Okay, sequel time! This is the follow-up to my story 'The Tigress's Song'. It will follow the adventures of Zhao San, the daughter of Zhao Yun and Mei Li. I know that at the end of the last story, her name was Zhao Li. That was a typo, and I'll try to fix it. And now, onto the story!
It was a beautiful summer day in Cheng Du. The feeling could be felt in everything and everyone there as they hustled around on their daily business. The marketplace was full of people buying, selling, trading, and just enjoying each other's company. The palace was similar with servants and soldiers hurrying around, attending to business throughout the area.
The courtyard, however, was a different story. This was where soldiers and officers sometimes gathered when they had nothing to do, talking, joking, laughing, and occasionally fighting. They loved to show off their skills to each other and teach them new tricks to use on the battlefield. And today was one of those days.
Most of the soldiers were gathered around the outer edge of the circle, watching the three in the middle. Even though the sun was scorching, all three wore helmets, breastplates, and arm and leg guards. The middle person stood in a defensive position, while the other two began to circle around. Suddenly, one lunged, sword high in the air. The center soldier dodged easily while the other one began his charge. The middle soldier began swinging the sword madly, trying to block the other blows. Those around the circle commented on the quickness and agility with which the middle soldier moved. It was all madness and confusion, until both soldiers charged the center one at the same time. Dropping the sword to the ground, the middle jumped into the air, using the other's shoulders to give an extra boost. Flipping over the two, the soldier landed and perfect jump, grabbing their sword and preparing for the next attack. But it never came.
The two soldiers pulled off their helmets, smiling as their long, black hair blew in the slight breeze. They slowly began to peel off the armor as the other soldier pulled off their helmet.
"Boy, San, you're getting good," one of the others said to the second. Zhao San grinned at her brother as she unfastened the strap of her breastplate and let it fall to the ground.
"Nah, you're just getting soft, Tong. You too, Guang." Both of her older brothers stuck their tongues out at her as the rest of the armor came off. She rolled her eyes. As twins, Zhao Tong and Zhao Guang did everything in unison, including pulling pranks on her. She recalled the frogs she had found in her bed earlier that morning and smiled to herself.
"Hey, you can't blame us, San," Guang said. "It's been awhile since we've had any action!" He fake-punched his sister as he picked up his armor. He waited for Tong to pick up his, and the two of them headed back towards the palace. San began picking up her own armor, deciding that she would go find her father and tell him about her fight. He would be proud to hear that she had finally gotten the moves down.
She looked around for her helmet, but couldn't find it anywhere. None of the other soldiers were looking at her, so she assumed they didn't have it. She turned around to find her good friend, Jiang Wei, holding it in his hand. He grinned down at her.
"That was perfect execution, San," he said, handing her helmet. She took it and smiled.
"Thanks. I've been working on that for a while. It's really hard to do."
He nodded as they headed back towards the palace. "I know, and there are many that still can't do it. It takes a certain talent that few people have." He winked, and San laughed. The two of them spoke little as they continued down the path to the Imperial palace. It was a special bond that the two of them shared, allowing them to feel what the other was thinking. No words were required. It had been like this since San was given her first sword, the day she turned 10. In fact, it had been Jiang Wei who had given it to her. As one of her father's best friends, he had become family to San, almost like a second father.
As they reached the gardens, they noticed a woman nearby. She was sitting on a bench under the shade of a peach tree, one of its blossoms in her hands. Her black hair hung loosely around her head, whipping slightly with the breeze. The emerald robes that covered her body gave a slight shimmer in the sunlight. Even though she was no longer young, her beauty and grace were still famous in the kingdom of Shu, surpassing that of every other woman within the borders and rivaling even those well known outside of the kingdom. It was not only her beauty for which she was famed, however. It was the tales they told about her. Tales of her bravery in the face of battle, going against an entire army to save her husband from death. San knew that these tales of her mother were true. Jiang Wei and her father fell silent every time they were told in the banquet hall.
Mei Li looked up at the approaching soldiers and smiled. She moved over on the bench for her daughter to sit down, but San remained standing. Jiang Wei decided to take the seat instead. "Mom, I finally did it!" San said excitedly. "I finally got the jump down!"
"I have heard," Mei said with a grin. "Your brothers passed by not that long ago, trying to think up another move to get you with next time. Although if you've already executed the jump, it will be hard to top it."
"Where's Dad? I want to tell him, too. After all, he's the one who taught me."
"And as of today is no longer the only one who can do that jump," Jiang Wei said. "He's in a meeting with the Tiger Generals, but he should be done by the time you get up there." San nodded and hurried off towards the palace. Jiang Wei shook his head, grinning at her. "It seems like I just gave her that sword, and already she's surpassing everyone else in the army."
"She's a fast learner," Mei added. "And she has been taught by the best. It seems that every general in Shu has something that they want to teach her."
Jiang Wei nodded. "Yes. She is very much like her father. But I have seen the other soldiers eyeing her in the practice yard. Not only because she is beautiful, but because she is smart, quick witted, and cunning as well as kind. She is very much like her mother, too." Mei let out a laugh, letting the wind carry it across the garden.
Zhao San knew that the meeting had not gotten out yet as soon as she reached the meeting hall. Guan Ping and Zhang Shao were also waiting outside the closed doors. Both looked up as San made her way across the floor, grinning. "You'd better watch your step for a couple of days," Guan Ping said, the coyness in his voice making San uneasy.
Zhang Bao picked up on her feelings and shook his head. "It's nothing serious, San. We overheard Zhao Tong and Zhao Guang thinking up some way to get back at you earlier. I don't know what you did to piss them off, but well done!"
