Chapter 44 – An Odd Welcome

Jamie looked at the man as Lizzy smiled a little and bowed her head. "Master Lun." She said. "Zūnjìng de lǎoshī. Wǒmen zài jiànmiàn." She said in Manchurian which made Jamie look at her startled. She ignored him.

The blade master dipped his head and brought his hands before him and clasped the hilt of the sword as he bowed over them in a greeting. He said something, but it was muffled as he bowed.

Lizzy mimicked the greeting, her right fist in her left hand as she curled the fingers over her other hand and bowed deeply.

Jamie looked at the man. The man appeared to be not that much older than he was, but those eyes, fathomless made him wonder. He had to be much older to be a peer of the man who had raised Lizzy or perhaps he was older still, but he looked young though he bore the scars of battles from earlier in his life on his face and hands.

The small man lifted his head. "Choose your weapon Xiǎo gūniáng." He said watching her. He gestured to a table where there were several weapons, all Chinese in origin. Jamie looked at the collection a little dubiously. Some of them he had never seen before.

"Allow me to change out of this dress Jiàoshī." She said softly.

Jamie was amazed that she could speak the tongue so easily. He was not truly surprised since she spoke so many languages easily, but was it true she was a linguist as he was?

She turned and went to the guard room. He followed her, watching as the men waited. The Chinaman watched them leave. He was a bit like a statue and how he stood completely unnerved Jamie. He had never encountered a Manchurian before. He had heard of them. Skin that was yellower, smaller in stature, and could be deadly with weapons as well as their bare hands making up for the fact that they were smaller than any on this side of the Silken Road.

Lizzy quickly dressed in the loose garb of a guard, but wore no armor. She walked out, Jamie watching her as she went to the table of weapons. A square bladed sword and dagger, a knife set, and lastly a pair of sai.

She smiled a little.

These weapons she knew well. She had trained to use them before she had used blades. She watched the Manchurian watching her as she wrapped cloth around her palms and then lifted the wrapped handled weapons. After she had mastered these blades, her teacher had allowed her to use English weapons which were, in his option, harder to control.

Jamie had never seen such weapons. They were sharp with pointed ends and blades like daggers. Two prongs came out near the heft. They were nearly as long as his dirk, but lighter, like her rapier to a broadsword. She whipped her wrist about and then turned to face the man as she stepped out.

He gave a faint nod.

So she remembered.

Good.

He had no doubt she was whom she claimed, but he still would test her. She looked very much like the man she had called father. Most knew she was not born to the Duke and Duchess, but very few knew she was the sister of the man she called father. Now, it was clear from her thin high cheekbones and auburn hair, she looked so much like him, it was clear they had been related. Few enough remembered her "father" well enough to remember his face other than the paintings. To Wang Lun, it had been only yesterday when they had been killed while on holiday and the young maiden was sent to her "uncle" to dwell until they married her off. Clearly she had wed, but this man was not a duke, far from it.

He looked at the man who loomed behind her. The man was fire haired and tall, a giant next to Wang Lun. A warrior. His body was built to fight and it was clear he had. Wang Lun noted scars on his arms and hands that did not come from being a farmer. Plus he carried a broadsword with a basket pommel, favored by the Scottish peoples as was the skirt he wore that revealed his knees as the breeze shifted it about.

"Elizabeth." Jamie went to her side urgently. "Whit's he? some sort o' fairy? he is sae wee."

"No. A Manchurian." She answered.

"A whit?"

"From China." she said. "No not a fairy, but he is a bit of a legend." She said.

"Howfur kin he be a legend?" Jamie looked the man up and down. He barely came to Jamie's breast.

"He is the leader of the White Lotus." She said.

He made a face. "Whit's a white lotus?"

She rolled her eyes and moved to turn to him, but Wang Lun was faster.

"Nǐ wèn hěnduō wèntí de niánqīng rén, mùguāng rúshuǐ." Wang Lun said impatiently in his native tongue.

Lizzy snorted a laugh. Jamie looked at her and arched an elegant eyebrow. She shook her head. "It would loose something if I translated it."

"He insults me 'n' ye roar, mo ghraidh."

"He is not insulting you. Just observing you." She said.

Wang Lun would deal with him soon enough. However, the girl, as hoyden as ever, needed to have his full attention for now.

She pressed the sai into her belt as she tightened the cloth wraps and flexed her hands, watching him. He well remembered that look. She had looked the same when she had dueled him before. There was no arrogance there, just a weariness of a warrior ready to defend what was her own.

"Lái ba qīngnián yīyǎn." He taunted. "Ràng wǒmen lái kàn kàn nǐ shì shénme zuò de."

She cocked her head and then bowed deeply. "Yīnwèi nǐ de kè lǎoshī, wǒ xué dàole hěnduō."

