The Sword Maidens
Summary: Diao Chan served her lord. Sun Shang Xiang served her father. When they meet on the battlefield the two forge a link that will take years for them to figure out. Watch them as they advance through life, searching for something they don't know they're looking for.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story aside from a few original ones. I'm not sure who they actually belong to but it's not me. That's for sure.
Author Notes: Just a few points before we start. This story is based on Dynasty Warriors but will, at places, follow Romance of the Three Kingdoms instead, particularly where officers are concerned. Also Sun Shang Xiang is older than she would've been historically.
Prologue – The Battle of Luo Yang
The pavilion stood outside the ruins of the battered Si Shui Gate, tall and proud in the early morning sunlight. Surrounding the massive tent was a camp that housed thousands upon thousands of soldiers. This was where the Grand Commander of the Han loyalists, Lord Yuan Shao had decided to stop, to allow his men to rest and to plan their next move.
Many heroes from across the land had risen to challenge the evil dictator Dong Zhou. Among them were Sun Jian and his daughter Sun Shang Xiang. She hurried alongside her father to the great pavilion where the Commander had called a meeting of officers.
"I don't see why I have to come," she said in a pouty voice as she hurried to meet her father's quick pace. "Why couldn't you have brought Huang Gai or Cheng Pu or someone?"
"You said you wanted to come to war," Sun Jian replied in a voice that suggested he'd had this conversation a million times before.
"Yeah, but not to the meetings."
"Look Shang Xiang," her father said sternly, stopping in his tracks and looking at his daughter. "I know you find it boring but if you want to be a great officer you need to pay attention to all aspects of war. That's why I'm bringing you. You need to learn these things."
"Fine, but I won't enjoy it."
"You're not supposed to," Jian replied as he started walking again.
The rest of the walk passed in silence. Within minutes they were standing in the shadow of the great tent. Other officers were going in (and out occasionally) showing that they weren't late. Shang Xiang didn't recognize most of them but just before they entered two figures she did recognize moved before them. One of them was Yuan Shu and the other his officer Ji Ling. Sun Shang instinctively looked to her father. Once again he had stopped dead in his tracks but this time he was staring at Yuan Shu with a glare something close to utter rage. Yuan Shu stared right back but with a blazing look of smug superiority.
Neither of the men said a word but it was obvious how much they disliked each other. Obviously memories of the battle at Si Shui gate hadn't been forgotten. Shang Xiang watched in nervous anticipation as she expected the men to draw swords. But Yuan Shu simply made a contemptuous noise and walked into the tent, Ji Ling silently following after him. It wasn't until he disappeared from sight that Sun Shang saw her father's fists unclench. He moved to hold open the tent flap (with a little more force than was necessary) and Sun Shang passed through.
The tent was quite dark, even with the illumination several flaming torches around the room provided. Many men were sitting on grass mats on the floor, all looking in the same direction. Sun Shang found herself effectively being dragged to the far end of the tent closer to the commander. Unfortunately Yuan Shu was seated next to them so Shang Xiang sat between her father and Ji Ling. The commander seemed to be having quite an involving discussion with Cao Cao, whom he was sat next to. On his other side sat a strategist Sun Shang didn't know and behind him stood two bodyguards. Once the Suns had sat the strategist whispered something in Yuan Shao's ear. Everyone fell silent as Yuan Shao stood before the assembly of officers.
"Lords of the coalition," he began in a very loud, yet dignified voice, "we are now only a step away from accomplishing our aims."
At this everyone in the room cried, "Long live the emperor."
"But just because we've won here at Si Shui gate doesn't mean we should get ahead of ourselves," Yuan Shao continued. "We still have much to do. We must break the impregnable Hu Lao gate to defeat Dong Zhuo if we are to restore the Han back to its rightful position."
Again the officers of the assembly cheered but Shang Xiang was not among them. Instead she asked, "How are we supposed to breach the gate if it's impregnable?"
The effect of the words was instantaneous. The officers all fell silent and looked around to find who had asked the question. Yuan Shao himself seemed to have lost the thread of what he was saying temporarily but Cao Cao was staring directly at Sun Shang with an inquisitive look on his face. The attention she was receiving made her blush slightly.
"Who is she that speaks Lord Sun Jian?" Cao Cao asked.
Sun Shang opened her mouth to speak again but stopped when she saw the look her father gave her.
"She is my daughter, Sun Shang Xiang. Forgive her for speaking out of turn."
This time it was Yuan Shao that spoke.
"Forgiveness need not be given. The young lady raises an excellent question. I'll allow Tian Feng to explain the battle plan and how we shall breach the gate."
Yuan Shao sat down again as the strategist who had been sitting beside him rose to address the congregation.
