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The kingdoms of Gusu and Yunmeng had been in harmony for generations. Though the Yunmeng kingdom was younger and smaller than Gusu, the two coexisted in peace as neighbors. Their children even spent months at a time visiting each other in their respective kingdoms.
The larger kingdoms of Qishan and Lanling were on the other side of the kingdom of Qinghe. The relationship between the larger kingdoms was strained and conflict broke out every decade or so. For the most part, however, war was a foreign idea to Gusu and Yunmeng.
Until Prince Wangji went missing.
The Gusu counselors pointed the blame at Yunmeng. They were the only kingdom smaller than Gusu, after all, and their direct neighbor. Had not their eldest son often caused problems in the palace on his visits? Had he not had a fight with Prince Wangji the last time they met?
And wasn't their daughter, their eldest child, about to marry the crown prince of Lanling? Had not news travelled to them that Prince Zixuan had broken off that engagement? And now it was back on? Getting rid of Prince Wangji might have been part of that deal!
The relationship between Gusu and Yunmeng looked about to collapse into war – the first in the history of Yunmeng.
A delegation was sent out from Yunmeng's capital, Lotus Pier. They carried with them many gifts for the Gusu royal family, as well as one very special emissary.
"As a show of trust between our two kingdoms, I, Prince Wuxian, will remain in your care until such a time as Prince Wangji has been found and returned to you."
He bowed to King Lan Xichen on his throne and remained facing the floor until the king bid him to stand.
King Lan had a tense smile on his face. "We are grateful for your act of trust. However, despite what my counselors say, I do not believe you are responsible for my brother's disappearance."
"You don't?" Wuxian burst out, then hastily covered his mouth and gave a small bow to apologize.
His actions amused the king. "No. You forget, Prince Wuxian. I have known you for most of your life and mine. I think I know your character by now, as you know mine." He inclined his head. "But you are welcome here for as long as you wish to be. Your father is correct that this will placate the counsel."
…
…
Despite King Lan's words, Wuxian's presence in Gusu did not do as much to placate the counsel as they all had hoped. Certainly, they stopped suggesting Yunmeng was behind the prince's disappearance while they were in session with the king, but that did not stop their tongues from wagging in the halls.
"You notice, of course, that they sent their adopted child and not the crown prince," one said, barely five seconds after bowing in greeting to a passing Wuxian, while he was still well within earshot.
"The son of a servant that they peeled off the street," another sneered. "I'm sure if he were to die here it would be no great loss to the Jiang royal family. An act of trust, indeed."
Fists clenched, Wuxian barely kept from turning back. Instead, he walked as calmly as he could until he was out of their sight. Then he picked up speed, faster, faster, until he was running through the empty grounds of the palace. Through one courtyard, into another, until he found himself in the back gardens.
This place had always been his favorite in all of the Gusu royal palace. No stuffy council members or nobility spent any time there. It was a huge, wild space. The groundskeeper's kept the foliage from encroaching on the main palace, and ensured no dangerous animals wandered in, but otherwise it was as close to being free in the mountains as one could get. Deer and owls and rabbits were frequent visitors in that place, and one edge was bordered by a medium sized waterfall and spring.
If he had gotten in trouble during one of his previous visits to Gusu, the wild garden was where he ran.
Now, he stomped through the underbrush, seething and hoping the calm of nature would help dispel it. "Foolish old men," he grumbled. "No great loss, they say. Peeled off the street. Pah. Arrogant, ignorant old men."
When he reached the waterfall, Wuxian dropped to sit on a rock by the side of the spring and breathed. Slowly, his anger abated.
This was a diplomatic visit, not a friendly one like before. He could not fly off the handle now. He was there to represent the Jiang royal family and all of Yunmeng. If he screwed up, there could be a war. Queen Ziyuan had impressed that upon him until his ears were ringing with it. If he screwed up, the blood of everyone who died would be on his hands.
He had to behave and act as the perfect prince of Yunmeng. He could not let those old men get to him.
Sufficiently calmed, Wuxian reached into his waist pocket and pulled out his flute. Instead of playing, he stared at the black bamboo in silence. Some part of him had hoped, naively, that Wangji had not really disappeared. That he would arrive and Wangji would be standing at his brother's side to greet him.
Lifting the flute to his lips, Wuxian began to play. It was a song he and Wangji often played in recent years. They played it shortly after they were reunited and again before they were parted. It was a hello and a goodbye. It was 'It's been awhile' and 'Until next time.' It was what let Wuxian know that, despite appearances, Wangji actually liked seeing him.
They had not played it before he last left Gusu.
