Work Text:
“Your highness, they’re here.”
“Thank you, San Lang, show them in.”
The knight bows his head and opens the throne room door and shows in the delegation before moving back to stand in his usual spot beside the throne. From there he watches in silence as the prince of Chu sweeps into the room accompanied by his attendants, his guards, and, Hua Cheng tenses at the sight, his sister. Some princesses are diplomats, some are even warriors, but Zhou Lin princess of Chu is neither of those things and there is only one reason for her to be in the court of Xianle.
It takes everything Hua Cheng has in him to stay at attention, not glance over his shoulder to see the expression in his king’s eyes. Did he know? is he surprised? Did he expect this? He has been talking for weeks about straightening relations with Chu. Is this all part of his plan? Does he… Does he want this? Zhou Lin is a renowned beauty. …But not beautiful enough for Xie Lian, not good enough for Xie Lian.
No one is good enough for Xie Lian.
Throughout the entire meeting Hua Cheng stands at perfect attention, back straight, head held high, the example of the perfect knight. It is all he can do, even when the prince of Chu introduces his sister, even when he speaks of his father’s hopes that their two realms will grow stronger together, even when he speaks of building a closer alliance, Hua Cheng just stands and says nothing, because to speak, to interrupt, would be to dishonor his king, and he would sooner die a hundred deaths then bring dishonor on Xie Lian.
When the audience finally ends the doors to the banquet hall open and Xie Lian descends from his throne and only then does Hua Cheng move, falling into the space beside his king which has been his since Xie Lian took the throne two years before at the age of 18. Hua Cheng was only 16 then and many of Xie Lian’s counselors and more senior knights were apposed to the idea of a mere youth as king’s champion but Xie Lian ignored them all. He gave Hua Cheng a chance to prove himself and Hua Cheng took it in both hands and never let go, anything to stay at Xie Lian’s side.
“Is this your champion? The crimson knight we’ve heard so much about?” It’s princess Zhou Lin who asks the question, her lovely eyes wide and bright with curiosity. Hua Cheng would very much like to tear those eyes from her face, anything to stop her from turning them on his king.
“Yes, this is him.” Xie Lian smiles softly, the expression spreading warm beauty over his already beautiful face. “Sir Hua Cheng, the best knight in all the realm.”
Hua Cheng inclines his head politely at the introduction. The Chu delegation aren’t worth his manors but again doing anything else would reflect badly on Xie Lian.
“It is an honor to meet you, sir.” The prince of Chu has come to stand beside his sister and he bows his head politely as well. His eyes when he looks at Hua Cheng are bright with curiosity and admiration and it is all Hua Cheng can do to keep his lip from curling in disgust.
Now they find him interesting, all these useless pathetic nobles, now that he’s the crimson knight, the undefeated champion, terror of the border lands. None of them would have given a damn about an underfed stable boy whose master beat him daily just because he didn’t like the way his eyes looked, none of them would have even noticed let alone raised a hand to stop it, none of them except Xie Lian. Xie Lian who found Hua Cheng crying behind the stables at age ten, Xie Lian who tried to comfort him, Xie Lian who jumped between Hua Cheng and the stable master when the bastard came looking for him to beat him some more, Xie Lian who took a blow for him before the stable master realized who he was, Xie Lian who had the stable master thrown from the castle so that he could never hurt Hua Cheng again, Xie Lian who hadn’t minded having a dirty stable boy trailing after him like a shadow, who taught Hua Cheng how to read, how to write, how to ride, how to fight. Xie Lian, always Xie Lian.
For Hua Cheng there will never be anyone else.
But for Xie Lian…
Hua Cheng looks between his king and the princess of Chu and his stomach twists.
***
It’s not till the feast is over and the king has finally retired to his chambers for the night that Hua Cheng is finally able to drop the formal posture and he’s not the only one. As soon as the outer chamber door closes behind them Xie Lian’s shoulders relax, his whole body sagging as he lets go of the tension which follows him through every day and every royal act. Hua Cheng suspects no one else sees it, sees the king’s mask Xie Lian puts on or the strain that mask puts on him, but then no one else knows Xie Lian half as well as Hua Cheng does.
“I thought that banquet would never end.” Xie Lian sighs softly, dropping into a seat and gesturing for Hua Cheng to take the seat beside him.
