Wolf King And His Fox Consort [BL]

"Xiao Zai, where is Xiao Zai?" Chu Yun asked, almost choking on his grief.

Chu Hean\'s face did something complicated. "He\'s alive, he\'s...resting."

The wave of relief that hit Chu Yun was so powerful it almost bowled him over. Xiao Zai was well. But even as the relief coursed through him, Chu Yun still thought something was amiss.

"Resting?" Chu Yun asked, looking at Chu Hean\'s face for any tells. "How long has been resting?" He stopped. "How long have I been sleeping?"

Chu Hean grimaced, looking away from Chu Yun with a guilty look. "Well, uhm, it\'s been a week."

"A week," Chu Yun repeated, trying to make the words sound normal, getting used to the weight of them. "Has he woken up at any point? Have I?"

Chu Hean kept looking away. "He hasn\'t, but you\'ve had nightmares, talked in your sleep."

That didn\'t sound good, it meant that he wasn\'t doing that well. His injuries must be more extensive. Chu Yun swallowed drily. But he was alive -- Chu Yun had to focus on that.

With great effort he scooted back against the headboard. Chu Hean helped him with a hiss, supporting his back.

Chu Yun immediately remembered his other great fear. His hands flew to his abdomen. He let out a sigh, at feeling the familiar bump, no different than the last time he had touched it.

But would that even be enough to assure him that everything was well with the baby?

Chu Hean seemed to read the frightened question in his eyes. "Everything is fine with the child, as far as the physicians can tell but...," he sucked on a breath, closing his hand around Chu Yun\'s wrist. "It was a close thing. Both of you almost died."

Chu Yun had trouble envisioning his own death. It didn\'t seem real. Like something that happened to someone else, unlike the possibility of losing the child which felt visceral and terrifying.

He patted his own stomach softly. "You\'re strong aren\'t you, little bug?"

Chu Hean let out a watery chuckle, rubbing the back of his wrist across his eyes. "Yes, like you. You\'re both strong." He paused. "Xiao Zai is strong too."

He was. Chu Yun had to believe that. He would pull through. Chu Yun couldn\'t lose him like this.

He had to see him.

As soon as Chu Hean realised he was trying to get out of  bed, he got up to prevent him from moving. "What are you doing? You should rest."

Chu Yun ignored him and got up anyway, groaning when his unused muscles protested. "By your own account, I\'ve been asleep for a week. I\'ve rested enough."

"That doesn\'t mean you should be moving around. Let me call a physician to examine you."

He was staying in the Royal Consort\'s private quarters, which he barely used. He longed for the familiarity of his own bed. If he was to convalesce, he wanted to be in the same room as Xiao Zai.

Chu Yun ignored Chu Hean\'s protests and got up anyway, wrapping his inner robes tightly around himself. Chu Hean threw some outer robes over his shoulders, resigned to being unable to dissuade him.

The walk to the King\'s private quarters wasn\'t long, but all the servants on the way there shot him worried looks, as if they weren\'t sure they should call someone.

Chu Yun didn\'t even want to know who that someone was. In Xiao Zai\'s absence, and Chu Yun\'s, the Queen Dowager could become regent again, however, in theory, so could have Xiao Yuan. He didn\'t want to imagine the kind of tensions flying around.

No matter, he was awake now.

There was a great number of guards posted outside the King\'s private quarters, as expected, and they all stood on guard as Chu Yun approached.

"His Royal Highness..."

Chu Yun raised a hand before the man could finish addressing him. "I want to see his Majesty."

Without another word, the guard opened the door for him. "His Majesty\'s royal dam is currently visiting with him."

That was to be expected. Chu Yun assumed that Gu Wei hadn\'t left Xiao Zai\'s side since he was brought unconscious into the palace.

The room looked exactly the same as he remembered, except for Xiao Zai lying in bed, and Gu Wei\'s hunched form by his side. But it wasn\'t only him in the room, the silent Jin Luan was there too, a few paces away as if wanting to give father and son some privacy.

Gu Wei turned around the moment he heard the door opening, his eyes widening when he saw Chu Yun being held up by Chu Hean.

He got up and rushed towards Chu Yun, his fine robes fluttering behind him with his hasty steps. Chu Yun had no idea what he was going to do until he felt arms looping across his shoulders softly.

"I was so worried about you," Gu Wei said, sighing in obvious relief.

Awkwardly, Chu Yun patted his back while exchanging a confused look with Chu Hean -- who didn\'t understand the motive for his confusion to begin with.

He had never considered that Gu Wei might hold him in any kind of regard, that was all.

"How is Xiao Zai?" he asked, clearing his throat.

Gu Wei pulled away from the embrace, perhaps a little flustered at his display of emotion. "His condition is stable, but there have been no changes."

That wasn\'t all that optimistic, but Chu Yun still nodded before moving away and making his way to Xiao Zai\'s bedside.

It was shocking how peaceful he looked. Perhaps paler than usual, but other than that he could have been resting for a moment, and could wake up at any moment.

He ran the back of his fingers down Xiao Zai\'s warm cheek. "I\'m here now, I\'ll take care of everything."

Behind him, Gu Wei spoke up, all traces of soft emotion gone from his voice. "Perhaps you could start by doing something about Lieba Chun\'s arrest? The Xiongnu are growing restless."