Something tugged on his pants and Wuxian stopped playing to look. A white rabbit with bright yellow eyes was chewing on his pant leg. "Hey! Stop it!"
Wuxian pulled his leg away from the rabbit forcefully, and the rabbit held on tight enough that it was actually dragged a few inches before the fabric came loose from its teeth. It hopped over and took up chewing once more without pause.
"Aiya." He reached down and picked up the rabbit. It flailed around in his hands until he was holding it properly, then sat still, though Wuxian could feel its heart beating fast. Looking the rabbit in the eyes, he said, "Do you know what the council will say about me if I show up with chewed up clothes? Ahh, they already look down on me. You want to make me look worse, huh? You're on their side, too." He pouted.
The rabbit let out a huff, like it was appalled he would say such a thing. Wuxian laughed and rubbed between the rabbit's ears.
"Alright alright. Not on their side, hm? I'm sorry, Mister Rabbit."
A bell rang out from somewhere in the palace, a call for dinner. Wuxian had not realized how long he had been sitting there, playing the flute. Quickly, yet carefully, he put the rabbit on the ground and snatched up his flute.
"Bye, Mister Rabbit!" he called out as he hurried away.
He couldn't be late for dinner. He had to be the perfect prince. He had to hold off a war until someone found Wangji!
…
…
For the next few weeks, Wuxian had a routine. He ate breakfast on his own in his room, then went to the royal library to read for an hour or until he grew bored or distracted. Then it was time to wander the palace aimlessly. He jumped at every glimpse of someone who looked even slightly like Wangji turning a corner and hurried after them – usually to find out it was the king instead. Lunch was served in the smaller dining hall, and who was there depended on who was free. If King Lan was there, he chatted amiably with Wuxian. If his uncle, Lan Qiren was there alone, the meal was tense and silent and full of glares.
Though Wuxian did his best to avoid them, sometime after lunch would find him overhearing councilmembers or visiting nobles talking. Inevitably one of them would say something disparaging about Prince Wuxian and the next thing Wuxian knew he was back in the wild garden.
The white rabbit found him every day. After the first day, Wuxian noticed the other rabbits sitting about in the bushes around the spring, contentedly eating the foliage and dozing. But the white rabbit was the only one that approached him.
One day, Wuxian sat and stared at the waterfall for an hour and had no furry visitor. He pulled his flute out and played a questioning tune on it. Within a minute, the white rabbit came bounding out of the bushes to land beside his feet. He couldn't help the laughter that ended his song.
"Mister Rabbit! You like my playing a lot, huh?" he teased, kneeling down to scratch the rabbit's head. Its nose twitched and it made a quiet snuffling noise. The noise stopped when Wuxian stopped scratching. That only made Wuxian snort in amusement again.
Once he had his furry audience, Wuxian used his time by the waterfall to vent about his situation.
He quoted the councilmembers, even imitating their voices, and then argued against their words. Sometimes it wasn't even stuff they said about Wuxian. In fact, a lot of what he complained about the rabbits was ignorant things he had heard the council say on previous visits to Gusu. Things about how to respond to citizen requests or how to handle a natural disaster. Things he had overheard them say about other visitors – from Qinghe, usually, but also Lanling and Qishan.
"If King Nie Mingjue ever heard what they said about his little brother, your peaceful little kingdom would be at war already, Mister Rabbit. You're lucky I can keep a secret."
Eventually, each day, he would shift his focus from narrow minded people in Gusu to those in other kingdoms. The worst perpetrators were those who had bad things to say about Wangji. They said he was conceited and arrogant, that he had no emotions, that he was cold and hard like jade.
"When really, if they ever bothered to spend a few minutes actually talking to him, they'd know he's not like that at all!" Wuxian complained, running his hands down the white rabbit's back to calm himself down even as he continued unloading his thoughts. "I even heard someone say Wangji thinks he's better than everyone else. When did he ever say such a thing? I mean, being honest, it is true, but you know your prince, right? He would never be so condescending as to brag about it. He's too good for that."
The rabbit in his hands suddenly kicked out, knocking Wuxian's hands off. Then it was gone, bounding around and around the clearing beside the spring, jumping into the air and kicking its legs out, then continuing its mad dash run. Wuxian watched in bafflement.
"What's gotten into you?"
Eventually the white rabbit calmed down. It made its way slowly back over to Wuxian. If Wuxian didn't know better, he'd say it was embarrassed.
With a grin, he leaned over to be closer to the rabbit without picking it up. "You like Prince Wangji too. I can tell." Then he frowned, his eyes on where the grass met the boulder he sat upon. "He's alright, isn't he?" Meeting the rabbit's eyes, he asked, "They'll find him and bring him home soon, won't they?"
