had not been wrong.

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Author's note: I hope the climatic event didn't disappoint! The next chapter will be the epilogue.