"Hǎo. Nǐ méiyǒu wàngjì wǒ jiào nǐ zuòwéi yīgè háizi dehuà. Zhè shì yīgè kāishǐ. Yěxǔ nǐ shì nǐ shuō shuí."

"Wǒ shì nǐ shúxī de gōngzhǔ. Wǒ qídàizhuó zhèngmíng tā de zhǔrén." He smiled as he turned to face her. "Your accent needs work, little one." He said in Prussian. "I have not spoken Manchurian for many years teacher." She answered "Ah so you are in need of lessons." He smiled more. "Not as many as you seem to think." She said. "We shall see." He said waiting.

She smiled and stepped forward holding both sai in one hand as she shifted, moving into a crouched position. She looked at Jamie who had his hands on his own weapons. She shook her head a little and then moved forward moving a hand in a fluid motion to take the second weapon.

She heard whispers about her as people were lying bets. The crowd was nearing twenty or so. The Chinaman seemed unruffled by the people coming to watch. He stood, watching, standing still, dark eyes like vast pools.

Her thick hair was braid and looped about her head to keep it clear for action. She moved quickly, but the blade master was faster. He shifted, flicking the blade about and the pair were locked together. Jamie saw why the guards were there as she held the weapon at bay. The guards were there as the crowd began to build and come to watch.

It was clear Wang Lun was known to them as was his skills by how they watched the duel with a mix of wonder and blood lust. It was a sport apparently to have the man fight. But the Chinaman was clearly in his element. He had not removed the leather sheath. He was pointedly using the weapon deftly with an odd ease that made Jamie uneasy. The man was toying with Lizzy, but then he realized, watching her, she was also playing the game. Cat and mouse. Master and apprentice. Clearly by how she moved they knew how each other fought as the shifted, parrying and blocking blows from each other.

A beautiful ballet that would have been deadly if either of them were at all serious in the fight. However, this was clearly a showing of prowess, not to send someone to their maker.

"Lesson one." He said calmly. "Mind your surroundings." He said in Prussian.

The blade master shifted and she went with the downward movement, dropping low as the blade arched over her head. She lashed out, kicking his knee and then rolling over his back to come up at the other side.

He whirled to face her caught off guard by the maneuver he had taught her so many years ago using her small size to an advantage. That was when she was smaller, lither. Now they were nearly the same height and build. Still it was a move that did exactly what it was supposed to do. Redirect the attacks.

He flicked his blade, unsheathing the beautiful blade of blue and green. Jade was inlaid into the tempered blade as he forced her back. She took the blows and then narrowly missed a strike that cut her cheek a little. A small graze, but it stung. However, she had arched her back to avoid what could have been a nasty blow to the side of her head.

"Lesson two." He said standing blade to his cheek. "Your teacher is master of all you know and all you will learn."

She touched her cheek and then licked the blood from her finger smiling a little. They battled for the better part of an hour, circling occasionally trading blows, testing for weakness, walking about each other like two tigers in a Roman gladiator arena.

"Lesson three. Nothing is true outside of your sphere of being."

Jamie drew his own broadsword as the two stood face to face watching each other. He had had almost enough of this. His wife was tiring. He hated standing by and doing nothing. Jamie moved lifting his blade. Lizzy saw the movement in the reflection of Wang Lun's blade. She pressed him backwards with a whirling kick and then she locked her weapons on her husband's weapon. Jamie gasped, startled by how quickly she had turned to him, her eyes angry at the interruption even as the Chinaman stepped back.

"Stay out of this." She said in warning, eyes swirling with an odd intensity. She had spoken English, but everyone had heard her tone. She twisted her weapons forcing him to drop his weapon to the earth as she turned back in time to have the fist of her opponent connect with her face.

"Lesson four. Let nothing distract you from your task." He said regarding her.

She staggered back, blood coming to her nose. She stood touching it a moment, panting. She then shook her head and grunted. Jamie looked ready to move again, but a look from his wife, stayed his hand as she narrowed her eyes first at him and then her former master.

"Lesson five. You feel no pain. No anger. You are but a weapon." The blade master said walking before her, weapon seemingly at ease before she went to him and he parried the blow.

She gained two more cuts, one on her belly and one on her leg before she locked weapons again. This time she shoved her sai downwards and lifted her hands to Wang's head. She brought his head down to her knee, startling him as he staggered back stunned. She leaped forward, drawing her dirk. She knelt over the man's chest, dirk to his neck as they both bled, watching each other as they panted.

She knelt on his chest as the panted looking at each other, measuring each other. "Lesson six. Know when you are beaten and have the grace to bow to those who will one day be friends." She said looking at him.

He closed his eyes. "So you do remember. Good." He said and opened them again, watching her.