“Weren’t you enjoying the company?” Hua Cheng says it teasingly as he takes the indicated seat, but the question pricks at his heart, just like seeing them together all evening pricked at his heart.
“Oh, the prince and princess seem nice enough. You know I just get a little tired when the formalities go on for so long.” There’s nothing in the king’s tone to suggest he has any particular regard for Chu’s princess but that hardly matters, after all this would be a political alliance not a love match. Just thinking the words has Hua Cheng’s stomach twisting in painful knots and something must show on his face because the king asks, “San Lang, is something wrong?”
There’s worry in Xie Lian’s beautiful eyes and Hua Cheng doesn’t like seeing it and he can’t tell his king what’s really going on so he only offers him a small smile. “It’s nothing gege. I’m just a little tired too.”
Instantly Xie Lian’s eyes widen in consternation. “I’m sorry San Lang, of course you’d be tired after having to stand at attention for so long this afternoon. I shouldn’t have asked you to come in with me. Please go rest.”
“I don’t mind keeping you company.”
‘I don’t want to leave you’
Xie Lian shakes his head. “No, I’m being selfish keeping you with me. You should rest.”
On any other night Hua Cheng might have allowed himself to be sent away but tonight, when it feels like there private evenings together might suddenly be numbered, when his heart is aching and his mind is calling Xie Lian’s name over and over again… He can’t leave yet. He just cant.
“I like when gege is selfish.”
For a moment their eyes meet and then Xie Lian looks away, his voice turning quiet and a little pained. “I shouldn’t be too selfish though. …For the good of the realm.”
Hua Cheng’s throat goes suddenly dry, his heart constricting in his chest. “Are you thinking of accepting Chu’s marriage offer?” He tries to say it casually. He has no idea if he succeeds.
Xie Lian’s shoulders hunch inward, his eyes falling to the hands resting in his lap. Softly he says. “It’s a good offer and I do need to marry, for the stability of the realm.”
It’s true, Hua Cheng knows it’s true. He’s heard Xie Lian’s counselors, his officers, even his mother tell him so over and over since he took the throne. It’s not even about producing and heir, heirs can be adopted, it’s just that Xie Lian has no siblings and so right now and in all the years until a possible heir is old enough to take the throne, if anything were to happen to Xie Lian the kingdom would fall into chaos and factional fighting. Marriage would change all of that. Marriage would make sure there is still a ruler in Xianle, someone to hold the kingdom together, someone to act as regent until the heir came of age. Hua Cheng knew all of that as well as everyone else did, as well as Xie Lian himself did, and yet, Xie Lian, the ever dutiful Xie Lian, has still hesitated to fulfill his role in this one thing and so, foolishly, Hua Cheng has always held out hope, hope that maybe, one day he can win the kings heart, hope that maybe one day he could find a dragon to slay or an evil realm to conquer or something else impressive enough to make him worthy.
What a foolish hope.
“Is it just for the realm?” The question slips from between Hua Cheng’s lips before he can call it back.
Xie Lian starts at that, eyes flicking toward Hua Cheng then away again. “It’s a king’s duty to marry for his realm.” There’s a raw aching quality to his voice and oh how Hua Cheng hates to hear it.
“Will it make you happy?” Hua Cheng thinks he knows the answer but he still needs Xie Lian to say it, needs to drag it out of him, because as much as the idea of Xie Lian marrying anyone else feels like it will destroy him, the idea that he’ll marry someone else and not even be happy with them…
“It’s not about being happy.”
“Yes it is.” Hua Cheng finds himself on his feet, his clenched fists shaking. “You’ve given up everything else for the realm, made so many more sacrifices than any of that ungrateful lot deserve. You nearly died defending them from raiders three years ago and again the year after in the border war. You’ve given up everything you wanted from your life to take the throne and you burn yourself out every day bargaining with and appeasing lords and merchants and petty nobles, most of whom aren’t good enough to lick your boots. You deserve to be happy! You deserve to have one thing that’s yours!”
“What would you have me do!?” Xie Lian is on his feet now too, an ache in his voice and a desperate light in his eyes. “I have to marry someone! You know that! So what else would you have me do!?”
“Marry me.”
The words are out of Hua Cheng’s mouth before he can call them back. Two words, two simple little words. Maybe it’s the heat of the moment, maybe it’s all the wine he drank at the banquet, maybe it’s simply Xie Lian’s presence which draws them from him, maybe it’s all three, but whatever it is, they slip out all the same and it’s far too late to call them back.
