The Battle of Chi Bi- The Plan of attack

Sun Dai shielded her eyes from the sun as she lay under a cherry tree. Her cousin Qiao De was lying next to her, singing quietly to the breeze.

Liu Bei from Shu had come to talk to her uncles about a battle between Cao Cao of Wei and the people of the Southlands, Wu. Zhou Yu had called to Liu Bei asking if he would join them in a naval battle against Cao Cao as his fleet sails slowly down the Great River.

Sun Dai had overheard all of this but knew she would never be allowed to join in the fray. She was her father's only child, looking like him in almost every way. Her auburn hair coiled around her head and her silver eyes covered by the hood of her eyes. Her tan skin was darkening under the noon light of the sun.

She peered over at her cousin, who also looked at her. De's eyes were the color of the sea and her hair was as dark as her father's was. Her smile was her mother's and her skin tone. She smiled at her cousin and sat up, looking down at her. "Dai, so my dad plans to fight Cao Cao on the river banks? I mean his army is huge! How are we going to win?"

Dai smiled back, "Well we do have a few things up our sleeves. Rumor is we plan to burn the fleet to the water line. In addition, any who escape, will die trying to run from who ever chase them. Or that's what the rumors say." De narrowed her eyes, "You listened to them in the tree didn't you?" She asked. Dai nodded, "Duh. How else would I know what's going on. Liu Bei is here because we need Zhuge Liang's help in calling the wind."

De nodded, "Also, Cao Cao will be here soon then later. His fleet is moving faster than we thought." Dai finished. De laid back down on the ground, "Well, I hope dad will be fine in battle. I mean he does come back every time." De said trailing off. Dai lay there, remembering her father as well. When she was just five, her father went to claim the lands of Wu from the Sun family. He won, bringing home many capable officers home too.

Time seemed to pass and someone walked into the courtyard. "My Ladies. Lord Sun Quan has requested you join him in the main chamber. He wishes to discuss some…. Topics with you." Dai sat up to look at who was addressing them. It was a messenger, "Ok. " Dai said standing up and brushing herself off. She helped De up and brushed her off, following the messenger to the main chamber.

The double, cherry wood, doors open, revealing the extravagant main chamber inside. Tigers were carved into the rafters and tiger pelts lined the walls. Above the throne, her father's tonfas hung on the wall. In her uncle's hand, he held the symbol of Wu, Sun Jian's sword. Since he died, his sword was now the symbol of the ruler of Wu.

She smiled at her uncle and bowed deeply, her fist in her palm. Rising again, he came down from his throne and hugged her. "Dai, I wish to talk to you about a few matters." He said calmly. Sun Quan was the closest male figure in her life; Sun Shang Xiang and Xiao Qiao were her closest female figure. "Yes, My Lord." She said following him back to the chair.

De followed closely behind, her hands in a tight knot. "Sun Dai, Qiao De. Cao Cao of Wei presses our borders right now and we are worried about this. His armies mass in numbers we cannot fight. Liu Bei has agreed to help us with this threat but, you two, Zhou Yu and I have agreed that you must go to Shu and stay there till the battle is over."

Dai looked at her uncle, unable to believe what he had just said. "What? Shu? Why? Why do we have to go? Wu is safe, it's always been safe." Dai began to blurt out. De wanted to cry right then. "Dai, if I die, you are my heir, seeing how I have no children. I must make sure you are safe. I promised your father I would take care of you."

Dai dipped her head down, "I know. But why can't we stay? Dai begged. Quan closed his eyes, "I know what you mean. But Dai, we need to make sure you two are safe and Cao Cao will be focused on Wu not Shu." Dai knew he was right. De spoke up, "My Lord, does my mother know of this plan?" Quan looked at her, "She was the one who brought it up."

Dai packed her last bits of clothes and her weapons and looked out to her balcony. Cranes flew threw the sky and birds sung their songs. Her heart felt heavy and she knew she needed to see someone.

She walked threw the hall, out to the large open courtyard. Flowers grew in the masses along the walls and their sweet smell flooded her nose. Someone was already out there, bent down at the altar. The smoke of incense filled Dai's nose, as she got closer.

"Mama?" Dai called. Her mother turned around, her dark hair streaked with silver. "Dai." She called out softly. Dai smiled, her mother was here, for now. When Ce died, Da had suffered a mental breakdown and lived in the time where Ce was still alive. Rare moments popped threw where she was in the present. Today was one of them rare days.

Dai sat down next to her mother at the shrine erected for her father. "I heard your leaving for Shu." Dai nodded. Da slipped a hand into one of her pockets and pulled out a gold chain with a charm on it. "Your father gave me this before he left for the Wu Territories. He told me with this, he could hear every thought I had of him. And that we could speak to each other threw it. Dai dear, I want you to have it. Pray to your father for your uncles' victory." Dai took the necklace and slipped it on.

She bowed her head and prayed to her father. She could feel him smiling down on her as she hopped the battle would end soon as she would secretly head out for it. She then began to call out for her grandfather, "Yo Grandpops. I'm going to make you proud of me, just like Pops. I want you there with me as well as Pops, so don't be napping, k?" She said internally.