Mister Rabbit had no answer for him.
…
…
Every time Wuxian visited the rabbits and talked about Wangji, the white rabbit gave a repeat performance of its wild run. It seemed that complimenting Wangji meant 'Show me how fast you can run, Mister Rabbit! How high you can bounce!' It felt like the rabbit was agreeing with him about how amazing Wangji was, though, so he only smiled.
But with every day that passed, Wuxian worried more about Wangji. Where was he? Who had taken him? Why hadn't they told the palace what they wanted in return for his safe release? Why could no one find him?
He wrote to his siblings every day. Yanli gave him news from Yunmeng and kept him hopeful, and caused him endless anguish with details about her upcoming marriage to the undeserving prince of Lanling that, for some reason, she loved wholeheartedly. Wanyin chastised him for causing a ruckus in Gusu even before Wuxian could cause one, then asked how they were treating him and if he was bored. He grumbled and complained about Wuxian being a flirt, but passed along messages from all the shopkeepers and servants in Lotus Pier who treated Wuxian like their son, or grandson, or brother. Then when Wuxian responded with any activity that might even slightly break a rule of Gusu, Wanyin went back to berating him.
Ah, family.
He wished he could write to Wangji. How many letters had he started in an attempt to apologize for that stupid fight, but never sent? How many times had he nearly written a letter confessing how long he had admired and cared for and loved Wangji, but ripped it up instead? And if Wangji never returned, he could never try again.
…
…
Dinner one night was subdued.
King Lan had been in meetings with his council all day, even missing lunch. Prince Wangji had been missing for weeks now, and yet no one had come with a ransom note from a kidnapper. Neither had they received proof that Prince Wangji was dead, though, so Wuxian let himself keep hoping. But King Lan's expression that night, and his uncharacteristic silence, made him worry.
"Did you receive any news today?" Wuxian asked once the servants had removed the last of the dishes for the evening, before his two Lan companions could leave the table.
Qiren grimaced, as if Wuxian's question tasted bad. "You're here as a political stunt. It's none of your concern."
"Uncle," King Lan chastised, then sighed. "The council feels that sending out search parties and waiting for someone to come to us with information isn't enough. We must be more proactive in the search for Wangji." He did not seem happy with this conclusion.
Wuxian frowned. "What more do they want you to do? Offer a reward? Like he's a lost dog?"
"You—!"
Before Qiren could say anything more, King Lan nodded. "We will release a royal proclamation. Whomsoever can restore Prince Wangji to us will be granted his hand in marriage. If both parties are willing, of course."
There was a terrible scraping sounding as Wuxian stood from his seat too fast. Both older men looked at him with startled expressions.
"You can't. I'm—," he cut himself off, pressing his lips tightly together.
Without asking for leave, Wuxian hurried from the room.
…
…
Alcohol was prohibited within the palace walls. But so was excessive emotion, and Wuxian didn't care about either of those now.
He sat in the grass beside the spring instead of on the boulder where he usually sat. Today it was a table holding four bottles of Gusu's world renowned alcohol – Emperor's Smile – and one tiny cup. He was foregoing the cup to drink straight from the bottle, though, and three of the bottles were already empty.
"They can't marry him off like that," he grumbled, resting his chin on the boulder and playing with one of the bottles. "Not when I'm stuck here like this." He sat up straight like a bolt and the bottle nearly upended. "If they make that announcement, I'm out of here." He punched the boulder. "I can't sit here and let someone else marry him!"
The white rabbit nosed his leg and thumped the ground. Wuxian sniffled and absent-mindedly reached out to pet it.
"And what happens if they go through with this stupid plan and he's still not found?" He picked up the rabbit and brought it close to his face, frowning, his face pink with drink. "What if he never comes back and the last thing we said to each other was the stupid fight?" He cuddled the rabbit close to his chest and it didn't fight him. "I didn't mean it. I wouldn't date Mianmian over him. It wouldn't be terrible to marry him. I lied, Mister Rabbit."
The rabbit began to chew on his tunic. Wuxian sniffled again and wiped his face, like that would help sober him up.
"You must want something, huh? What?" His eyes landed on his makeshift table. "Want to be my drinking partner?"
Wuxian set the rabbit on the ground beside the boulder and then searched around in the bushes for an appropriately concave leaf. Placing the leaf on the ground in front of the rabbit with a flourish, Wuxian then poured his furry little friend an equally little drink of alcohol.
"Enjoy. It's my favorite."
Though the rabbit sniffed at the alcohol, it did not drink. Probably it knew the stuff was bad for it. In that sense it was smarter than Wuxian. He never knew when something was bad for him.
