A/N: YO ALL! Hehe, I know I said it was going to be different . . . but
hey . . . I'm brainstorming. So you get the sequel. Happy Birthday!
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Hua Wan, Daughter of Pirates
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Chapter 1
It all began when my father killed my mother's adopted father, Tamahori. She sought revenge for seven years before finally getting her chance. But, instead of being the bloodthirsty ex-pirate she thought him to be, she met her true love, my father. His name was Gan Ning, Bandit of the Silken Sails. Why silk you ask? Well, I have no idea really. My mother was Diao Wan, a runaway who turned pirate in her early teens. (Yes, I know this sounds like a sappy romantic story. Trust me, its not. Sun Ce will be happy to clear that up for you any time.) My mother didn't have any special name, just Diao Wan. Captain Diao or Lady Diao if you so liked, but she just had people call her by Wan. Sun Quan says that my parents were some of the most loyal and trusting people he knew. I was young when they left. Around seven I think. Went back to being pirates, some guess. They didn't take me along because, apparently I was a wimpy child and always cried whenever something mildly scary or bad happened.
()() Flashback ()()
"You had to give me a daughter didn't you, Wan?" Father teased Mother.
"That'd be your fault, all I did was carry her for nine months then pushed her out, with a great deal of pain I might add. And, secondly you're the one who always makes sure she has the cleanest diaper in Wu. Daddy's little girl I'd say," Mother responded.
"Point, but hygiene is important."
"True sweetheart, but you forget . . . wasn't it just yesterday you were tying little pink bows in her hair and, I shudder to think, sings to her at night. You honestly need to take voice lessons, sweetheart."
"My singing isn't that bad!"
"Oh yes it is . . ."
()() End Flashback ()()
Don't get me wrong, they loved me dearly. Unfortunately, wherever they went off to they certainly I couldn't come. That was thirteen years ago. I'm now a past full-grown woman of twenty. I serve for Sun Quan as my mother and mainly my father did. Emperor Sun Quan that is for Sun Jian, Sun Ce, and Zhou Yu have all deceased. I had stopped long ago wondering about my parent's disappearance. The only one who knows where they went was Lu Meng, but he won't tell me a thing. Ever since I had turned fifteen I decided to grow up and become someone.
I am Hua Wan, which means: Flowery Grace. Sort of doesn't fit me anymore since I'm the worst tomboy since Sun Shang Xiang. I serve for Wu, and have for all my life. At least until yesterday. An unknown messenger arrived last night. He was gruff looking, but young, and had a huge dragon shaped tattoo on his bare tan back.
"I have a message from the Bandit of the Silken Sails!" he had yelled.
At first people were confused. We had many new young officers that had never heard my father's legend. I, fortunately, was passing the gate at this time, so I went up to greet him. By his outward appearance he seemed to be just a young pirate, but he had the symbol of Wu on the sash around his waist.
"I am Hua Wan, daughter of he who sends you," I called to him.
He had a looked down at me and jumped in surprised.
"Seven hells! 'Tis the spitting image of him! 'Cept being a woman and all . . . ah I see. Them eyes. Those is your mother's," he said with a smile, "along with the attitude. Fire and ice."
"You act as if you know my parents . . . are they alive?" I asked quietly.
"That is a question I shall be answering soon enough," he told me handing me an envelope.
It was small and old. The wax was peeling of the back and it had been folded many a time. I opened it quickly, my mind racing. I took out a letter and had started reading. I soon found out that it had not been a letter. It was my parent's will.
"They died in battle together. Ship caught fire and they didn't make it off in time. I was the only survivor," the messenger told me.
"Where were they? Why did they leave?" I asked confused.
"Didn't Sun Quan say? He was supposed 'ta when you came of age," he told me, "I was close to them, yes VERY close. But anyway, Gan Ning and Diao Wan had go to battle the Nanmans. They led the naval forces."
"You mean to tell me that my parents battled the Nanmans for thirteen years? I don't buy it," I snapped.
"Smart like . . . never mind neither of them had much for brains. Ha! Ha! You didn't let me finish though. They fought other battles too. Pirates Japs, Nanman, and Shu once or twice. You might want to read the rest of that will now."
I continued to read it to myself. My mother's messy handwriting was nearly illegible. Also, some of the ink was smeared and blotted.
'. . . and to Hua Wan we leave the Phoenix Sword and half of our money. The other half we give to Gan Li Wu, our son, along with the Sea Master if he can hold the darn thing up. Our children, if not married by this time or not of age, are in the care of Zhao Yun of Shu . . .'
