The Heart Overrules the Mind

Disclaimer: Can I just remind everyone that this is purely fictional and that the dates and places mentioned are not all completely accurate. Shen Jing, the protagonist, belongs to Koei (she is one of the bodyguards in DW5) and so are all the other characters that you have seen in the Koei games. My own characters are Jing's family and anyone else you haven't seen in the Koei series.

Chapter One – The Revelation

I grabbed my fan and pointed it at my latest opponent. He grinned and held his spear up in the air.

"So let us fight!" he exclaimed. "And don't think I'll take it easy on you because you are a girl!" I sighed and looked him right in the eyes.

"I never believed that you would" I told him. "Besides, you are weak enough already without having to getting any worse just because I am a girl". My trainer laughed at that while my opponent began to quietly growl so that he sounded not unlike a dog. Suddenly, he jumped in the air, spear shining against the midday sun. He twisted around and tried to hit me from behind but I too quick for him. Spinning quickly, I leaped up and brought my fan crashing down on his face. It hit him and he reeled back, blood streaming from the wound I had made on his cheek. Seemingly even angrier now, he charged me with his spear. I jumped so that he ran right under me and landed neatly. I smiled at how easy an opponent this guy was. Stupidly of me, I had my back towards him so I didn't see him charge again. By the time I had turned around his spear was heading straight for my stomach. I quickly put my fan up to block it. Just in time. Next, we both tried to make a move and our weapons clashed together in a deadlock. We both pushed as hard as we could, desperate to be the victor. Finally, I managed to get the better of him and won. While he was still dazed, I kicked his spear out of his hand so that it clattered to the floor a few meters away from us. With the same foot, I kicked him in the chest so that he landed on the floor and walked up to where he was now lying, resting my boot on his stomach in a warning for him not to move. He looked up at me, red-faced from both exhaustion and embarrassment. I smiled innocently down at him, my foot still holding his body down.

"So" I began. "Who's the little girl now?" my opponent sighed before holding his arm up as a sign of submission. I removed my leg so that he could get up. He looked at me, a look that was full of both admiration and amazement.

"Okay" he muttered. "You win".

I grinned as I heard my trainer clap from the side of the training ring we were in. He came up to me and gave me a hug. "Well done Jing!" he said. "Yet again you have exceeded my expectations. You are truly a remarkable warrior".

I held my head down in an attempt to hide my blushes. Of course I knew I was good but I still tried to be modest about it. My trainer constantly praises me on my good work and tells me how one day my skills will come to great use. I know that they are planning a war in China but I've never really thought about it in depth. If I ever had a chance to though, I would fight without a second's hesitation. My trainer smiled at me and I awoke from my daydream. I love my trainer's smile. It is always so genuine and friendly that you feel the need to smile as well. I held out my hand to shake my opponent's in an act of kindness. He shook it and gave me another bigger smile before something suddenly seemed to catch his attention. It took me a while to realise that his gaze wasn't actually directed at my face anymore. I rolled my eyes. My chest constantly attracted male attention and whereas sometimes I found it quite funny, at other times it really annoyed me. After a few seconds of watching him watching my breasts, I gave him a slap. Confused, he raised he eyes to meet mine; exactly where they should always have been.

"Wha…what was that for?" he asked, rubbing his face in the place I had just hit him.

"That" I answered "Was to stop you from looking at parts of my body that you shouldn't have been". I saw him blush when he realised what I meant.

"Um…sorry" he stuttered, his face going an odd shade of peony. I turned to my trainer and gave him a look which said "Boys. Why can't they act civilised once in a while?" and he gave me one back which read "I know and it's disgraceful. Know that they are only after one thing". I gave a little laugh before I realised the time. "Master Hong I have to take my leave of you now. I should have been home sooner". I bowed down to him. Hong nodded and bowed back before ushering me out.

"I will see you the same time next week Jing. Is that correct?" he asked. I nodded and turned to leave the building.

"Yes, see you next week!" And with that, I ran home.

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"Where has Jing got to?" I wondered to myself, pulling another carrot out of the soft ground. I rubbed my hand across my forehead and let out a breath I wasn't even aware I was holding in. It was a hot day and as usual I was doing everything that needed to be done in order to run my household smoothly. My eldest daughter had gone for one of her beloved training sessions, my younger children were at the other end of the garden playing and my husband was away on a business trip, in an attempt to sell some things in the Yong Province. He had gone a week ago and would be away for a month at least. Just then, my youngest son, Huan, came running up to me, a big grin on his adorable three-year-old face.

"Daddy sent a letter, daddy sent a letter!" he exclaimed showing me an envelope with my husband's scrawled writing on the front. I sat up and smiled at Huan.

"That's great baby" I enthused. "Can mommy read it?" Huan nodded happily before passing me the letter. I opened it and read its contents.

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Dear Ling, Jing, Huan and Yan,

How are you all? I hope you are doing well and are happy. I will be back as soon as I can after I have sold some things and when I come back, I will hopefully have some presents for all of you. Jing, how are your training sessions getting along? I heard from your trainer that you were an exceptional pupil. I'm glad to hear it. Keep up the good work!

Now Ling, my sweet, sugar plum. I hope that you are coping well with the children. I am so sorry to leave you like this but now that Jing is old enough, I know that she won't mind helping you with the housework. I can't wait to get back home and hold you in my arms sweetie. You don't know how much I am missing you and the children. I cannot begin to write a list of things I will do to you when I get home. I can't wait to see the children and of course, you, my beloved.