"Holy Mother of God. She beat him." Someone said in Prussian near them. The crowd had overlapping voices as the bets were called.

The Chinaman smiled up at her. "It is good to have you home again, Wǒ de nǚshì. Your father would be proud of you." He panted watching her about him.

Had this been about life and death, she would have driven the blade into his throat, ending his life. However, she had too much honor to do that. She remained still, watching.

She smiled and dipped her head and then rose from him. She then offered her hand to him. He looked up ruefully and took it. She pulled him up and smiled. They looked at each other and then he laughed and embraced her. She embraced him back and laughed as well.

The people about them cheered then. They had wanted a good fight and they had gotten one.

Jamie stood bewildered by the whole thing. He was somewhat useless with his main hand bound and injured, but having his wife not need him for protection was a little damaging to his ego. And yet he had been very impressed that she had been able to move as she had while going against the man who had considerable skills in ways and the art of combat he had never seen the like of before. However, some of the movements that Lizzy did made sense now. This little man had taught her and taught her well.

Murtagh came into the group as Lizzy touched Wang's face. "We should have that seen to." She said.

"Come. I will see to you." He said smiling. He looked at the two Scots before them as the two girls went to their mother. Murtagh held Alex in his arms. Jamie moved to reclaim his broadsword. Wang Lun stepped on it causing Jamie to look up, startled, but then his blue eyes narrowed. The Chinaman dipped his head and then tucked his foot under the blade, kicking it upwards he caught it in a beautiful martial move. He then turned it, hilt first to Jamie who regarded him before he took the basket and watched as the other man stepped back.

Wang Lun smiled a little and wiped the blood from his face and then bowed to him. "Your husband seems to not care for me." He said to Lizzy as he watched Jamie. Jamie locked his gaze with his.

Lizzy smiled. "He is a milord. That is their natural expression or have you forgotten old friend." Lizzy said as she looked down at her daughters and smiled.

"Momma. You're hurt." Ellen said in English.

"Not badly." Lizzy answered. "Stings a little." She said touching the cut at her belly. It was a graze with mostly the shirt ripped. She rubbed the blood between her fingers.

Jamie stepped closer. "Kin ye tell me th' point o' that?" He asked in English.

Lizzy nodded. "Wang Lun taught my father to be a sword master. He also taught me. He taught me healing arts as well to start."

"What little you listened to." Wang corrected looking at her, his English clipped, but understandable.

"Ye speak English." Jamie said, his eyes flicking to the man who stood to his breast. Jamie was a tall man, normally standing head and shoulders above most men, but this little man made him feel like a giant and an awkward one at that as the man fluttered about a little like a moth.

"Yes." He said. "Some. About same as Zhè wèi nǚshi China."

Jamie looked at his wife. He then lifted her hand that held the weapons. "Whit ur thae?"

"Sai." she said. She handed him one as she clapped Wang Lun on the shoulder and walked with him toward the castle. He lead the way with the Scottish group following him. He had a workshop to the side of the gardens.

"Sit." He told Lizzy.

She nodded and did so, dropping onto a stool as Jamie entered the workshop still holding the weapon. He had found it most interesting and surprisingly light, though his hand was too big for the pommel. Clearly it was a weapon for those with hands much smaller than his own. He looked at Wang Lun's hands and realized they were much like his wife's. Small, delicate, but held a power that he was always surprised at.

The children and Murtagh had been stopped by the steward and taken toward the castle for food and drink. The mistress had returned. It was a time to celebrate. Word would be spread quickly of the her return. Hopefully the people would accept.

Jamie looked at his wife and then watched as the Chinaman walked about mixing some ingredients together. Jamie walked to his wife's side. "Urr ye badly injured?"

"No. That was a fun duel."

"Fin? yer cut a hauf dozen times."

She smiled. "Folly for not moving out of the way." She said.

"Nǐ zhàngfū ài nǐle. Tā de yǎnjīng shēnqíng. Héliú jùyǒu hěn qiáng de diànliú." Wang Lun said.

Jamie made a face. Lizzy lifted her hand as he began to treat her wounds. "Speak in Prussian or English so he can understand." She said in Prussian.

Wang Lun dipped his head. "My lady." He looked up at Jamie and smiled. "Prussian is easier, my lord. You understand this?"

Jamie nodded. "I do." He said.

Jamie cocked his head as the Chinaman worked on her small cuts and abrasions. Lizzy sat still as the Chinaman treated her and then handed her a cup of something from the hearth. Lizzy drank the drink, letting the handless cup warm her hands as she sat there.

Jamie shifted closer. Lizzy smiled. Mo dhuine, she thought. Her man. Jamie would go to hell and back for her, just as she had for him.

ZzZ

watch?v=HwhzC3I_DXc – The Duel between Lizzy and Wang Lun.