"Gan Li Wu?! I have a brother?" I asked urgently.
"Oh yeah . . . they mention that in there. What'd he get?" he said.
"Sir, I asked you a question first," I told him threw clenched teeth.
"Yes, rather handsome fellow. Total ladies man, followed in Zhou Yu's legend in good looks . . . okay, the jig is up. Mother told me you were a smart one. I'm Gan Li Wu. Your little brother."
"No way."
"In the flesh."
"But you have to be at least in your late-teens!"
"Nope, I just look old for my age. I'm thirteen believe it or not, and I'm your little brother."
"Wow. Ok so my –I mean our- parents left me behind, had you, and fought in naval ships for thirteen years."
"Yep, but I was sorta an accident. The reason they left you was because Father didn't want you to grow up all bloodthirsty and pirateish They didn't mean for Mom to get pregnant, but that's the way things go. I got Dad's height."
I had laughed, because he certainly did. He was at least a head and shoulders taller than I was, already nearing to surpassing my father. I looked closely and saw that he indeed looked younger than he first appeared. He was gruff looking like I remembered my father being, and he was like a walking tree. Although, he had my mother's reddish dark brown hair that appeared black along with her eyes. We both had mother's eyes.
"So you're my little brother? Wow, you don't look thirteen at all," I said in my shocked amazement.
"Aye, that's what Dad would always say," he said, a sudden look of pain went across his face.
"You must be starving," I said quickly changing the subject, "Do come inside!"
"Oh, yes I am!" he yelled and patted his bare stomach.
I turned and went towards the closest kitchen as he followed me. He had immediately started wolfing down all the food in sight. That's how my life changed completely in one night. I was now on my way to Shu. I was not yet married and Gan Li Wu (Li Wu he liked for short) was not yet of age, therefore we were to be put under the charge of Lord Zhao Yun. According to Li Wu he had been good friends and a fellow officer of our mother before she married our father and joined Wu. We were travelling by horseback and using my mother's old war-horse, Storm Runner, as our pack pony . . . and he wasn't too happy about the change.
"Storm Runner! The point of being the packhorse is too carry the luggage. Not to gallop into battle!" Li Wu was yelling.
"Li Wu, he can't help it. Even at his age he still knows that is what he was trained to do," I told him calmly, "Besides he can't understand you. He doesn't speak Chinese."
"Okay, I'll speak English then!" he said.
"I don't think he speaks English either, Li Wu," I answered back.
"I was being sarcastic, Hua Wan," he snapped.
"I knew that," I covered.
"Right," he teased, "sure you did."
We both laughed. I sorta' enjoyed having a little brother. At least I'd have someone I partially knew when we arrived at Shu. Lord Sun Quan said his little sister, Sun Shang Xiang, was married to the Emperor Liu Bei and they had several children.
((A/N: I know, historically, Shang Xiang and Liu Bei never had kids, but I felt sorry for her.))
Several others said that Zhao Yun was very kind and would be a good guardian towards us, but I was still uncomfortable. Luckily, Lu Xun had come along with us to make sure we got there all right. He rode in front, leading the way.
"When would you like to stop for the night? The Shu capital is still a good four hour ride from here and you two look tired," Lu Xun called over his shoulder.
"I guess now is as good as never," Li Wu answered.
I considered my answer for a minute.
"Lu Xun, stopping now would be death to us all. Isn't this bandit territory? We should keep going if we don't want to be sold as slaves or killed on the spot. If we turned West about 10 degrees over those hills to our left we will make it in three hours instead," I called up.
Lu Xun turned and stopped his horse. He stared at me for several minutes.
"I never thought that I would hear a smart idea, that works, come out of the mouth of the child of Gan Ning and Diao Wan. Loved them like siblings, but they were down right . . . no offense . . . stupid at times," he said completely dumb struck, "Guess it skipped a generation."
"Ok, I heard death and listened to nothing after . . . what are we doing?" Li Wu asked terribly confused.
"We're continuing on to Shu, but turning our direction West a tad," I translated into his small amount of vocabulary.
"Thank you sister," he sighed gratefully.
Lu Xun nudged his horse into a trot and took off in the direction I had pointed out to him. Li Wu followed, as did myself. Li Wu's eyelids drooped and he yawned loudly. Storm Runner snorted and shook his head violently. He stamped and pranced around like an anxious young stallion.
"For as old as that horse is getting, he sure is acting very spirited," Li Wu observed.
