Hui Gai returned to the room he had originally appeared in and beamed at his friend, holding out his arms. His sharp hearing caught the words, "again?!" And he grinned at Lan Zhan, knowing full well where they came from.

Wei Ying grinned back and hugged him.

"Why did it take you so long?" He wondered.

"I had to make sure we wouldn't be pursued." Hui Gai told him. "Let's get out of here."

"Agreed." Wei Ying turned to the Queen. "Your Highness, are you absolutely sure about this? It's not too late to change your mind."

Hui Gai's smile faltered, and Wei Ying gazed at him sharply at his indrawn breath.

"What did you do?"

"I didn't kill anyone!" He replied defensively, the ghost of a smile playing on his red mouth.

"You know, out of everyone, you say that the most." Wei Ying accused.

"At least you know I'm not lying."

"Small mercy...I have to ask myself, do I really need to know?"

"No." Hui Gai answered for him, knowing he had won. "Why don't we just get with our lives?"

"Fine." Wei Ying rolled his eyes and looked at the Queen.

"I am sure." She said, her voice firm and strong. "And please, do not call me by my title. My name is Raina."

She looked surprised at that, her lips silently speaking her name over and over like a long forgotten taste.

"Nobody has called me that in twenty years." She laughed awkwardly. "You must think I'm strange."

"Don't worry about that!" Li XiWang giggled. "We're all a bit strange here."

Rumi smiled, as Wei Ying laughed openly at that.

"She's not wrong. Then Raina, I'm pleased to meet you. My name is Wei WuXian. And this my husband, Lan WangJi, my children, Li XiWang and Rumi. And this Hui Gai, he's also part of my family." He bowed after introducing everyone.

"I would like to apologise...to you all. For my husband and what he said. It was inappropriate and insensitive." Her eyes filled with tears.

"Raina...please do not distress yourself. You cannot take responsibility for someone else's behaviour or their feelings. We are only in control of ourselves. What kind of rubbish cultivators would we be, if we didn't understand that?" Wei Ying looked around. "To be honest, being here still creeps me out. Let's go back to the others and then we'll talk. There's lots to tell you." He smiled kindly.

"Mn." Lan Zhan picked up Rumi.

"WingAnLaZhan?" He asked.

"Mn. We are going back to the others." Lan Zhan told him.

"Little rabbit?" Hui Gai crouched down, opening his arms and Li XiWang ran to him, kissing his cheek.

"I really missed you!" She told him, her eyes shining brighter than normal.

"Hey!" He tapped her nose with a grin. "That's your fault. I told you, you can call me anytime. I meant it."

"But I thought you would be busy." She looked around, her burgundy eyes big and wide as she pointed to the ground. "You know, down there!"

"I am busy, but never too much for you. I missed you too." His red eyes gleamed with the seriousness of what he was saying. "It wouldn't hurt my ego to know you wanted to see me too, Little rabbit. And I know for a fact, Oge and Klem missed you buckets too."

Wei Ying watched them fondly, noting that Hui Gai, who was hardly ever serious, was, especially when he was talking to their daughter. He never spoke down to her, or patronised her in any way. He took her concerns in earnest, treating them with the utmost of importance. Theirs was a bond of love too.

"Do you want to go meet them?" He asked Li XiWang.

She looked guilty and hopeful at the same time.

"Little rabbit, you can go. Both of you. It will do you good to be with Klem, it will lighten your heart." Wei Ying smiled at them.

Lan Zhan walked over to them, with the full intention of just handing Rumi to Hui Gai and walking away, but Hui Gai sneaked in a side hug, even as Lan Zhan tried not to do anything with his face.

Wei Ying bit his lip to try and keep from laughing out loud, especially when he caught Lan Zhan's eye.

"Let's go." He drew Wei Ying next to himself, wrapping his arm possessively around his waist, and Wei Ying placed his own hand on Raina's shoulder.

They nodded at Hui Gai, who vanished first, with waving children and then it was their turn.

**********

Hongse was startled when the three of them appeared. She looked all over them, searching for Li XiWang and Rumi, raising her brows when too much time went by and they did not appear.

"The kids have gone with Hui Gai." Wei Ying explained. "This is Raina."

Introducing them, he went to the mouth of the tunnel to see what the time was.

"We have about four hours until daybreak." He murmured. "What would you guys like to do? We can either make a break for it, or throw caution to the wind and allow our fortunes to take over. What's it going to be?"

"I dunno about you, but I've never been particularly cautious." Hongse replied, rubbing her hands in glee.

"Neither have I!" Xiao Zei said, coming out of the inner chamber. "Your Giant has been up for ages." He saw the new addition to their group and beamed. "Who's this?"

