Soul Bound

Getting To Know You

"Lan Zhan? What's your home like? Hello?"

Lan Zhan grabbed his tea and took a long sip before answering. Sometimes, the last thing he wanted to talk about was home. But Wei Ying seemed interested, so maybe just skimming the surface would not be too hard. But he would not speak about Uncle. That would be a subject he would need to avoid because the truth about him was not pleasant and the after-effects of his attempts to tarnish and obliterate Lan Zhan's memories of his mother, were still too ugly to take out and try to speak about to any person other than Lan XiChen.

"Our meal has arrived. No talking during meals. Disrespectful."

"That seems silly. Where did you get that idea?"

"It is a rule."

"A rule? I never heard of such a rule." Wei Ying was trying to speak with his first bite of the tender and beautifully marbled beef. He chewed with gusto, his eyes rolling back in his head. After he swallowed and felt a rush of euphoria and he could make his eyes focus again, Lan Zhan continued.

"A rule. From home. We have many there."

"Many? How many are many?"

"Three thousand."

Wei Ying stared at the tall boy opposite him, in complete horror. Speechless twice within a span of a mere two minutes! This never happened to him. He was capable of prattling on under extreme circumstances without turning a hair on his unruly head. Where did this completely alien boy come from? 

When he could finally speak, he said, "Wow! No wonder you don't say much. You must never know if you are breaking a rule or not, whatever way you choose! You can't keep that kind of stuff in your head all at once!"

"I have memorized them."

"How in Dafen Mountain did you do that? You are not much older than me!"

"Began when I could read."

"I am afraid to ask how old you were when you began reading. Okay, I'll bite. How old were you and how old are you now?"

"Two. As soon as I began to speak. And I turn ten next month."

Wei Ying scratched his head. This boy was fascinating. Clearly, he was brilliant but had no clue how to interact. Cloud Recesses sounded like it bred genius warriors but left the social stuff absolutely out. He felt suffocated just thinking about it.

"Well, at least you were slow at speaking. I have been jabbering since 10 months old. Parents could never get me to shut up."

"I could speak. I chose not to. I only speak when it is needed. No time for idle nonsense."

Well, of course! This character was growing on him. He was so elegant and mature; it was like listening to a baby adult. But in many ways, he was as innocent as a little... what? Lamb? Bunny? He decided to gather what nuts he could and accept the statement as a compliment. "You talk to me."

The topaz eyes of his benefactor deepened to a warm gold. Briefly.

"Wei Ying interests me. Not nonsense."

At this point, a little embarrassed about the compliment, since it was obviously not something Lan Zhan did very often, Wei Ying did one of his patented things and deflected the attention to something else. He stretched and patted his belly.

"I haven't eaten this much in a year, at least! Why aren't you eating more? There is still tons of stuff. You ordered way too much and never touched the meat at all."

"Thought I was hungrier. I have an idea. Pack it up. Uncle and brother will have eaten. You could give it to others if you do not wish to use it."

Wei Ying stared at all of the goodies and could not suppress a look of longing. "Are...are you sure?"

"Yes. "

"Well, no sense in letting it go to waste, is there? Okay. I think I know someone who could use a couple of good meals. Thank you!"

Lan Zhan let a tiny smile quirk the corners of his mouth. "On one condition, that we spend tomorrow together. It is ...lonely here...and I have no friends."

"It is hard to make friends in a new place."

"I have no friends at home either. The boys my age...they seem frightened of me."

This sweet, good-looking kid, no friends? Wei Ying wanted to hug him. And he suddenly thought less of the idiots back in Cloud Recesses. Geniuses, Bah! Idiots, every one of them!

"Hey. You got one now. Let's roam the town tomorrow, Okay?"

Lan Zhan nodded, wordlessly, which coming from him could mean anything. He was learning Zhan- language quite well already.

The food came back, neatly boxed and bundled and Lan Zhan walked him out to the veranda.

"Thank you, Lan Zhan. It has been wonderful. No, you have been. It has been since my parents died that anyone has treated me this kindly. You are a great person, and you must never doubt it. See you tomorrow. Around 10:00?

Lan Zhan nodded again. Not because he wouldn't speak, but because he couldn't.

Wei Ying skipped down and turned back to make a jaunty wave and flash his glittering smile. Lan Zhan bowed respectfully.

And as soon as Wei disappeared from view, Lan Zhan left the Inn and began to follow his new friend. Wei Ying made light of his predicament, and Lan Zhan was determined to ferret out the truth of just how bad his situation was.

He kept the figure just within range of eyesight and was surprised when they left town and continued. It made it harder, to find suitable cover but he managed until an old stone bridge came into view. So the boy had been telling an honest story. He did live under a bridge, one no longer used since the water, in the ancient creek it covered, had dried up decades ago. The footings at either end had storage space built under the first ten feet of the under-arch, also deserted by the look of them. A weathered but still fairly strong door was still standing, and Wei Ying glanced around carefully before he knocked and entered. Lan Zhan waited several minutes then crept silently to the door. He peered through a warped gap at the edge of the door held up by rusty hinges and saw Wei Wing pulling the boxes out of the bundle and placing them before a small thin boy, who looked no bigger than 5 years old.

"Oh my! Where did you get this stuff, Gege Ying? It smells so good."

"Well, do you want to hear a story about that as you eat, Didi Kirin?"

"Oh please. I love the stories you bring back."

"Then dig in and I will tell you...

Once upon a time, our Hero, Wei Xiao went walking. It was a pretty day in Yiling and he was minding his own business when he was attacked by robbers, led by the notorious and quite evil...'

"One-eyed, hook-handed Xue Yang!" Shouted Kiran before he popped a wad of noodles in his mouth.

"Exactly! He was about to die when suddenly a noble and fearless prince came out of nowhere and beat the crap right out of the robbers and Xue Yang and saved our Hero's life..."

"So, Hero Wei Xiao got his own Hero? "

"Well, I hadn't thought about that way. But yeah, I guess he kinda did!"

"I would like to meet your Hero."

"I don't think he would mind that. He doesn't seem to have too many friends."

"Sometimes Heros are pretty lonely, Wei Ying."

"You think so?"

The little dark one looked at his Hero, nodding gravely, his black eyes, that faded into a deep midnight blue near the pupil, begging silently.

"If you are good and finish your dinner, I will take you to meet him tomorrow."

"Yippee!" The child howled with delight through the mass of barbequed pork in his mouth.

And Lan Zhan, suddenly feeling the burn of tears in his eyes, turned and walked silently back. Lan XiChen and Uncle were waiting, arms folded across their anxious chests.