Lots and lots of love and kisses,

Jin xxxx

P.S. Ling sweetheart, have you told Jing yet?

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I smiled as I read through the letter. I was particularly interested by "the things I will do to you when I get home" part. That sounded very exciting indeed! Still grinning to myself over that little thought, I folded up the letter and put it in the pocket of my old kimono. I really needed to buy a new one when I found the time and of course, the money. I sighed to myself as I thought of the problems we were having earning money. That was why Jin had to work so far away a lot of the time; to try and earn money for us. I sighed again as I imagined Jing's face when I told her how she would have to help us. She knew about our financial problems but she didn't know about a new revelation that Jin and I had reluctantly decided must be done. I don't know if she will be happy or sad by what I have to tell her. As I stood thinking of this, I felt someone's eyes boring into me. I have this weird sense in which I can always tell when someone is watching me. I turned around and saw my beautiful Jing smiling up at me with her lovely, green eyes.

"Boo!!" she laughed, opening her arms for a cuddle. I embraced her, smelling the sweet orange and mangoes that she uses to wash her hair. I held her for a little longer than usual, just taking her presence in. After a while, she seemed to notice something was wrong as she broke our hug and looked me right in the eyes. "Mother" she asked in a concerned tone. "Is there something wrong?"

I shook my head, not knowing what to say. There was no other time to say it so I guess I had to tell her now…

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Mother looked at me with sad eyes. I began to feel worried. Was she going to tell me that she was ill or something? I couldn't wait any longer. The suspense was driving me wild with worry. "Mother" I began again "What is it you want to tell me?" She stroked my hair before cupping my chin with her hand.

"Sweet Jing" she started, smoothing down her ancient, silk kimono as she struggled to get the words out. "You know of the problems that your father and I are facing with money do you not?" I nodded at her comment, still too scared to speak. I knew that what she was going to say next probably would not be a good thing. "Well" she continued. "Your father is trying his best to make money by selling his produce to the local village people in all the provinces that he visits but we realise that that just isn't enough to keep us going Jing". She stopped again, this time to run her hands through her previously immaculate hair and making silky tendrils escape and drop down her face. "Well Jing, your father and I need some help to earn some money and because you are the eldest of our kin, we really have no choice but to send you to be able to make more earnings for us. I am so sorry sweetheart". I watched a single tear drop down her face as what she had just told me sunk in.

So they needed me to make some money? I was perfectly fine with that. But how was I to make it?

"What are you thinking baby?" mother asked me, smiling through her tears. I decided to voice my thoughts to her.

"Of course I do not mind making money for us mother" I told her, giving her what I hoped was a reassuring smile. "But how am I to make it? I am a sixteen-and-a-half year old girl, so no one will want to hire me. What do you expect me to do?"

Mother touched my face again, so tenderly. She waited a moment before she spoke again. "Jing my love, the words you speak are true. There is but one place you can go though. I have heard that they also will also pay you quite handsomely. But we only want you to be safe". My mind whirred, trying to think where she meant. There was only one place that I could think of…

"Mother, do you want me to go to war?" I asked. These seemed to be the words that pressed a button on her emotions as big, wet tears started rapidly falling down her pretty face. Her mouth formed a large circle and she sobbed, making quite a lot of noise. I held her in my arms as she buried her face in my neck. I soothed her as she cried, while recalling what she had just told me. War. They wanted me to go to war? Wow. My trainer had always told me that my skills would come in use one day but I never really believed him. But now, it seems like he was right. Mother had calmed down quite a bit now so I took this as an opportunity to ask her more questions. "So when do you want me to go?" I began. It took her a while to register what I was talking about but she finally realised.

"Whenever you are ready, Jing" she told me. "But when you are ready, I am able to get you a place in one of the top three kingdoms. I have already sent the leader a letter and he has replied telling me that they will be happy to give you a place". I thought about what she had just said. A place in one of the top three kingdoms? Was I that good? I would never have thought so.

"But mother, I have not had much experience in dealing with any other weapon other apart from my fan. Why would they want me for just that?" This time, mother was quick to answer.

"My sweet Jing, I don't think you are aware of how good you really are" she smiled. "Your trainer has been telling me so much good things about you. I am not surprised that they would want you to fight by their side". I grinned, reassured now. "But" she continued. "They said that until they see how you are on the battlefield, they will train you as a bodyguard. You will be fighting alongside an officer as well as helping and protecting them. You will be promoted in due course when they have seen how capable you are".

I nodded, understanding exactly what she was telling me. I was quite excited now. Of course I would miss all my family and friends but war? It would be so amazing! I would be trained professionally by the masters and working alongside the best of the best. I couldn't wait to leave. Mother, noticing my ecstatic expression, gave a little smile of her own.

"I am glad that you are happy, Jing" she told me. "I have always had a feeling that you would love to become a warrior and now you can. I just want you to be safe". I nodded, half-taking in what she was saying. Whilst I thought about it, I decided to ask her a question that I thought would be important.

"But mother" I began. "Who is it that wants me to join them?"

Mother gave a little laugh before answering me. "Oh my dear child, didn't I say?" she asked. "The leader that wants you is one known as Cao Cao".