~ Chapter Two ~

I see and I remember

If Lord Shen had ever allowed himself to believe in predestination, he would have felt fate was cruel to him. However, he knew that his fate was anything but pre-determined. That fat, blabbering fool of a panda may have defeated him, but Shen was still here. Where was "here" anyway? The wolf had left the room. Shen tried to focus. His whole body felt like it had pounded with a hammer, or at least a falling thing. He remembered being rooted to the spot, frozen as he watched it fall toward him. The next moment, "wakey wakey".

Shen looked suspiciously out the corner of his eye at the tray. Poison? Ever since he had wrested control of his home back from those Kung Fu thugs, he had been cautious, verging on the paranoid. Before he could formulate a plan, however, his vision darkened, and he felt himself slumping back onto the bed.

"Tai!"

Shen held out his wings and the wolf-pup bounded up to him, skidding and tumbling slightly across the paved courtyard. The peachick embraced the pup, smiling at the closeness between them.

"So… What have you been up to?" asked the peachick, keen for news and adventures from beyond the rarified world of the Royal household.

"It was amazing! I sneaked out with the wolves on the patrol. There was this man from one of the secret societies down at the harbour, and he was trying to get protection money from this old merchant, and he was beating him and the commanderwentinandwaslikeyoumesswithhimandyoumesswiththewolfand…"

Tai and Shen stood on the very top of the palace roof, looking out over Gongmen City. The orange glow of the setting sun setting the river ablaze with firey light.

"Tai?"

"Yea, Shen?"

"We'll always be friends, won't we?"

"Yeah, you are my pack! Wolves don't betray their pack – never ever. Till the bitter end, Shen."

"Till the bitter end, Tai."

Shen opened the window to his room. Looking out of the window he let out a loud call of excitement.

"Tai! Come and see!"

The wolf leaped clear through the window in a perfect arc, only to slide on the smooth floor, almost knocking over an assortment of mortars, bowls and powders. Shen grabbed him in his wings.

"Careful!"

"What's this?"

"Fireworks with a little something extra. Something to help the wolves take care of the bandits across the river."

Tai laughed. "So the patrol are going to give them a new year firework display? Uh… Shen, I don't think that will work."

"Something extra" Shen smiled. "You know what my parents are like – Why doesn't he do more to stop this? Why can't he just do that? Why doesn't he try harder? We managed to do that, why can't he? Why can't he more be normal? Why can't he be blue? Why is he so… disappointing? – Well, that's what they want, so…"

Shen took a lamp and held it to a line of powder on the floor, leading out to the veranda courtyard. The powder fizzled and a sparkling flame shot along the line into a small pot lying on it's side, packed tight with the powder. Though small, it exploded violently, blasting the pot into countless fragments scattered about the yard. They both laughed.

"Seriously, Shen. How did you do that?! Do your parents know about this?"

"A parting gift for the bandits! Part of them here, part of them there. Part of them waaaaay over there staining the wall! I have worked on this for so long, but never had anything to show for it – except for some pre-mature New Year displays…."

"That was you?!"

Shen smiled, betraying a slight shyness. "Yes. Yeeees, it was me! But now… now Gongmen will forever be the City of the Peacock! Not the bandits. And it'll finally make them happy for once. I shall do something right for them. Do you think I can?"

"No, Shen!"

The Royal parents glared down at the young peacock. His crest fell in surprise and disappointment. "We forbid it! The fireworks are for our joy, and the joy of the city. If you twist them into… this… this thing… what will our people have? Why, Shen? Why do you always do this? Why do you have to make everything… twisted? We're so disappointed. We expected better from you, Shen."

He was dismayed…angry beyond words. For two years he had worked to do something great, Something of his very own, to make them proud of their son. Something to show them he could meet their expectations for their successor, who could be what they thought he should be. Working out ratios and mixes, measuring the shape and strength of the results, relentlessly applying his brilliant mind to the task of protecting the throne, it's territory and it's army. Never had his parents given his constant efforts to live up their expectations any encouragement. Not just in this, but in that bone jarring training. For years he had applied his natural grace and keen intellect to mastering Qìxiè, the training with bladed weapons that fascinated him as much as it suited him. Nor did they even utter the slightest parental pride or encouragement for his efforts to work with the wolves to make the structure of the Royal guard more responsive and flexible, or even his painstakingly detailed plan to redevelop the city sewers to prevent them overflowing during floods. But no, never encouragement, never even any time alone with them, or genuine warmth. Just tutting to themselves and hushed words behind closed doors. Shen, so furious that was he unable even to speak, let out a defiant call, before returning to his rooms and his invention.

He approached the doors of the throne room on the uppermost floor of the towering palace. He knew better than to enter to a room of disappointed, pained stares, and heavy sighs should he dare to speak his mind. He heard voices. They were talking to the goat. Probably telling his father to move the city a little to the left or something…. He was vaguely fond of her, though. She'd at least given him some attention, though she had always been distant and detached. More interested than caring.

"….Shen…" he hard the soothsayer say. His crest lifted in surprise.

"If he continues on his current course, he will be defeated by a warrior of black and white."

Shen rapped his wing on the door of Tai's room.