I laughed and agreed until the mare I was riding started to get nervous as well. She tossed her head and reared slightly. Then I heard it. A loud pounding of hundreds of sharp hooves, carving into the hard packed earth. It sounded like thunder and everything vibrated around us. The pounding got louder and more numerous as whatever was approaching closed the distance. Suddenly we were surrounded by a group of about five hundred armed soldiers in green. I, never having the opportunity to fight Shu, did not recognize their foreign armor.
"What business does a man, and elf, and a dwarf –I mean a general, a lady, and a boy have in the land of Liu Bei?" called a long dark haired solider as he approached the front.
He was a strong looking man with a faint goatee. His thick long black hair was pulled back into a spiky ponytail. He had a white leopard pelt draped over his turquoise and violet trimmed armor and tied at the waist with a knot. He glared down at us from atop his light gray stallion. I could tell then that he was a very well respected general then, for his eyes were filled with honor, pride, and loyalty, I immediately respected him, but trust him I did not. I didn't know if he was friend or foe, bandit or army man. His scowl went back and forth between the three of us, and he gripped the great spear in which his hand grasped and held it with skill. ((A/N: Yes! Zhao Yun has a goatee! MUHAHAHA!))
"Tell me your business, and maybe I will tell you mine, sir," Li Wu piped up rudely.
"If your head was . . . not so high above the ground I would teach you to respect you elders, young sir," he snapped.
All spears, arrows and swords now pointed directly at Li Wu and I and the strange man dismounted with a defiant jump.
I drew my mother's sword from its sheath and put it to the man's neck in a quick movement.
"You would die before your stroke fell," I snarled.
Lu Xun grabbed my arm and pulled it away. This time his knowledge outreached my quick temper.
"Hua Wan . . ." he warned before continuing, "We are on our way to Shu in seek of Lord Zhao Yun. Diao Wan and Gan Ning have died and left their children to him. This is Lady Hua Wan and Gan Li Wu."
"I am whom you seek," he said.
Zhao Yun motioned for his men to lower their weapons and he looked toward the ground, saddened.
"My sympathy goes out to you, and I apologize –Lu Xun isn't it? -For my rude greeting," he said.
"'Tis understandable. Well I am to guess this is where I leave you Lady Hua and Master Li Wu," said Lu Xun.
"Your not leaving now are you, Lord Xun? At least take a rest," I asked him.
"I know where an inn is not too far from here," he responded before saying his good-byes.
"Farewell."
"See ya, Xun."
The crowd of soldiers parted and let him pass as he trotted off Eastward. I never realized that I was going to miss Wu so much, but then again . . . it was the only life I ever knew. I felt a small tear run down my cheek, and suddenly all hell broke lose. Thoughts ran through my head a mile a minute as tears ran down my face.
"Why me? Why did my parents have to leave me! They had my brother! If they loved me so much why did they agree to leave? Why must I know leave my home and country? I can live on my own, its not like I haven't since I was seven!" I screamed in my head.
"Wan? Are you alright?" Li Wu asked concerned.
Zhao Yun was also looking greatly concerned and he dismounted his horse and walked over to me. He gently helped me dismount and he put his hand on my shoulder reassuringly.
"Come Lady Hua, you'll ride with me. My horse can carry two," he said.
I nodded thankfully and followed orders. It was all I knew how to do anyway. Someone would tell me to do something and I would obey. I never did anything independently. Must be because of my military background. Zhao Yun mounted his horse and helped me up behind him. Then he had one of his men pull-pony my horse and then set off towards Shu. We were all silent as we rode, well most of us anyway. Gan Li Wu just couldn't seem to shut up! He had gotten a comment about his large tiger shaped tattoo on his back from a solider and they were busy exclaiming how much they hurt.
"Like fire pouring into your skin and eating you alive, ain't it?"
"Yeah! And my dad had three times as many! Man you should of seen my mom roll her eyes whenever he bragged about 'um! She'd always just say, 'What are you going to do when you get old, wrinkly, and fat, huh? What will they look like then? They'll look more like raisins than dragons and flames!' Dang the look on her face when Dad told her he let me get one, and such a large one at that, I think she could have strangled him right then and there if her bodyguards hadn't held her back!"
"Reminds me of my own mother! Ha! But my old man didn't have bodyguards to hold her back!"
Everyone roared with laughter as we entered the city limits. Even I started to chuckle. Zhao Yun turned around and smiled at me with a large grin and a wink.
"If you think that's funny, you should have been there when father tried to give me one! Let me tell you, it took more than bodyguards then! She was so steamed! Father said, 'But Wan! It'll be so cool!' and then mother just snarled and spat, 'It might for you, but ever thought about how much one of those might hurt? SHE'S THREE YEARS OLD, GAN NING!'" I said as I laughed.