                                           BONUS - ZHENGUI DE CHENGSHI

(A FEW WEEKS LATER)

Youmu Minzu studied the familiar gates of his city, Zhengui de Chengshi with bittersweet memories.

Twenty years ago, he had discovered this amazing Oasis with his brother, and like a miracle, this city had grown up all around it as if by magic. Twenty years was a long time, but this feeling of home, of belonging, didn't seem to lessen over time. It seemed like the opposite had happened instead, and he was dying to go and rest his eyes on the calming beauty of their oasis.

To their surprise, the gates opened slowly.

Youmu Minzu was expecting a fight at the very least, and to have the way unbarred...felt like a trap to him.

"Stay here with the troops," He said to his second in command. "I will take a few men with me and find out what's happening. If we do not return in a few hours, you have my permission to lay siege to the city. Do not involve the civilians."

His general, a loyal friend and soldier, snapped to attention.

"As you say."

Youmu Minzu watched in amazement as the guards who had been on duty, bowed to him.

He recognised one young soldier and beckoned him over.

"Welcome, your Highness." The boy bowed again.

"You know why we've come, right?" He asked him, incredulously.

"There is no need to fight." The young man replied. "We are like a ship lost at sea without a captain. No one is willing to stand against you, in truth, we welcome your arrival with open arms."

Youmu Minzu couldn't believe his ears.

"Go and bring me your senior."

The young man ran off and brought the general of their army. The man gave Youmu Minzu a full military salute before kneeling in front of him and handing him his sword.

Youmu Minzu felt as if a single grain of sand would be enough to knock him to the ground about now.

"Please, explain." He said, accepting the sword.

"Perhaps your Highness would like to accompany me?" The general stood at his side in a deferential manner.

"Where? And my men will come with us."

"Of course." The general agreed easily. "But please rest assured, you have nothing to fear from our side. It is the reason why we are letting you inside."

Youmu Minzu stayed silent, hoping against hope that it was really going to be this easy.

The early morning sunshine was most beneficial and he had worked up quite a sweat by the time they reached the Palace. He remembered designing this building with his brother. And his brother's new wife.

There were times when he had felt like the third wheel, but she was a nice lady, and there simply was no truth to the vicious rumours circulating about them.

Still, it wasn't her fault.

"Before we go and greet your brother, there's something you should know." The general put his hand on Youmu Minzu's shoulder.

"What?" Youmu Minzu was startled again.

This day was full of surprises, it seemed.

"Your brother...is not as you left him."

That was nothing like he expected. "What do you mean?" He asked, concerned.

"It's better to show you. But his Highness does not go outside any more."

"Doesn't go outside any more?" Youmu Minzu echoed, feeling very off.

He had expected resistance, a defensive reaction at the very least from his brother. This was very disconcerting.

"Come." The general opened the Great double doors.

Where before the massive foyer used to be flooded with light from the immense windows, now it was shrouded in darkness. Thick heavy curtains were draped over any window or opening so that none of the outside could get in.

Youmu Minzu glanced at the general.

But the man strode towards the swirling staircase instead of waiting, and he had no choice but to follow, keeping his men close by.

They walked to the East Wing and the general walked him to the Royal bedroom.

"You may go in." He was told.

"But...b-but this is....highly inappropriate." He finished, remembering his bitter fight with his brother and the ensuing fight. His brother had accused him of the unthinkable at that time, and he was hard pressed not to call his brother out right then.

"The Queen is presently away." He was told.

"Away? Where's she gone?"

"I have no idea." The general said, truthfully.

"She ran away?" His tone was still incredulous.

"There was a bit of a scandal after that. The King has not taken it well." The general opened the door and shoved him inside.

Youmu Minzu was glad about that. If he wasn't forced inside then, who knew how long he would have stayed outside arguing with the general.

This sitting room was also terribly dark. He sensed a movement in the corner.

Before, a long time ago, he remembered that the Queen kept candles and matches in a drawer next to the door. He went to it now and felt around with his fingers, groping for a box shape containing matches and the stubby grease of candle wax.

He lit it and turned around, watching the curl of smoke clear as phosphorus stung his nose. He saw the shape of something huddled in the corner and went towards it.

The whimpering got louder until, as he crouched down, there was a shriek and the candle was knocked out of his hands. But in that brief splash of light, he had seen a gaunt shadow of the man that had been his brother.

Youmu Minzu was so shocked, he scrambled away, heart beating louder than a drum in his ears.

"It's me, brother." He whispered...because the dark called for muted sounds.

He wasn't prepared for the shadowy figure to lunge and wrap himself around him. Youmu Minzu found his own arms coming around his brother's body, and was further shocked at how slight it had become.

"Hush now, brother, I am here."

In those few seconds, he realised that his brother was in no condition to rule anything, let alone this city. In fact, he would have to first look after his brother....