PART TWO
Chapter Twelve: BONUS CHAPTER
Shang Xiang pulled on her clothes and stretched; a fiery determination in her gaze. She tied a belt of throwing knives around her waist and picked up her chakarams. Her father had joined the army that was fighting against Zhang Jiao, a mystical leader of the yellow bandits.
She closed her eyes, calming herself for a moment. When she opened them again, her heart, soul and mind all were ready to battle. She walked out of her room and slid down the staircase, laughing with delight.
Her father shook his head as she landed neatly next to him and sighed. A man wearing green armour stood next to him.
"This is my daughter, Lady Sun Shang Xiang – Shang Xian, this is Liu Bei, Lord of Shu,"
Shang bowed respectfully and then skipped past them to where all the horses were waiting. She petted them and gave them some nibbles. Shang herself was going to walk – she didn't want another horse of hers to die. She waited as the officers mounted and ran after them, among the normal soldiers.
Liu Bei was near her and when he caught up he smiled.
"Why do you not ride, Lady Shang Xiang?"
"Well," she said between breaths, "Not long ago I tried to jump a fence that was too high. Not only did I injure myself, I killed my horse. I had never had a horse killed before that – not even in battle. I don't wish to have to sacrifice another horse,"
She smiled sadly and Liu Bei nodded.
"You are a strong woman Lady Shang Xiang – I could not run so far on foot,"
Shang Xiang rolled her eyes and puffed.
"Please just call me Shang Xiang, otherwise I shall have to tickle your horse,"
Liu Bei laughed and rode ahead, leaving Shang alone with her thoughts and sounds of thousands of feet thumping alone the road.
The Wu and Shu forces made camp not far from the yellow turban fortress. Most of the men were either drinking, sleeping or practising with their weapons. Shang Xiang was sitting by the fire, staring into its golden depths. Her father and the head generals and officers were in a meeting discussing the battle ahead. Shang had been invited, but declined. She had felt strangely lonely the last few months.
Ever since you realised you couldn't love him without having to change. She thought to herself and sighed. Shang had told herself a million times not to think of him any more, but he always popped into her mind. She had hoped that her love for him would fade as time went on, but it hadn't yet.
But she didn't mind too much. As long as she kept herself preoccupied, she didn't think of him too often.
"Lady Shang Xiang?"
Shang jumped as Liu Bei sat next to her. She relaxed when she realised who it was, and smiled at him.
"Sorry, I was thinking,"
"So I thought. It looked rather painful – no offence to you Lady Sun,"
Shang raised her eyebrows at the formality, then noticed Huang Gai walking past.
"If you ever call me that again, I shall be forced to slice you open,"
Liu Bei frowned.
"No offence of course Lord Liu Bei,"
They both laughed, and Shang smiled broadly. She hadn't felt so alive, or happy for ages. It was almost a relief to feel so free and calm. She laid back and stared at the starry night sky. It was a clear night, with not many clouds.
"Lady Shang Xiang,"
Shang turned her head and smiled slightly at Liu Bei, who was watching her with concern visible on his face.
"Yes?"
"I can tell that something is wrong. It is always better to share our problems and let another help you carry the burden,"
Shang smiled again, but there was no heart to it.
"It isn't anything that can be solved without someone getting hurt,"
Liu Bei looked her in the eye and smiled wryly.
"Try me,"
Shang opened her mouth, to tell him why she felt so lonely when she heard a twig snap.
She sat up and put her hand on her sheathed sword. Her chakarams were in the weapons shed, but swords did the trick.
She raised a hand to halt Liu Bei, then jogged into the trees. She stood still, listening. Shang Xiang removed her hand and looked around. She whirled around and gasped as a hooded man in purple grabbed her, holding a knife to her neck.
He pulled her sheath and belt off, throwing them back into the camp.
"Call the man you were with," he growled.
Shang Xiang closed her eyes, and let her warriors force build up.
"No,"
She stamped on his foot, causing him to yell. She then elbowed him in the stomach, and flung him backwards. She ran for the nearest tree and clambered up, hiding in the leafy branches.
Silence.
"Lady Sun,"
Liu Bei. She had told him not to call her that.
She gasped as she realised. The purple guy obviously had him, and Liu Bei was trying to warn her.
"I'm not a Sun for nothing," she muttered and dropped from the tree. She grabbed her belt and pulled two throwing knives from it. Shang then put the knives in her hair, hidden under her thick locks. She walked into the clearing and swore.
Liu Bei had a knife to his throat. There was already blood coming from a wound in his side and back and his face was contorted in pain.
The purple guy grinned and jerked Liu Bei backwards, causing him to wince.
"I'll kill him," he spat.
Shang Xiang frowned and glared at the man.
"You do that," she said, then walked away. She doubled back so she was behind them and crouched behind a tree,
"Come to Shang," she muttered and grinned, seeing that bad guy had his back to her. She pulled a knife from her belt and threw it.
It hit the guy in the shoulder, causing him to drop the knife.
"Bingo,"
Liu Bei wasted no time in getting away, running back to camp. Shang Xiang waited a moment before coming out. Odd. The man was gone. No matter, she carried on.
"Stop there missy," a hard object rammed into her knees, she lost balance and fell face first. She gasped as a knife embedded itself in her side and bit her lip as he slashed as her back.
"Get up," she did so, biting back a scream. She was usually so careful.
"Shang Xiang!" Shang turned her head to see her father and a group of soldiers. The captor's grip tightened.
The distraction was all Shang needed. She ducked and pulled the second knife from her hair. She then sunk it into his chest.
He stayed still for a moment, swaying gently, before crashing to the floor. Shang smiled in satisfaction, then fell to her knees as the pain hit her. She pressed her head to the wet ground and bit her lip.
Strong arms picked her up gently, and carried her away from the forest. Shang Xiang breathed in and smiled as she smelt his warm scent. Then there was a bang and everything went black.
Shang Xiang slowly opened her eyes and looked around. She sighed with relief as she saw the familiar infirmary of Wu. It was quiet and the sun's fading rays weakly penetrated the room.
She sat up and examined the amount of her body that was in bandages. Her left arm, her right leg, her left ankle, and of course her side and back were also injured.
She rolled her eyes as she realized what had happened. Obviously someone had planted a bomb.
Sun Jian walked in and grinned at his daughter.
"Wakey, wakey, sleepy-head!"