"HAHAHA! Dad was always doing things like that wasn't he?" Li Wu said.
"Yep, and getting in worse trouble than a pirate on a navy ship!" Zhao Yun said, "Knew those two well, and you too when you was just a whelp, Hua Wan. Couldn't tell who was the child, Ning or you!"
More laughter filled the group and we came to the palace gates.
((Gan Li Wu's POV, several weeks later))
It had been about three weeks and a half since we arrived and neither Hua Wan nor me had any trouble socializing. Sun Shang Xiang was as social and outgoing as her brothers were, so said by my sister. Zhao Yun had introduced us to many generals my parents had talked about, including Jiang Wei. Boy, him and Yun made a pair, they told so many stories about pranking my mother it would have made my Dad beam with pride. He always would do little pranks to annoy her. Today Yun was going to take my sister and me to meet Ma Chao, because old Storm Runner was limping in his hind right leg. Ma Chao was supposed to be an expert with equine. I was in my small bedroom in my mother's old chambers. Nobody had needed them over the past years and they were still in use. My sister had the main bedroom and I was staying in the adjoining guestroom. There was a soft knock on my door.
"Li Wu? May I come in?" said the voice of my sister.
"Aye," I responded and stood up from the chair I had been sitting in.
As she came in I know something was up. Her eyes darted around the room cautiously and she fumbled her thumbs together conspicuously. Her face held a worried and haunting sort of look.
"Wan, you ok?" I asked.
"Depends on your definition of alright. A couple showed up about an hour ago and they claim to be our parents . . . but I haven't seen them in so long I wouldn't know if it were them or not. Zhao Yun and Jiang Wei are questioning them . . . they are asking for you," she mumbled quietly.
My heart skipped a beat. It was impossible. I saw the ship burn up and I waited two days for any signs of survivors. It was impossible to look for them because of the high volume of Nanman archers in the area. It would have been suicide and my Dad taught me better than that.
"Its not them, Sis. Don't get your hopes up," I answered back and settled into my chair again.
"Brother . . . don't you have the faintest ray of hope? I heard Liu Bei say it looked just like them."
"Even a wolf can wear a sheep's skin."
"True . . . but I can't help but feel it might be them."
"Well don't it ain't them!"
"Sorry for having a positive look on things! What did our parents teach you? I'm older, you don't talk to me that way!"
"Just drop it, Wan!"
I stood up and glared at her. She looked so young and innocent then, I almost forgot she was my older sister and not a young girl. Key word . . . almost.
"You weren't there! In a matter of minutes I lost the only family I had known! You might have gotten the time to grow to the fact they weren't coming back, but I didn't! I didn't! You had thirteen years to get used to them being gone. I've had 4 months!" I screamed in frustration.
"Yes . . . you had that privilege. I didn't," she snapped and stormed out.
She slammed the door and I heard her stomp into the next room. I sighed, I knew I had to go after her. 'Maybe it is them?' I thought, 'No . . . it's totally impossible. But what's wrong with just taking a look, ya?' I got up and went out the same way Hua Wan did. I came up to her and grabbed her by the arm.
"What in the seven hells are you doing?" she snapped.
"We're going to see if it really is Mom and Dad," I snapped back still dragging her along, "Where are they?"
"In the small room exactly halfway between the downstairs stair and the south barracks," she said.
I headed that direction and let go of her arm so she could walk by herself. We passed Lady Shang Xiang in the hall, she apparently was headed the same direction.
"I'm guessing your going to see the couple claiming to be your parents?" she asked with a stern serious look on her face.
"Aye," my sister answered, "I think we have a right to have the first say."
"Yes, you do and I'm furious with Zhao Yun for not letting you," Lady Shang Xiang said.
"Not letting us?" I asked.
"Correct. He says you might overreact and kill them in rage or something," she said.
"I'd think we would have a right to that even if we did, which we wouldn't . . . I hope," Hua Wan said.
"Also correct. When we get there you have right to your own actions and if Yun tries to hold you back, I'll take care of it," Lady Shang Xiang said reassuringly.
"Thank you, your ladyship," Hua Wan answered politely.
"Your welcome!" she answered with a smile.
We went down the south hall and came halfway. You could hear people talking inside and I heard two very familiar voices. My heart once again skipped a beat and I burst open the door in my rush to see the faces of the voices. There, standing together once again, were my parents. Gan Ning and Diao Wan lived again. They were alive.
