by vanerz
Content warnings: implication of decapitation
He had known his brother’s killer’s face, maybe, from years ago, back when the man had been named Meng Yao, back when he had just been Nie Mingjue’s lieutenant and the man who was destined to become his right hand man, or so Nie Huaisang had thought, maybe.
He had thought he recognised his brother’s killer’s face, maybe, when he had been dragged into the throne room of the Nightless City after a long stint in captivity. Meng Yao on one side, standing behind Wen Ruohan; his big brother on the other glaring daggers up at the both of them. Even when forced down onto his knees, his brother had looked larger than Huaisang had felt cowering behind the guards. Nie Mingjue’s presence filled the whole room, commanding Huaisang’s attention as effortlessly as it always had. In more peaceful times he would have been booming out commands for Huaisang to follow; lessons that he should have really learned by now and lectures that he would have been scrambling to escape. But it was wartime and all Huaisang wanted to do was run up to his big brother and embrace him with all his might, to convince himself that the man he hadn’t seen for five months was still alive; still real.
“Listen to me, Huaisang,” Meng Yao had said, months previously, his urgent words somewhat belied by his silky tone. “Trust me. I’m on your side. Do as I say and everything will be all right.”
Huaisang had nodded, eyes wide, heart pounding war drums in his throat. What else could he have done? The encampment had been burning down around them. He had listened.
They had given him a comfortable cell, the former living quarters of a mid-ranking Wen. For the past few months Huaisang had sat in those rooms painting fans and believing with all his might that Yao-ge and dage would put an end to this somehow and save them all.
But the scene in front of him made it clear that Yao-ge and dage had split apart long ago, and maybe Huaisang had been so scared because he had already known what was to happen. The Wens were winning. His brother would never surrender. And Meng Yao could not afford to look weak in front of his new patriarch.
Wen Ruohan leaned down and murmured something. Nie Mingjue lunged at him and spat at his feet.
Meng Yao stepped forward and unsheathed his sword, and Huaisang didn’t know what to do. He closed his eyes. He opened them again, but fat blobs of tears pooled in his vision no matter how much he blinked. Nie Huaisang opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came out and he strained forward, trying to reach his big brother, but strong hands held him back. His big brother was shouting something; chains clinked; there was a flicker of movement, the whistle of a blade through air, and then—
Thunk.
Nie Huaisang did not remember much of what happened after that.
They took him back to the Unclean Realm and locked him in his quarters.
One day, many weeks later, he answered a knock at his door and was informed that he was to become the next Sect Leader Nie.
Huaisang had blinked, struggling first to process the news that he was not going to be executed and then, belatedly, to recognise the person standing before him.
Ah.
It was his brother’s killer.