"There are three roads that lead to Hu Lao gate," he said, pointing to a large map behind him. "Each one is guarded by a different general. Liu Bei and Gongsun Zan will take the north road, Sun Jian and Yuan Shu the east road and Cao Cao and Ma Teng the south. The forces shall meet at this point," here he pointed at the place where the three roads met, "and continue westwards to the gate. Here the gate will be bombarded by battering rams."
Murmurings went up across the tent at this proclamation and one of the officers Sun Shang didn't know asked, "How can rams take down a gate of this strength?"
"The rams have been specially built," Tian Feng replied. "They are larger and stronger than normal rams and have the strength to bring down the gate. Then we shall storm the city."
"Are there any objections to this plan?" Yuan Shao asked as he stood again, looking pointedly at Cao Cao in particular. Cao Cao simply shook his head and everyone else remained silent. "We leave tonight then, when the enemy's defenses will be more lax. Be aware generals that the gate may be defended by the mighty Lu Bu, who is said to have never lost a battle. Avoid him if possible. Good fortune in battle."
Everyone saluted, even Shang Xiang although she did it a few seconds after the others, and began to leave the tent in groups of two or three.
"You want to control that daughter of yours better Sun Jian," Yuan Shu said as he rose to leave, a sneer on his face. "You don't want people thinking you're of the lower classes, do you?"
This time Sun Shang spoke first.
"You might want to watch your mouth and think twice before you insult the Sun family again." Her voice had the intensity and temperature of ice. "Because we have the guts to actually do what we say we will," she ended with a pointed glance in Yuan Shu's direction.
Yuan Shu continued to sneer but said nothing in response, apparently lost for words. Instead he just stalked off. Turning to face her father she saw something quite unexpected. She had been expected him to be furious, or at the least, displeased. Instead he was affectionately smiling at her.
"I'm glad I decided to let you come with us after all," he said, ruffling her hair slightly (much to her annoyance). "With that sort of attitude Hu Lao gate will fall in no time."
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Meanwhile in the royal palace of Luo Yang, in a room on the highest floor two people were sat. One of them, the child emperor, sat upon the dragon throne silently and watched the second person intently. She was sitting below the dais on a small wooden stool and playing a zither with practiced ease. He applauded her as she finished her song, but unlike before, didn't ask her to play again. Instead he seemed to be lost in thought, more so than a child his age should be. She didn't fail to notice.
"Your majesty is something the matter?" she asked.
The child emperor seemed to come out of his reverie of thought and smiled slightly at the woman.
"Yes there is but there isn't anything you can do about it Diao Chan."
"But it may make you feel better if you voice your concerns sire," she said with a bow.
"You don't have to bow to me Diao Chan. How many times have I told you?"
Diao Chan graced him with a lovely smile of her own.
"It would be disrespectful not to do so your majesty. But that's beside the point. What is it that troubles you so?"
She didn't really need to ask the question. After all she already knew the answer and sure enough the two words she had been expecting tripped off the emperor's tongue.
"Dong Zhou," he replied. When Diao Chan seemed to take a caring attitude towards what he wanted to say he became more confident. "I worry about what will befall the people of the city during the battle. He doesn't care enough about them to evacuate them. I think that a massacre might result from the battle, no matter what the outcome."
"I'm sure it won't come to that your majesty," Diao Chan said. "We will defend Hu Lao gate with such intensity that the enemy won't set foot in the city."
"But you see Diao Chan I'm in a dilemma. I want Dong Zhou to lose but I fear what may happen if he does."
Diao Chan was spared from answering because at that moment one of the emperor's elite guards entered the room.
"Lord Dong Zhou requests your presence Lady Diao Chan," he announced.
"Why?"
"I don't know milady. The messenger simply said your presence is required in the great hall."
Diao Chan looked to the emperor who simply waved his hand in dismissal. She bowed once more and left the room.
The palace was great in terms of both size and grandeur. All of the corridors were lit by the sunshine seeping through the windows. Each of the corridors was carpeted and decorated with elaborate portraits and tapestries of important people or events from years gone by. Diao Chan, having come to the palace almost a year ago, knew the passageways so well it was as if a map was permanently impost on her brain. In no time at all she found herself outside the huge doors of the great hall. Both of them were already standing open and inviting her in.
Many officers were already seated at the long table that stood in the centre of the room. At one end of the table sat Dong Zhou. Li Ru sat to his left and the seat on his right was empty. Lu Bu stood behind him, halberd at his side, watching over the procession. His eyes wandered to Diao Chan's form as soon as she entered through the doors. Dong Zhuo noticed her too and immediately greeted her and gestured for her to sit in the empty chair beside him.
