A Barbarian Looking So Noble

Shui became gradually aware that he existed. He was not sure that he lived still. His mother had said that if they did their best to protect and serve Shou Lung, and were buried properly, they would earn their place in the hall of the warriors in Celestial Halls. There they would be free to watch over the Tuang family and join the other ancestors in the blessed shrine. Shui was not sure that he had lived well enough to earn that kind of fate, but he had never done anything particularly wicked either... most of all, his life was so very unfinished. He came more and more aware of a thudding headache inside his skull, and there was a faint light behind his eyelids. He carefully opened them and shifted his head. It seemed that he was not dead. Very nauseous, though.

He lay sprawled on hay, in a moving vehicle of some kind. His hands were tied behind his back. He could hear strange speech, language of barbarians.

A barbarian warrior from the Plain of Horses was approaching him, a flickering lamp in his hand. He crouched and saw that Shui's eyes were open, nudging his side with his toe tip.

The warrior yelled something, glancing behind his shoulder, and grabbed Shui's hair. He lifted Shui rather painfully, and Shui had to concentrate on not yelping. The warrior propped him against the wall and snarled something in that strange tongue, slapping his cheek. How mean eyes he had. Shui felt horrible fear. This was not how it was supposed to be. He was a soldier, a lieutenant. He had prepared to partake in battles, to slash his swords and fire his arrows, even to die a heroic death - but not to this, not lying helpless and nauseous at the mercy of strangers who hated him, whose speech he didn't understand, his weapons taken away.

The wagon was stopped, and someone entered it. It was a woman. As soon as she climbed inside, the guard snapped in attention, but Shui barely noticed that. Shui could feel how the woman radiated power and passion. It was not even arrogance - she took her power for a self-evident fact. She was like a wolf who had its eyes upon its prey and was just leaping for the kill. She wasn't actually a large woman - approximately as tall as Peri, if Shui had to guess - but she filled the space with her presence. She was slender but strong, her arms sinewy, her shoulders broad, her chin firm. Her cheekbones were sharp and high, her gray eyes intense and fearless. Her hair was raven black and tied into a long plait. Shui noticed that she had a Kozakuran-style katana at her hip, and she was carrying a bow as well. She had a light suit of chainmail and no helmet. How could a barbarian look so... noble?

She spoke to the guardsman and crouched next to Shui. Her mouth reminded Shui of Peri's mouth - it was passionate the same way, though more cruel.

- "Do you know where you are, Shou?" she asked. She didn't sound entirely unkind. Very neutral. Shui didn't know what to think of that.

- "I am a prisoner," he croaked gloomily.

That made her smile, but the smile was an unnerving one.

- "Indeed. A prisoner of Yun-Men Khan."

- "Are you the Khan?" he asked, very afraid now.

- "I am. I want to know how quickly Ankiang will get reinforcements."

- "I'm thirsty," Shui found the nerve to say.

- "Tell me. Then you get water."

Shui tried to evaluate the situation. He had no idea how ready Ankiang had been for the attack, though sergeant Wen probably had alerted Chen. The arrival of the reinforcements would take at least two days...

- "Shou. I can make you talk. I would rather not. But have no doubt, I will if you don't talk."

- "They are on alert. In twelve hours," Shui said. If they believed that, perhaps they would stay the attack.

The Khan seemed to consider this. Her face looked like it would belong to a queen. Who was she, a nomad wench who could not read or write? That could not be.

- "I don't believe you," she said then. "All knowledge we have to the day is you don't know. Or care. Always thinking we T'aghurs don't have it in us..."

What was she talking about? She had spies, Shui realized with sinking heart.

- "What is your rank?" she demanded then.

- "A sergeant," Shui replied. Sergeants knew little. Perhaps she would leave him alone. But she smiled. A scary, slowly widening smile, beautiful like a quiet just before a thunderstorm. Her eyes flashed with a complex emotion.

- "You are lying," she repeated. "I know Shou uniforms. You are a lieutenant. In fact... you are Tuang Shui."

She recognized Shui's dumbfounded expression and smiled cruelly.

- "I know a lot. I know who was on duty when we attacked. Probably nothing useful you can tell about the garrison. Tell me, are you the son of the commander?"

Shui emphatically shook his head. That's it, now she would kill him.

- "I am taking the chance. You lied to me before. Perhaps you will be useful yet."

She watched him for a while. Then she came much too close for comfort, something almost like compassion in her eyes.

- "You are brave," she whispered, and pressed her lips against his, quickly, softly.

- "But you should not have lied," she said, almost sad. He slapped him, very hard. "No water for you yet. That will teach you."

She went her way.