She could hear laughing as she ended her prayer. Xiao was in the courtyard now, sitting next to her sister. "Aunt." Dai said smiling. Xiao was holding her stomach as she laughed. Dai looked at her mother, "What?" Da smiled, "Well, Ce was laughing just now." Dai smiled, she knew her mother was still intune with her father.

"What are you three smiling about?" A three turned to see who's voice called out. Shang Xiang stood there, her hands on her hips. "Shang!" Dai called out. Shang waved her hand, "What is this something I'm not allowed to be part of?"

Da shook her head no, "We just wished to speak we our lords, that's all Shang." The tomboy walked up to the three and knelt down in the grass beside them. "I sure do miss them." She said looking at the statues of her father and brother. "We all do." Xiao said, a bit sad. Silence crept in and the four sat there, looking at the images of their fallen lords.

"Would Pops make the same choice that uncle Quan is making?" Dai asked. Shang and Xiao looked at her, "He would have. He would march his armies to the heart of Wei and crush them. He would do whatever it took to keep his people and family safe from harm." Da answered. Dai dipped her head, "I know he would. I know Quan is doing his best, but sometimes I can't help but think, what would Pops do?"

Shang leaned over to her, "Quan thinks that all the time. He asks for their guidance more than anyone I know. He thinks he's not good enough for the job, but we knew deep inside he has those two with him and they are helping him in every way." Dai nodded.

Dai took one last look at the outer gates of Wu before she faced where Shu was. De was riding next to her, not wanting to ride in the wagon just yet. "Father says that Chi Bi will be fought sometime soon. Do you think we'll be able to make it?" De said looking at Dai. Dai hushed her, "Hey, don't let our guards know De. We have to sneak in. But yeah, I think we will make it. That's why we packed our main weapons right?"

De smiled, "Yep." The girls had fifty, female guards and two wagons filled with their things and supplies. They were to make little to no stops and ride as long as they could to Shu. Liu Bei and his men were still in Wu, waiting for more men to arrive there. Speed was of the essence in this case. If Wei heard about troops moving between the Territories, he would move his fleet faster and may even grab the girls in the process. Shang Xiang conversed with the head of the guards.

"What are we going to do when we get to Shu?" De asked her elder cousin. "Take a rest that's for sure. All this heaving riding is going to kill me in the end I think." Dai said with a large smile. Shang Xiang looked back, as if she heard the comment. Dai waved at her aunt and called to her, "Are you going to talk to her all day Shang. I would like to learn some of them horseback attacks you've been meaning to teach me."

Shang sighed and let her horse slip back to where her niece was. "Alright, then leave me alone. I have a lot of planning to do." Shang said getting her body ready for the attacks Dai was asking about. She slipped her chakrams from the holster on her horse's saddle and wiggled her wrists.

"alright, De pay attention." She said looking at both girls. Both girls nodded and slipped their weapons from their holsters as well. Move your leg like this and kick it back." Shang said moving her leg, slamming it back toward an invisible opponent. Both girls followed, De almost falling from her saddle. "Well you got the gist of that. Now for a kick and swing of you weapons."

Shang lifted her leg high and swung down hard, then followed by a swing from her chakram, where the neck of an enemy would have been. The girls followed once again, doing better then the first. They rest of the day was left to training on how to run over a spear/pike/halbred man properly and landing multiple kicks with little to know time, not holding onto the rains of a horse.

"Awh." Dai said slipping from her saddle and walking a bit. De slid off her and collapsed on the ground. The wagons were brought around and a fire was started. The sun had melted away hours ago and Shang rounded up all the guards. "Alright then. As you know, you are to protect us all right, but to let you know, you are also to attack any Wei solider you may meet on your way to Shu. Me and the girls will help you as much as we can alright?" Shang said in her 'big lady' voice. All the female guards nodded and raised their weapons, not calling out to let any passersby know where their camp was.

Dai slipped off her boots and laid down in the dark, long grass. She gazed up at the stars. She traced out the constellations her father had taught her when she was young. She smiled when she came across her star. Eight years ago her father's used to be right next to it, burning as strong as her's.

Shang crept quietly threw the grass as she made her way to where her niece was. Qiao De had fallen asleep in one of the wagons and the guards were now on shifts. Dai sat up as she heard the grass move abnormally. Shang Xiang smiled as she came into view. "Glad to see your ears work."

Dai giggled, "What use is a tiger with nor hearing? Enemies will surely use that to there advantage, Shang." Shang sat down in the grass and looked up, "it's still not there is it?" Dai shook her head. "It will never be there I guess. It's gone." Dai dipped her head a bit, "I know. But I can't help but look for his star." Shang nodded. They sat there for a while, in total silence. For them it was normal to sit there together like that.

After some time had passed, "We should get some sleep. We ride soon." Shang said getting herself off the ground. Dai nodded and let her aunt help her up. They walked back to the wagons, sleep slowing there pace. Dai hopped up into the wagon next to her cousin and slept till her aunt woke her up.