She sat down on the comfortable chair and looked around the table, quite keen to avoid the lecherous glances of Dong Zhou. Seated next to her was Zhang Liao. He wasn't looking at her or anything else for that mater. Instead he sat, arms folded across his chest, staring at the table as if there was something incredibly interesting there that only he could see. Since she was rather fond of Zhang Liao, having come from the same region as him, she took it on herself to greet him.
"Good afternoon Zhang Liao."
He sat up straight immediately upon hearing her voice and turned to look at her.
"Good afternoon to you Lady Diao Chan," he responded with an odd sense of formality.
"You don't have to be so formal with me Liao," she reprimanded. "We've known each other since we were children."
"Yes, I suppose. But you assuredly don't want me to call you what I used to as children in the royal palace," he said with a smile reminiscent of the emperor's.
Diao Chan responded with an unladylike giggle and a comment of, "I wouldn't mind", but before they could speak further Dong Zhuo called the meeting to attention.
Since Diao Chan was a dancer first and an officer second she found the meeting to be quite uninteresting. While she made a convincing semblance of listening avidly she was really not paying the slightest bit of attention. However she was brought to her senses when Zhang Liao nudged her in the side lightly with his elbow.
"Sorry?" she said as if she'd just woken up from a most wonderful dream.
Dong Zhou, Lu Bu and most of the congregation were staring at her, some in confusion, others with amusement.
"Are you alright Diao Chan?" Lu Bu asked, looking concerned about her. The result of which appeared quite unusual since normally the only emotion Lu Bu wore on his sleeve was anger or a lust for battle.
"I'm fine. Just a little ill, that's all."
Her lie appeared to be quite effective since most of the officers turned their attentions back to Dong Zhou. He himself repeated what he had just said.
"You will be stationed outside the inner gate in case Hu Lao falls."
Diao Chan said nothing for a moment as she struggled to cope with her surprise. Finally, with what she hoped was a look of puzzlement she managed to ask, "Why will I be stationed outside the gate?"
"I've seen you and your lady guards train. I think you'll be able to hold of the enemy should they somehow breach the gate and defeat Lu Bu."
Behind him, Lu Bu snorted in an amused sort of way.
"If they should somehow get past Lu Bu," Dong Zhou corrected himself.
"Very well," she said. "If I might go and assemble my guards?"
"Of course," Dong Zhou cried, oddly jubilant. However the same could not be said for Lu Bu. Before she left she managed to sneak a glance at him. It was obvious to anyone looking his way that he wasn't happy about her being on the battlefield, but he said nothing. Adjusting the bow around her waist so it sat more firmly Diao Chan again left the hall and went off towards the emperor's room.
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The cloudless night would have been a fine one if it hadn't been for the sounds of a battlefield that rent the air asunder. The battle for the Han, as observed from both sides, was clearly swinging in favour of the allies. Diao Chan stood on the city walls and watched in silence as steel met unforgiving steel or vulnerable flesh. Seeing the situation she descended to the city and silently singled for her bodyguards to follow her.
Sun Shang Xiang meanwhile watched from a distance as the rams began to pulverise the gate. All around her were the bodies of the unfortunate soldiers serving Dong Zhou that had come across her and her bodyguard unit. They waited in complete silence as the battle continued to rage around the field, accompanied by the frequent thudding of the rams against the gate. Fortunately the people on the rams were quite safe because apparently no-one had had the foresight to put archers on the walls.
Soon enough a loud crunching sound could be heard and Shang Xiang observed the last parts of the gate fall over and the first soldiers charge in. She herself yelled an order to her bodyguards and ran forwards towards the fallen gate.
She was so excited that she didn't hear someone yell, "It's Lu Bu", before being permanently silenced.
So Shang Xiang ran on, her bodyguards constantly close behind, directly into the path of Lu Bu. She immediately felt a sense of terror consume her as he looked directly at her from a distance not too far away. He brought his horse to a trot, slaying several more soldiers as he passed them, making a beeline for her.
"Lady Sun. What are you doing? Run!" yelled one of her bodyguards.
As much as would have wanted to she couldn't bring herself to move. His unflinching stare had rendered her effectively paralyzed by terror.
That might well have been the end of her story right there had it not been for Gongsun Zan.
Before she was even aware of it he had galloped right past her with his drawn sword held firmly in his right hand right for Lu Bu. Lu Bu himself was so shocked to see someone charging towards him rather than away from him that for a moment he simply stared at the man in disbelief. Gongsun Zan took the opportunity to yell the same thing as her bodyguard before beginning the duel.
The action taken, rather than the words spoken, by Gongsun Zan seemed to restart her systems again. Shaking her head as if she had simply been daydreaming she ran past the duelling men and went further into the camp, killing as she went.
