Me (Fire of the Heart)
One-shot. Da Qiao is at the Wu castle alone when bad news arrives. Can someone who has never killed before manage to fight her way home?
Chapter One: Heart of Wu
Da Qiao was sitting alone in her room, rocking slowly, back and forwards, back and forth. In her hands was a small piece of sewing, the threads messy and tangled. She had dismissed her maid and locked herself in her room for a month. Ever since Sun Ce, her husband, her love, her life had gone to war.
There had been no letters, no communication, nothing to reassure Da that her beloved was still alive and not lying cold and lifeless on a destroyed battle-field. She shook her head, trying to dissuade herself from thinking those pessimistic thoughts.
With a lonely sigh, she put her sewing on the little table next to her and got up, walking slowly to her closet and pulling out an old red and grey dress that Ce had told her that he liked especially.
Da Qiao undressed and pulled on the grey and red garment that she had held lovingly in her frail hands. She hadn't eaten at all for half of the time he'd been away. Her slender form was now skin and bones, and her dresses hung loosely on her.
She looked in the mirror and sighed. It was silly that she had let herself go so far, but he had promised that he'd write to her, he'd promised that it would take two weeks at most. And now she had nothing left, for she was sure he was gone, to the world where the dead walked alone because the living could not follow.
Da stood up, a different expression on her face. The dead, miserable expression had evaporated and was replaced by a fiery determination that was often familiar on her sister's face. She grabbed a bag, filling it with blankets and food..
She stood up and went outside to the armoury and weapons shed. She pulled on some small armour made for Shun Shang Xiang and grabbed two swords, strapping them to her belt. The armour was silver with gold and red engravings.
She plaited her hair before pulling on her helmet, yet it still showed. So, reluctantly she slashed it to shoulder length. Da Qiao walked confidently outside to the stables and mounted a spare white horse.
She dug her heels into the horse's side and galloped away, following the path that her lover had taken with the army.
When night fell she camped under a small tree, curled in a blanket, looking fearfully at the dark shadows. She had been scared of the dark for most of her life, and Ce had begun to help her get over it, but he couldn't help her now.
Hold on my love, she thought, I'm coming to save you this time.
She awoke in the morning, refreshed and determined. Da swung herself into the saddle and carried on her journey.
The armour wasn't very comfortable, yet it would at least disguise her for the moment anyway. She blinked a few tears from her eyes. What if the worst had happened?
Then I shall live a life worthy of his memory.
Da reached the remains of a Wu camp. It was all burnt and some bodies lay on the ground. With a sinking heart she went to look at them, but fortunately there was nobody she knew lying on the floor.
Hoof-prints led away from the path, into a dark, shadowy forest. A burst of courage, of Wu fire settled in her heart and she rode forwards, one hand on her sword.
Alien bird cries echoed around her and strange animals scuttled through the undergrowth, making her jump more than once, but the fire in her heart kept her going. Occasionally she found bodies of Wu soldiers scattered on the forest floor and the prints would go crazily into each other, swerving around the path.
Da Qiao felt fearless now. There was nothing that would stand between her and her lover, there was nothing that could stop her now. The sun set, the sky turning blood red between the canopy. But still the Qiao rode, hard and well. The horse seemed to know where it was going, leading Da the right way if she ever went wrong.
Sometimes the trees would whisper to her, quiet, kind voices carried by the light breeze. Da strained to hear them.
'Your prince was making camp the other side of this forest…the war is not successful…the enemy told the prince you were dead…but the Qiao lives with a heart of flames…'
Da took note of the words, wondering if her supposed death had lowered Ce's morale.
After riding for three days without rest, Da reached the end of the forest and indeed, a living Wu camp was settled there.
Nobody was there, so she suspected they were at battle. Da let the horse rest for a while as she bathed herself and cleansed herself.
Afterwards she dressed back in her armour and she and her faithful horse carried on, following the fresh path made by the few troops left.
She could tell she was near…the clanging and screeches of metal against metal rung in the air, war cries echoed and groans were hidden as an undertone of the battle. Da swallowed…could she kill someone, really.
For Ce, I must.
So she rode forwards, swords at the ready, but she was not prepared for the sight she saw. Only a few enemies remained, yet more than the Wu troops.
Her heart thumped as she saw him, haggard and pale, but fighting hard against the enemy nonetheless. But there were many people between them, and he was surrounded. Da breathed out slowly and dismounted her horse, urging it backwards.
And then she charged. The fire that had burned in her heart was released, the twin blades slashing every man in her way. Her movements were almost a dance, a deadly dance.
And she felt no guilt for the people she had slain, because they would happily have killed him, her love. And so the distance was small now.
And then he fell.
A soldier stabbed him in the shoulder, and Da could feel his pain in her heart. He collapsed forwards, his exhausted body given up.
'I will join you soon Da, as it is my time too'
"Well get up if you want to join me!"
He looked up in amazement when he saw her. She pulled off her helmet and his heart sand with joy as he saw her face.
"They said…"
Da put a finger to his lips and stroked his cheek.
"They lied. I love you Sun Ce,"
He looked at her for a few moments, taking in her thin pale face and the shadows. And then he saw the blood on her blades and the dead bodies by them.
The rest of Wu smiled as they walked over to the couple, they had won the war, and their Lord had been saved by his wife.
Ce kissed her deeply, holding her close to him, and Da would've smiled. Anywhere was home with her Lord Sun Ce.
He is with me now.
Sun Ce had been amazed to hear of everything Da had done for him, especially when they found out she'd been a few months pregnant. He was standing next to his wife, stroking the cheek of their new child.
"Thank you my love," Ce whispered into Da's ear. "I love you always, and it nearly killed me thinking you were dead,"
Da smiled and sighed with happiness.
"We have our happy ending Ce, and let's keep this joy forever,"
Ce embraced her and smiled. Their family may seem small, but with Sun Jian and his children, and the rest of Wu, the new child would have plenty of people to rely on.
"Wu is like one, big family Da – no, it is a family…our family,"
End