((End Chapter, to be continued))
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Hua Wan, Daughter of Pirates
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Chapter 1
It all began when my father killed my mother's adopted father, Tamahori. She sought revenge for seven years before finally getting her chance. But, instead of being the bloodthirsty ex-pirate she thought him to be, she met her true love, my father. His name was Gan Ning, Bandit of the Silken Sails. Why silk you ask? Well, I have no idea really. My mother was Diao Wan, a runaway who turned pirate in her early teens. (Yes, I know this sounds like a sappy romantic story. Trust me, its not. Sun Ce will be happy to clear that up for you any time.) My mother didn't have any special name, just Diao Wan. Captain Diao or Lady Diao if you so liked, but she just had people call her by Wan. Sun Quan says that my parents were some of the most loyal and trusting people he knew. I was young when they left. Around seven I think. Went back to being pirates, some guess. They didn't take me along because, apparently I was a wimpy child and always cried whenever something mildly scary or bad happened.
()() Flashback ()()
"You had to give me a daughter didn't you, Wan?" Father teased Mother.
"That'd be your fault, all I did was carry her for nine months then pushed her out, with a great deal of pain I might add. And, secondly you're the one who always makes sure she has the cleanest diaper in Wu. Daddy's little girl I'd say," Mother responded.
"Point, but hygiene is important."
"True sweetheart, but you forget . . . wasn't it just yesterday you were tying little pink bows in her hair and, I shudder to think, sings to her at night. You honestly need to take voice lessons, sweetheart."
"My singing isn't that bad!"
"Oh yes it is . . ."
()() End Flashback ()()
Don't get me wrong, they loved me dearly. Unfortunately, wherever they went off to they certainly I couldn't come. That was thirteen years ago. I'm now a past full-grown woman of twenty. I serve for Sun Quan as my mother and mainly my father did. Emperor Sun Quan that is for Sun Jian, Sun Ce, and Zhou Yu have all deceased. I had stopped long ago wondering about my parent's disappearance. The only one who knows where they went was Lu Meng, but he won't tell me a thing. Ever since I had turned fifteen I decided to grow up and become someone.
I am Hua Wan, which means: Flowery Grace. Sort of doesn't fit me anymore since I'm the worst tomboy since Sun Shang Xiang. I serve for Wu, and have for all my life. At least until yesterday. An unknown messenger arrived last night. He was gruff looking, but young, and had a huge dragon shaped tattoo on his bare tan back.
"I have a message from the Bandit of the Silken Sails!" he had yelled.
At first people were confused. We had many new young officers that had never heard my father's legend. I, fortunately, was passing the gate at this time, so I went up to greet him. By his outward appearance he seemed to be just a young pirate, but he had the symbol of Wu on the sash around his waist.
"I am Hua Wan, daughter of he who sends you," I called to him.
He had a looked down at me and jumped in surprised.
"Seven hells! 'Tis the spitting image of him! 'Cept being a woman and all . . . ah I see. Them eyes. Those is your mother's," he said with a smile, "along with the attitude. Fire and ice."
"You act as if you know my parents . . . are they alive?" I asked quietly.
"That is a question I shall be answering soon enough," he told me handing me an envelope.
It was small and old. The wax was peeling of the back and it had been folded many a time. I opened it quickly, my mind racing. I took out a letter and had started reading. I soon found out that it had not been a letter. It was my parent's will.
"They died in battle together. Ship caught fire and they didn't make it off in time. I was the only survivor," the messenger told me.
"Where were they? Why did they leave?" I asked confused.
"Didn't Sun Quan say? He was supposed 'ta when you came of age," he told me, "I was close to them, yes VERY close. But anyway, Gan Ning and Diao Wan had go to battle the Nanmans. They led the naval forces."
"You mean to tell me that my parents battled the Nanmans for thirteen years? I don't buy it," I snapped.
"Smart like . . . never mind neither of them had much for brains. Ha! Ha! You didn't let me finish though. They fought other battles too. Pirates Japs, Nanman, and Shu once or twice. You might want to read the rest of that will now."
I continued to read it to myself. My mother's messy handwriting was nearly illegible. Also, some of the ink was smeared and blotted.
'. . . and to Hua Wan we leave the Phoenix Sword and half of our money. The other half we give to Gan Li Wu, our son, along with the Sea Master if he can hold the darn thing up. Our children, if not married by this time or not of age, are in the care of Zhao Yun of Shu . . .'
"Gan Li Wu?! I have a brother?" I asked urgently.