"I beat them in combat practice," Sun said, rolling her eyes. "I finally got the jump down, and now they want to outdo me."
"Yeah, putting frogs in your bed just doesn't seem to cut it anymore," Ping said with a laugh.
"How did you know about that?"
"You yelled pretty loudly this morning," Shao replied. "The two of us rounded the corner as you yelled, and we saw you bolt out of your room and chase your brothers down the hall."
"At least you didn't scream," Ping added. San could feel color rising to her cheeks. She didn't like being embarrassed in front of her friends like this. It had taken a long time to gain her reputation as her father's daughter, but little setbacks like this annoyed her more than anything else. Tong and Guang were going to pay for this later.
The doors across the hall opened, signaling that the meeting was over. Guan Ping, Zhang Shao, and Zhao San bowed respectfully as Lord Liu Bei passed them on his way out. He gave them all a deep nod before rounding the corner and disappearing out of sight. As soon as he was gone, the three of them rushing into the room, where the Tiger Generals were talking with each other. Near the door, Ma Chao and Huang Zhong were talking about some archery tactic. San had always admired Ma Chao for his gift with horses. Although many said that he had a short temper when it came to his beautiful horses, he always seemed to have time to teach San something about them.
On the other side of the room, the other three generals were deep in conversation. However, they looked up as the younger three entered the room. Guan Yu, easily the tallest of them, smiled and stroked his beard as Guan Ping came to stand next to him. Zhang Fei let out a hearty laugh and slapped Zhang Shao on the back as he came over. Zhao Yun just grinned as his daughter came over to him, gently putting an arm around her shoulders.
"How long have you been waiting outside?" Guan Yu asked, a grin still visible under his large beard.
"Not very long, father," Guan Ping replied. "We wanted to be the first to hear about this problem with Wu. Liu Chan was very smug about knowing more than us and decided to make us wait for more information." Both Ping and Shao frowned at this.
Zhao Yun laughed. "Don't let Liu Chan get to you, boys. As Lord Liu Bei's son, he likes the privilege of knowing more than anyone else. He does that to everyone."
"But that doesn't matter," Zhang Fei piped in, "Because he won't have the 'privilege' to fight in this battle against Wu like you three will."
The mood immediately changed among the boys. "Really?" Zhang Shao cried, unable to contain his excitement. "You mean, we finally get to fight a real battle against Wu?"
Zhang Fei grinned. "That's right, my boy. Of course, you won't see the worst of the action at first. Lord Liu Bei wants your first real battle to be a little easier on you."
"You all will fight under your fathers," Guan Ping translated for the younger three. "Guan Ping, you, Guan Xing and Guan Suo will fight as sub generals under me." He looked over at Zhang Shao. "You, Zhang Bao, and Xing Cai will fight under Zhang Fei." Finally he turned to Zhao San. "And you, Zhao Tong, and Zhao Guang will fight under Zhao Yun. That way, everyone is happy. You three will get to fight your first battle, and your fathers will have peace of mind knowing that you are as safe as possible in battle."
"This is going to be so awesome!" Zhang Shao exclaimed, punching the air. "We finally get the chance to fight in battle alongside our fathers."
"A chance to make our families and our kingdom proud," Guan Ping added, raising his fist in the air with Zhang Shao's.
"And a chance to prove and make a name for ourselves as great Shu generals," Zhao San said, also raising her fist in the air. Each gave out a cheer of excitement while their proud fathers looked on with wide smiles.
"Father, I finally did it," San said as the two of them left the meeting room. "I mastered the jump you taught me!" She looked up at Zhao Yun, who gave her a smile in return.
"My daughter is quickly becoming one of the best fighters in Shu," he said proudly. "I'll have to make sure that she doesn't outdo the rest of the army!"
Both laughed, and San turned back to her father. "When will this battle against Wu take place, father?"
"Soon. Probably before the month is over." San calculated in her head. There was only two or three weeks left, so this battle would take place sooner than she thought. "I know, that seems too soon to get an entire army ready for battle. But Sun Jian is proving to be more of a threat right now, being camped so close to our borders. The scouts have reported that is army is fast approaching his camp site, which does not look good from any perspective. But I believe in the power of the Shu army. Liu Bei has chosen some of the best men to serve under him, and I know that we can push the Wu army all the way back to their lands.
"Will Mom be fighting with us?" San asked. Zhao Yun shook his head.
"Your mother's been under a lot of strain lately. Lord Liu Bei's wife, Lady Mi, is not faring too well. Mei has been busy caring for her and the infant Lui Li. Also, Lady Yang's stallion will be going into labor soon, and she has always prized your mother's delivery skills in the stable." In spite of this, he grinned. So did San. While Ma Chao has always prided himself on having a wife that fared so well in the stable, both he and Lady Yang welcomed the help that Mei Li often gave them. Ma Chao's stallions were wild, and many feared to go near his stables. But Mei had always loved horses, and was never too scared to lend the couple a helping hand.
"Well, at least you have me and the boys," San said. She stopped and turned to her father, who also stopped walking and stood in front of his daughter. "I just wanted to say that I am honored, Father. Honored that you have decided to let me fight this battle and that you will let me fight alongside you. It is a privilege to be allowed to fight under the Little Dragon, the Great Zhao Yun." She gave him a bow, but was quickly enveloped in her father's arms.
"It is an even greater honor to have a daughter like you fight alongside me, a daughter who has already proven her worth and strength many times over. I thank the gods everyday for the gift that they have given me, the gift of a wonderful child to call me own." For a moment, nothing else existed. It was just the two of them, father and daughter, in a brief moment of peace before the threat of war became a reality.