A Wuxia Tale: Blades and Flowers

Parcel

(AHRAN)

"No! AhRan, no..." Dao let his sword fall to the ground to kneel and gather me in his arms. "Why? Why would you do this to us?" He asked with anguish on his face.

"I-is he dead?" I asked, pertaining to Master Yong who's not moving from the ground close to us. "I don't know," Dao said. "But he doesn't matter. AhRan, you are wounded..."

"I need him dead," I said while looking at Master Yong's unmoving body. I turned to Dao. "If he is d-dead, then that is g-good. Now, you can l-live alone." I said.

Dao's eyes widened. The rain has stopped. The sky is slowly changing colors. Its still dark but I think dawn has come to knock on it. I raised one hand to touch his tear streaked cheek. "T-this is your p-punishment. L-live alone. L-live long and a-alone W-wang Dao..." I coughed. Coldness is creeping in my body. That means I am losing blood and will die soon.

"No. No..." Dao pressed a hand on my chest in a futile attempt to suppress the bleeding but nothing he will do will work. I am dying and that makes me happy.

Dao pulled me closer to press his face on my cheek. "I only want to be with you. All I did, I did it for you to be with me." He sobbed against my face.

"I k-know," I closed my eyes as new waves of pain assailed me when my body was jostled by his hold. This selfish bastard. His love for me is selfish. All consuming. Passionate and at times, unreasonable. I have to curb this problem when I get back in time. This won't do at all.

Because keeping me will kill everyone, that will be our punishment for defying the destiny laid for us. If Dao will refuse to give me up, if I will cling to him, this will be the result. Everyone we love, everyone we hold dear, we will be forced to sacrifice if we will fight to be together.

I thought of Prince Jin falling to his own death. I thought of Wang Hua with her brother's sword on her chest. My sister. Emperor Han. The children. Everyone. The people we have to sacrifice so we can be together.

Our love is this selfish. It won't leave anyone for us. That...that won't make us happy. In the end, even Dao and I will suffer. I will still die and Dao will suffer alone. A fate worse than death. He will be alone.

I wouldn't want that for my heart. I want Dao to have everyone by his side, even if I am not there anymore to be with him.

Still...I want to know something.

I gently pushed Dao's face away from mine so I can look into his eyes. They are filled with tears and regrets. "M-my heart. A-am I worth it?" I asked him.

The regrets on Dao's eyes cleared. He nodded. "Yes." He said before sobbing loudly and clutching me tighter.

What a crazy bastard. And I am even crazier than him for feeling happy that he said yes to my question. It feels good to be loved above others. To know Dao will sacrifice anyone and everyone for me. I could die happy with that thought. Only in this lifetime. Only in this time will I allow this feeling to invade my heart.

"K-kill my father for me," I told Dao as I looked into the lightening sky. "A-and lets n-not d-do this again..." I added.

"AhRan!" I saw panicked in Dao's eyes. I know I am dying. He must've known too. "No! AhRan! Don't die. Please...don't..." He held me tighter. "I love y—..."

....................................

I love y—

I woke up to total darkness. I even panicked when I realized that there is something over my head. A cloth sack or something. My hands and ankles are also tied and I am sitting on cold grounds.