"Oh yeah . . . they mention that in there. What'd he get?" he said.
"Sir, I asked you a question first," I told him threw clenched teeth.
"Yes, rather handsome fellow. Total ladies man, followed in Zhou Yu's legend in good looks . . . okay, the jig is up. Mother told me you were a smart one. I'm Gan Li Wu. Your little brother."
"No way."
"In the flesh."
"But you have to be at least in your late-teens!"
"Nope, I just look old for my age. I'm thirteen believe it or not, and I'm your little brother."
"Wow. Ok so my –I mean our- parents left me behind, had you, and fought in naval ships for thirteen years."
"Yep, but I was sorta an accident. The reason they left you was because Father didn't want you to grow up all bloodthirsty and pirateish They didn't mean for Mom to get pregnant, but that's the way things go. I got Dad's height."
I had laughed, because he certainly did. He was at least a head and shoulders taller than I was, already nearing to surpassing my father. I looked closely and saw that he indeed looked younger than he first appeared. He was gruff looking like I remembered my father being, and he was like a walking tree. Although, he had my mother's reddish dark brown hair that appeared black along with her eyes. We both had mother's eyes.
"So you're my little brother? Wow, you don't look thirteen at all," I said in my shocked amazement.
"Aye, that's what Dad would always say," he said, a sudden look of pain went across his face.
"You must be starving," I said quickly changing the subject, "Do come inside!"
"Oh, yes I am!" he yelled and patted his bare stomach.
I turned and went towards the closest kitchen as he followed me. He had immediately started wolfing down all the food in sight. That's how my life changed completely in one night. I was now on my way to Shu. I was not yet married and Gan Li Wu (Li Wu he liked for short) was not yet of age, therefore we were to be put under the charge of Lord Zhao Yun. According to Li Wu he had been good friends and a fellow officer of our mother before she married our father and joined Wu. We were travelling by horseback and using my mother's old war-horse, Storm Runner, as our pack pony . . . and he wasn't too happy about the change.
"Storm Runner! The point of being the packhorse is too carry the luggage. Not to gallop into battle!" Li Wu was yelling.
"Li Wu, he can't help it. Even at his age he still knows that is what he was trained to do," I told him calmly, "Besides he can't understand you. He doesn't speak Chinese."
"Okay, I'll speak English then!" he said.
"I don't think he speaks English either, Li Wu," I answered back.
"I was being sarcastic, Hua Wan," he snapped.
"I knew that," I covered.
"Right," he teased, "sure you did."
We both laughed. I sorta' enjoyed having a little brother. At least I'd have someone I partially knew when we arrived at Shu. Lord Sun Quan said his little sister, Sun Shang Xiang, was married to the Emperor Liu Bei and they had several children.
((A/N: I know, historically, Shang Xiang and Liu Bei never had kids, but I felt sorry for her.))
Several others said that Zhao Yun was very kind and would be a good guardian towards us, but I was still uncomfortable. Luckily, Lu Xun had come along with us to make sure we got there all right. He rode in front, leading the way.
"When would you like to stop for the night? The Shu capital is still a good four hour ride from here and you two look tired," Lu Xun called over his shoulder.
"I guess now is as good as never," Li Wu answered.
I considered my answer for a minute.
"Lu Xun, stopping now would be death to us all. Isn't this bandit territory? We should keep going if we don't want to be sold as slaves or killed on the spot. If we turned West about 10 degrees over those hills to our left we will make it in three hours instead," I called up.
Lu Xun turned and stopped his horse. He stared at me for several minutes.
"I never thought that I would hear a smart idea, that works, come out of the mouth of the child of Gan Ning and Diao Wan. Loved them like siblings, but they were down right . . . no offense . . . stupid at times," he said completely dumb struck, "Guess it skipped a generation."
"Ok, I heard death and listened to nothing after . . . what are we doing?" Li Wu asked terribly confused.
"We're continuing on to Shu, but turning our direction West a tad," I translated into his small amount of vocabulary.
"Thank you sister," he sighed gratefully.
Lu Xun nudged his horse into a trot and took off in the direction I had pointed out to him. Li Wu followed, as did myself. Li Wu's eyelids drooped and he yawned loudly. Storm Runner snorted and shook his head violently. He stamped and pranced around like an anxious young stallion.
"For as old as that horse is getting, he sure is acting very spirited," Li Wu observed.