He played around and made a fool of himself and ruined every relationship he had ever had by being stupid. Crown Prince Wanyin was always angry with him these days. His sister's future husband hated him. He had nearly caused an international incident when he punched the guy after he called off the wedding, even! Queen Ziyuan hated him. Always had. So did Wangji's uncle.
So did Wangji probably.
"Even if I did leave… Even if I did find him…Even if I told him I loved him, he wouldn't marry me." Wuxian reached out to pet the white rabbit. "Even you wouldn't marry me, would you Mister Rabbit? I talk too much."
The white rabbit hummed. The sound was quiet, barely audible over the waterfall across the spring. Still it made Wuxian smile and he picked up the white rabbit again. Under the rising moon, it seemed to glow.
"Are you saying you would marry me, Mister Rabbit?" A little laugh escaped him. "Fine. If Wangji is going to marry someone else, then I accept."
He leaned in and gave the rabbit a kiss.
And from one blink to the next, he was sitting in the grass beside the spring, wine bottles on the boulder, and Prince Lan Wangji in the grass beside him, his hands held gently in both of Wuxian's, his lips to the back of Wangji's hand. With a startled cry, Wuxian tried to let go and back up, but Wangji would not let him. He held tight to Wuxian's hands.
"Wangji!" Wuxian yelped, still tugging. "What—How—," he glanced at the rock. "Exactly how drunk am I?"
"Very," Wangji said in his typical monotone. "But you are not imagining things." He squeezed Wuxian's hands. "I am here."
Wuxian couldn't look him in the eyes. How long had he been there? How had he suddenly appeared like that? As his eyes wandered, trying to find something else to focus on, he realized there wasn't a rabbit in sight. Not even his usual white friend.
White.
Like Wangji was dressed in white robes that glowed in the moonlight.
"The…rabbit?!" Wuxian squawked, gaze finally meeting Wangji's in shock.
Wangji grimaced, his ears turning pink. "Yes. The rabbit."
"The whole time?" He was still too loud, but he couldn't make himself talk any quieter.
A nod. He squeezed Wuxian's hands and right, they were still holding hands.
"You found me. And I am willing."
Willing? For what? Wuxian's eyes narrowed in confusion. "What?"
Wangji repeated himself, then gave Wuxian a meaningful look. It took a few seconds too long to not be embarrassing, but Wuxian would blame his slow brain on the alcohol.
"Whomsoever can restore Prince Wangji to us will be granted his hand in marriage. If both parties are willing, of course."
No way. "You'd marry me?" A nod. "Even after that fight?"
"We were both wrong. You are sorry. I am sorry. I love you, and I will marry you."
Since he couldn't pull his hands from Wangji's grip, Wuxian instead dropped his head down on top of them to hide how brightly he was blushing. "Wangji! Watch your words!"
"Mm." Wangji leaned down too, so he only had to whisper to be heard. "Prince Wuxian found me. He has restored me, and I will marry him."
…
…
As King Lan explained it, they had come across a man who could do magic. He had been using his spells to cast illusions and glamours to make people think he was a member of the royal Lan family. He was brought to the palace by the guards to face a trial. When he was found guilty of impersonating royalty and swindling the citizens of Gusu, he flew into a rage and cast a spell on Prince Wangji.
The prince would remain a rabbit until someone fell in love with him and proved it by gifting him something they held dear and giving him a kiss.
Wuxian had gifted the rabbit his favorite drink and, sure enough, kissed him. His honest love for Wangji had broken the spell.
That was embarrassing. His big secret outed because he drunkenly kissed a rabbit. Oh well.
There was no one in Gusu well versed enough in magic to undo the spell, so the king and his uncle had been quietly asking for help from farther off. No one had been able to figure it out before Wuxian's kiss broke the spell though.
"I'll do it," Wuxian said. "You don't have a lot of magic users in Gusu, so I'll do it. I'll learn all about it and be your resource if something like this ever happens again." He grinned over at Wangji. "Can't exactly be losing my fiancé to any more jealous magic users, now can I?"
The news that Prince Wangji had returned spread faster than news of his disappearance. The fact that Prince Wuxian was the one to find him spread just as fast. And the royal proclamation had been sent out while Wuxian was drowning his sorrows in the garden, so the entirety of the five kingdoms – though caught off guard – began to plan a wedding.
Princess Yanli of Yunmeng was married to Prince Zixuan of Lanling first, of course. She was older and her engagement had begun much sooner than Wuxian's, after all. But, once their marriage festival had ended, plans began in earnest for the two princes. They would be married within the year.
Qiren was beside himself with rage, but the princes were entirely too pleased with themselves to care.
…
…
fin