Fan fiction "Bound by Fate: The Marriage of Ice and Fire"

In the still halls of the Cloud Recesses, an expectant silence clung like mist over the lotus ponds. The Lan elders sat, their faces serene, but their eyes calculating. And at the heart of the gathering, Lan Wangji, the Second Jade of Lan, knelt, his features as expressionless as the still waters outside.

Lan Qiren stood over them, his eyes glinting with a hint of steel. "The fortune has been read," he said. His voice flowed steadily and richly, filling the room. "A union has been foretold—a marriage that will strengthen ties between the Lan Clan and the Yunmeng Jiang Clan."

Lan Wangji did not say a word. He simply looked down, his jaw compressing subtly. Marriage? Serenity as tranquil as the Cloud Recesses now raged within him.

Lan Qiren did not even seem to notice his nephew's silence. "The marriage is perfect. The young master of the Yunmeng Jiang Clan is gifted, smart, and powerful. Wei Wuxian will be your wife, Lan Wangji.

The room was silent, save for the soft rustling of robes as the other elders exchanged approving glances.

Lan Wangji shut his eyes briefly. Wei Wuxian. The mere sound of it summoned a blaze of vivid colour and a maddening feeling of wild disorder. He had run across the youth, the Master Yunmeng Jiang, only a few times before, but every time gave him a slight headache that didn't seem to leave. Wei Wuxian was the absolute opposite of what the Lan family represented: noisy, naughty, and, at his worst, utterly uncontrolled.

This was not the life Lan Wangji envisioned for himself.

Meanwhile, in Lotus Pier, Wei Wuxian sat cross-legged on the floor of the Jiang family's main hall, arms crossed and face set in an uncharacteristic scowl.

"A what?" he exclaimed, his voice echoing against the walls. "A marriage? To a man?" He turned to Jiang Fengmian, his adoptive father, who stood nearby with a calm, almost amused expression.

Wei Wuxian," Jiang Fengmian began, his voice soft, "this is a great honor. The Lan Clan is very highly respected, and this alliance will bring peace and prosperity to both our clans."

Wei Wuxian groaned, throwing himself backward dramatically. "Lan Wangji? That stick-in-the-mud? He probably spends more time meditating than actually living!

Beside him, Jiang Yanli reached over to touch his arm lightly. "A-Xian, this may be a good opportunity for you," she said softly. "Lan Wangji is a good man."

"A good man who probably has a broomstick stuck somewhere!" Wei Wuxian muttered under his breath, and Jiang Cheng snorted softly behind him.

"You deserve this," Jiang Cheng said, his arms crossed and his expression smug. "Finally, someone who won't put up with your nonsense."

"A-Cheng!" Wei Wuxian cried, sitting up to glare at him.

Jiang Cheng smirked. "I'm just saying. Maybe Lan Wangji will teach you how to behave like a proper cultivator."

"I am a proper cultivator!" Wei Wuxian protested, his indignation drawing laughter from Jiang Yanli.

"Enough," Jiang Fengmian interjected, his tone gentle but firm. "The decision has been made. The elders of both clans have agreed. This marriage will take place."

Wei Wuxian groaned again, flopping onto his side in defeat. "This is the worst thing that's ever happened to me," he declared dramatically.

"You said that last week when you ran out of wine," Jiang Cheng quipped.

The hall fell into fits of laughter, yet beneath all that light banter, tension thrummed: both families had a long engagement ahead, surely to be for better or for worse.