I laughed and agreed until the mare I was riding started to get nervous as well. She tossed her head and reared slightly. Then I heard it. A loud pounding of hundreds of sharp hooves, carving into the hard packed earth. It sounded like thunder and everything vibrated around us. The pounding got louder and more numerous as whatever was approaching closed the distance. Suddenly we were surrounded by a group of about five hundred armed soldiers in green. I, never having the opportunity to fight Shu, did not recognize their foreign armor.
"What business does a man, and elf, and a dwarf –I mean a general, a lady, and a boy have in the land of Liu Bei?" called a long dark haired solider as he approached the front.
He was a strong looking man with a faint goatee. His thick long black hair was pulled back into a spiky ponytail. He had a white leopard pelt draped over his turquoise and violet trimmed armor and tied at the waist with a knot. He glared down at us from atop his light gray stallion. I could tell then that he was a very well respected general then, for his eyes were filled with honor, pride, and loyalty, I immediately respected him, but trust him I did not. I didn't know if he was friend or foe, bandit or army man. His scowl went back and forth between the three of us, and he gripped the great spear in which his hand grasped and held it with skill. ((A/N: Yes! Zhao Yun has a goatee! MUHAHAHA!))
"Tell me your business, and maybe I will tell you mine, sir," Li Wu piped up rudely.
"If your head was . . . not so high above the ground I would teach you to respect you elders, young sir," he snapped.
All spears, arrows and swords now pointed directly at Li Wu and I and the strange man dismounted with a defiant jump.
I drew my mother's sword from its sheath and put it to the man's neck in a quick movement.
"You would die before your stroke fell," I snarled.
Lu Xun grabbed my arm and pulled it away. This time his knowledge outreached my quick temper.
"Hua Wan . . ." he warned before continuing, "We are on our way to Shu in seek of Lord Zhao Yun. Diao Wan and Gan Ning have died and left their children to him. This is Lady Hua Wan and Gan Li Wu."
"I am whom you seek," he said.
Zhao Yun motioned for his men to lower their weapons and he looked toward the ground, saddened.
"My sympathy goes out to you, and I apologize –Lu Xun isn't it? -For my rude greeting," he said.
"'Tis understandable. Well I am to guess this is where I leave you Lady Hua and Master Li Wu," said Lu Xun.
"Your not leaving now are you, Lord Xun? At least take a rest," I asked him.
"I know where an inn is not too far from here," he responded before saying his good-byes.
"Farewell."
"See ya, Xun."
The crowd of soldiers parted and let him pass as he trotted off Eastward. I never realized that I was going to miss Wu so much, but then again . . . it was the only life I ever knew. I felt a small tear run down my cheek, and suddenly all hell broke lose. Thoughts ran through my head a mile a minute as tears ran down my face.
"Why me? Why did my parents have to leave me! They had my brother! If they loved me so much why did they agree to leave? Why must I know leave my home and country? I can live on my own, its not like I haven't since I was seven!" I screamed in my head.
"Wan? Are you alright?" Li Wu asked concerned.
Zhao Yun was also looking greatly concerned and he dismounted his horse and walked over to me. He gently helped me dismount and he put his hand on my shoulder reassuringly.
"Come Lady Hua, you'll ride with me. My horse can carry two," he said.
I nodded thankfully and followed orders. It was all I knew how to do anyway. Someone would tell me to do something and I would obey. I never did anything independently. Must be because of my military background. Zhao Yun mounted his horse and helped me up behind him. Then he had one of his men pull-pony my horse and then set off towards Shu. We were all silent as we rode, well most of us anyway. Gan Li Wu just couldn't seem to shut up! He had gotten a comment about his large tiger shaped tattoo on his back from a solider and they were busy exclaiming how much they hurt.
"Like fire pouring into your skin and eating you alive, ain't it?"
"Yeah! And my dad had three times as many! Man you should of seen my mom roll her eyes whenever he bragged about 'um! She'd always just say, 'What are you going to do when you get old, wrinkly, and fat, huh? What will they look like then? They'll look more like raisins than dragons and flames!' Dang the look on her face when Dad told her he let me get one, and such a large one at that, I think she could have strangled him right then and there if her bodyguards hadn't held her back!"
"Reminds me of my own mother! Ha! But my old man didn't have bodyguards to hold her back!"
Everyone roared with laughter as we entered the city limits. Even I started to chuckle. Zhao Yun turned around and smiled at me with a large grin and a wink.
"If you think that's funny, you should have been there when father tried to give me one! Let me tell you, it took more than bodyguards then! She was so steamed! Father said, 'But Wan! It'll be so cool!' and then mother just snarled and spat, 'It might for you, but ever thought about how much one of those might hurt? SHE'S THREE YEARS OLD, GAN NING!'" I said as I laughed.