It was then that she noticed the woman standing outside the gates which led into the inner city. She immediately stood out like a lotus blossom in a patch of thorns. Her pink robes and gentle features suggested that she had wandered on to the battlefield completely by accident. However the determined look she wore and the maces and bodyguards she had with her suggested she had a purpose there after all.
Looking around Shang Xiang realised that she and her bodyguards were the only people from the forces of the coalition in the vicinity, a fact which the other woman hadn't failed to notice either.
The robed woman stepped forward, dismissing several of the bodyguards who had also moved with a wave of her hand, and stopped so closely that Shang Xiang could make out even the faintest details on the woman's beautiful face.
"Please you must yield," were the words of greeting that she gave Shang Xiang. The woman, despite her determination, didn't seem to want to fight.
"Why should I yield?" Shang Xiang replied indignant. "I'm Sun Shang Xiang, the daughter of the proud Tiger of Jiang Dong. The honour of my family won't allow me to yield to someone the likes of you," and she raised her chakrams so they were plainly ready to be fought with.
The woman however appeared to be unfazed by either the comment or her weapons.
"Who are you anyway?" Shang Xiang asked when the woman made no move.
"I am Diao Chan," she responded simply.
"Look Diao Chan," Shang Xiang said in the friendliest voice she could muster. "I don't want to hurt you and I know you don't want to fight, so why don't you just let me pass?"
"You're right." For a moment Shang Xiang thought she had succeeded as Diao Chan turned her back on her. However she simply went to her nearest two bodyguards and handed them her maces. In return she took both their swords and turned around again. "I may not want to fight," she continued, "but I won't just run away because a pampered princess from the southlands asked me too."
Diao Chan favoured her with a sarcastic smile (which Shang Xiang couldn't help but admire) as she attempted to respond.
"What?" she finally managed to say.
"Are you hard of hearing as well?" Diao Chan taunted. Raising both her swords in a threatening stance she gave another sarcastic smile. "Perhaps you need your ears unblocking with my swords. Or is it just that your daddy stopped anyone from saying what they truly thought of you back home?"
"Better a pampered princess than a whore of the palace," Shang Xiang shot back.
"Is that the best you can come up with? I see your blades normally do the talking for you. They're probably more articulate."
Shang Xiang, momentarily struck dumb by Diao Chan's insults, quickly recovered. Rather than retort she simply charged towards the other woman who had yet to move. Their weapons met and rang sharply through the night as they struck and parried at each other with a terrifying ease. Shang Xiang realised she had been wrong to think of her opponent as a harmless, delicate little thing. While she looked it, in reality she was almost as fierce as Lu Bu.
Shang Xiang struck at Diao Chan with both her chakrams but missed as Diao Chan simply dodged nimbly to the side. Exposed on her left, Diao Chan pressed her advantage. The first of her swords was blocked but Shang Xiang missed the second, resulting in a sharp pain going through her bare upper arm. Looking down for the briefest of moments she saw blood pouring from a small, shallow wound. Ignoring it they looked weapons again and threw all her effort into breaking the deadlock. Succeeding Shang Xiang swiped at her opponents head with one of her weapons. Diao Chan only just managed to duck in time. The only injury she suffered was a few severed strands of her obsidian hair.
Shang Xiang was so caught up in her battle frenzy that she only just managed to jump over the sword that took a flying slash at her legs. Landing gracefully she slashed at the crouching form of Diao Chan but was blocked by both of her swords, raised in a cross shape.
"You're good dancing girl," Shang Xiang said, the strain of holding yet another deadlock showing clearly through her voice.
"Surprisingly so are you," Diao Chan said, with just as much strain in her voice and in her arms. Both of the girls were sweating from the exertion and with a final burst of strength Diao Chan once again won the deadlock. Standing a few paces apart they regarded each other's exhausted forms, looking for weak spots in the others defence. Behind her Shang Xiang heard a horn blowing in the distance. Turning around cavalry from the coalition were riding towards her, Sun Jian and Huang Gai at the head of them. Turning around again she saw Diao Chan give a fearful look towards the cavalry while taking tentative steps backwards.
"Diao Chan."
Shang Xiang and Diao Chan simultaneously looked up to the top of the walls. There stood one of the enemy generals, Li Jue, and surrounding him were a couple of archers.
"New orders," he yelled down to her. "Get back in the city."
Behind her the gates opened as soon as he'd finished. Diao Chan turned to look at Shang Xiang one last time with a respectful glance.
"Let us meet again princess warrior," she said as she and her bodyguards turned to flee through the gate.
"I'm sure we will Diao Chan," Shang Xiang yelled towards her retreating form. "I'm sure we will."