Hua Cheng can see the moment the words register with Xie Lian, see the way his eyes widen and his lips part and his cheeks pale. For a moment they just stare at each other in shock and then Hua Cheng comes to his senses and turns away, striding for the door.
“Forgive me, your highness. I overstepped.”
He’s broken it. He knows it. Years of friendship, of warmth and companionship, years of shared laughter and shared struggles. He’s gone too far, revealed too much. Two little words. How can things be the same between them now. Will Xie Lian send him away from the court? Or just from his side? Will…
“San Lang! San Lang wait!” The king’s hand catches Hua Cheng’s upper arm and the knight freezes in place, unable to breath, unable to look.
“Did… Did you mean it?” Xie Lian’s voice comes out quiet and hoarse and a little shaky and Hua Cheng so wants to know what sort of expression he’s making, but what if it’s disgust? What if it’s pity? What if it’s the kings cold and distant mask? No, better not to look.
And yet, he can’t deny it, not now, not with his king’s hand on his arm, not with him so close.
“Yes.” The word leaves Hua Cheng’s lips in barely a whisper. His whole body tenses as though waiting for the executioner’s ax. His eyes are fixed on anything but Xie Lian. That’s why he doesn’t have any warning when the king moves.
One moment the Xie Lian is pulling his hand from Hua Chang’s arm and the knight feels like he might shatter beneath the pain of that loss, the next moment a body is colliding with his and a pair of strong, deceptively slender, arms are wrapping around his neck as the king throws himself at Hua Cheng in a desperate embrace. The knights head whips around and he stares wide eyed down at Xie Lian. The king stares back, his beautiful eyes bright and blazing.
“I was hoping you would ask.” Xie Lian’s voice is soft and breathless and yet the words are unmistakable.
“What?” Hua Cheng stares at him, not quite able to believe that this is real, that this is really happening, that Xie Lian really said…
“I kept thinking, as long as I didn’t marry anyone else, that maybe one day…”
For a moment all Hua Cheng can do is stand there, gaping, as the world twists and spins all around him, then he’s moving too, his arms wrapping around Xie Lian, pulling him close and kissing him the way he’s always dreamed of kissing him, and Xie Lian… Xie Lian doesn’t stiffen, doesn’t jerk back, doesn’t pull away. Instead he leans in, melting against Hua Cheng’s body, and allows himself to be kissed breathless.
“Gege, why didn’t you tell me?” Hua Cheng asks the question between panting breaths, the pounding of his heart making it hard to get his breath back, not that he cares. Xie Lian is in his arms. He’s not going to care about anything else ever again. “You never even gave me a hint.”
“I… I’m your king…” Xie Lian’s words come out between gasps as he too sucks in heir and Hua Cheng feels pride flair in his chest because /he/ did that. “If I asked… Would you have told me ‘no’? …Or would you have felt duty bound to accept me?”
Hua Cheng stares at him, his arms automatically tightening.
“You thought I was only staying close to you out of duty?”
“I… I wasn’t sure.” Xie Lian looks away, tone turning sheepish.
Hua Cheng untangles one arm from around Xie Lian and slides two fingers beneath his chin, turning the king’s face back to his. Xie Lian’s eyes widen at the touch, cheeks going pink.
“Gege, I have no idea if I would have accepted you out of duty because I’ve never had a chance to find out because ever since the first moment we met I have loved you.”
“What?” Xie Lian’s voice shakes, his eyes widening, the color in his cheeks growing, and oh gods is he beautiful.
“I have always loved you.” Hua Cheng says and then he kisses Xie Lian again, because he can, somehow, amazingly he really can, and Xie Lian melts beneath his lips and he clings to Hua Cheng as though he never means to let go and so Hua Cheng kisses him and kisses him and kisses him until the knight can’t take it anymore and scoops the king into his arms and carries him toward the inner chamber and the bed weighting there, and amazingly Xie Lian doesn’t hesitate or pull away then either, instead he goes willingly, eagerly, and its everything Hua Cheng could ever have dreamed and so so much more.
The next morning the Chu delegation need to wait a long time for their audience and when at last it comes they are told that Xie Lian can’t possibly marry the princess of Chu because he’s already engaged to his crimson knight.