"HAHAHA! Dad was always doing things like that wasn't he?" Li Wu said.
"Yep, and getting in worse trouble than a pirate on a navy ship!" Zhao Yun said, "Knew those two well, and you too when you was just a whelp, Hua Wan. Couldn't tell who was the child, Ning or you!"
More laughter filled the group and we came to the palace gates.
((Gan Li Wu's POV, several weeks later))
It had been about three weeks and a half since we arrived and neither Hua Wan nor me had any trouble socializing. Sun Shang Xiang was as social and outgoing as her brothers were, so said by my sister. Zhao Yun had introduced us to many generals my parents had talked about, including Jiang Wei. Boy, him and Yun made a pair, they told so many stories about pranking my mother it would have made my Dad beam with pride. He always would do little pranks to annoy her. Today Yun was going to take my sister and me to meet Ma Chao, because old Storm Runner was limping in his hind right leg. Ma Chao was supposed to be an expert with equine. I was in my small bedroom in my mother's old chambers. Nobody had needed them over the past years and they were still in use. My sister had the main bedroom and I was staying in the adjoining guestroom. There was a soft knock on my door.
"Li Wu? May I come in?" said the voice of my sister.
"Aye," I responded and stood up from the chair I had been sitting in.
As she came in I know something was up. Her eyes darted around the room cautiously and she fumbled her thumbs together conspicuously. Her face held a worried and haunting sort of look.
"Wan, you ok?" I asked.
"Depends on your definition of alright. A couple showed up about an hour ago and they claim to be our parents . . . but I haven't seen them in so long I wouldn't know if it were them or not. Zhao Yun and Jiang Wei are questioning them . . . they are asking for you," she mumbled quietly.
My heart skipped a beat. It was impossible. I saw the ship burn up and I waited two days for any signs of survivors. It was impossible to look for them because of the high volume of Nanman archers in the area. It would have been suicide and my Dad taught me better than that.
"Its not them, Sis. Don't get your hopes up," I answered back and settled into my chair again.
"Brother . . . don't you have the faintest ray of hope? I heard Liu Bei say it looked just like them."
"Even a wolf can wear a sheep's skin."
"True . . . but I can't help but feel it might be them."
"Well don't it ain't them!"
"Sorry for having a positive look on things! What did our parents teach you? I'm older, you don't talk to me that way!"
"Just drop it, Wan!"
I stood up and glared at her. She looked so young and innocent then, I almost forgot she was my older sister and not a young girl. Key word . . . almost.
"You weren't there! In a matter of minutes I lost the only family I had known! You might have gotten the time to grow to the fact they weren't coming back, but I didn't! I didn't! You had thirteen years to get used to them being gone. I've had 4 months!" I screamed in frustration.
"Yes . . . you had that privilege. I didn't," she snapped and stormed out.
She slammed the door and I heard her stomp into the next room. I sighed, I knew I had to go after her. 'Maybe it is them?' I thought, 'No . . . it's totally impossible. But what's wrong with just taking a look, ya?' I got up and went out the same way Hua Wan did. I came up to her and grabbed her by the arm.
"What in the seven hells are you doing?" she snapped.
"We're going to see if it really is Mom and Dad," I snapped back still dragging her along, "Where are they?"
"In the small room exactly halfway between the downstairs stair and the south barracks," she said.
I headed that direction and let go of her arm so she could walk by herself. We passed Lady Shang Xiang in the hall, she apparently was headed the same direction.
"I'm guessing your going to see the couple claiming to be your parents?" she asked with a stern serious look on her face.
"Aye," my sister answered, "I think we have a right to have the first say."
"Yes, you do and I'm furious with Zhao Yun for not letting you," Lady Shang Xiang said.
"Not letting us?" I asked.
"Correct. He says you might overreact and kill them in rage or something," she said.
"I'd think we would have a right to that even if we did, which we wouldn't . . . I hope," Hua Wan said.
"Also correct. When we get there you have right to your own actions and if Yun tries to hold you back, I'll take care of it," Lady Shang Xiang said reassuringly.
"Thank you, your ladyship," Hua Wan answered politely.
"Your welcome!" she answered with a smile.
We went down the south hall and came halfway. You could hear people talking inside and I heard two very familiar voices. My heart once again skipped a beat and I burst open the door in my rush to see the faces of the voices. There, standing together once again, were my parents. Gan Ning and Diao Wan lived again. They were alive.
((End Chapter, to be continued))