"Shen, what the…?" Tai answered the door, keeping it half closed. "It's not a good time…"

Shen pushed past. "We need the troops!" he yelled before he noticed the she-wolf in the room, a blanket wrapped around her.

"Get out… now!" Shen yelled at her. "Now now now!" She disappeared into a back room, averting her gaze from the young prince.

"Shen! She's my…" The door to the back room slammed loudly. Tai spun round. "Look! This is nothing to do…" he called after her, to the largely unresponsive door.

"Shut up!" the peacock snapped."Look, I must have the troops. The soothsayer said a panda is going to defeat me. It seems I can't be trusted even to beat a panda, in order to protect that precious throne?!" Shen laughed, a mix of disbelief, indignation and anger.

"We're friends?" Tai aksed.

"To the bitter end. Always..." Shen paused. For a long time Tai just looked into the peacock's tear-reddened eyes. "I need the wolves, Tai. I am going to that village of theirs, and I am going to stop the pandas. I'll make it right." Shen finally said.

"To the end" Tai paused. "I'll get the pack."

Lord Shen stood on the deck of his flagship, seeing his fleet trapped at the river mouth. "Fire! Fire at them!"

"But Sir, we'll kill our own!"

"I said fire at them! Fire!"

"No."

Shen woke but couldn't move. He curled himself, tucking his head under his wing, hiding his tears, sheltering himself. The expression of Tai's face as he defied his friend and master burned into the peacock's mind with searing intensity. After what felt like an eternity, he slowly he got up. He went outside, the steel blades on his feet clicking against the floor. Only now did he realise he was in a barracks, standing in an empty training yard, weapons sitting on the racks under the verandah. The wolf leant against the wall, looking out across the silent scene. Shen's eyes narrowed. "So, Junjie. Do you intend to kill me now?"

"I've thought about it, peacock"

Shen swallowed hard, fighting valiantly to hold back tears. "I remember it."

Junjie scowled. "Good, 'cos if you forget, I'll carve the words into your dainty little neck." He paused, and looked back out across the silent scene. "He made an oath, peacock. To the bitter end."

"To the bitter end…." Shen echoed the words, lost in morose thoughts. He swallowed again, blinking back tears. He must control himself. He swallowed one last time and sucked in his breath. He turned to face the wolf.

"The dead belong in the past. I cannot un-do that. But I can tend to the future. I will make it right for us." He paused, and both looked out across the open expanse of the training ground. saying nothing for a long time. Minutes past by. "The oath was broken, Junjie. But you saved me. Why?"

The wolf looked down, licking his lips, uncertain. "I did it for the pack." He paused. "I almost killed you." He reached under his armour, and fetched a delicate, finely worked blade, one of the many Shen concealed amongst his primary feathers. "I had you right there, helpless" he said, gesturing back to the room. "The dead don't care about vengeance, but the living have gotta be taken care of. I can't look after the pack, peacock. Gongmen was our home too." He looked down, examining the blade, before offering it back to it's owner.

Shen was silent for a long time. Peacocks are proud, haughty birds. To be humble and seek forgiveness does not come naturally to them, least of all to the Lord of Gongmen City. "Can…" Shen sighed and glanced downward. His crest sank even lower, flat to his neck, his train limp and lifeless. "Do you…." It was hard. No, Lord Shen was not going to beg forgiveness. He swallowed and looked up, his crest rising ever so slightly as his expression broadened.

"What do you want, peacock?" Junjie cut in.

"Is it so hard to call me by name?"

"I don't see Lord Shen. You know, the one who led his army, and sort-of honoured his oath. I see the peacock who did more to slaughter us than that squishy furball and his weird friends." Junjie paused to look Shen straight in the eye, and repeated the question. "What do you want, peacock?"

The peacock straightened himself, crest high, his train fanning into a stunning display, his wings extended. "You will see Lord Shen! I swear! And I will lead my army, commanded by Junjie. I offer you something…beautiful." He smiled, his head to one side. "My oath to the pack."

Junjie nodded his head with a fang-revealing smile. "We await your orders, Lord Shen" He paused, turning to see the desolate emptiness of training ground, devoid of soldiers. "You'll have a challenge"

Shen's eyes narrowed. "Aren't you supposed to offer me your oath, now? That is the custom, isn't it?"

Junjie met his gaze without a flinch. "We never broke it" he said flatly. "Never …ever"

Inwardly, Shen laughed, surveying the scene before him. He couldn't believe his luck, as the sun broke through the clouds, flooding the yard with a harsh glare. No, it was that stupid old goat getting in his head again. This was not fortune! His sheer will and determination had allowed him to survive, as it always had done - not someone in heaven, toying with him. Shen shielded his eyes from the glare off the limestone paving, feeling dizzy.

Junjie heard a thud, and looked down with surprise to find Shen motionless and unconscious on the floor. Crouching, he lifted the peacock in his torn gown, and carried him across the training ground to the commander's quarters, his fine train flowing down behind him. He filled a jar with water, set it beside the large, comfortable, bed and drew a fine sheet over Shen's aching body. He opened his beak, and wet his mouth with water, and touched some to his head. "If you hurt my pack again, I'll finish you" he whispered… "Please don't"