The sounds of merriment and excited echoed from one end of the hall to the next.
"Here's to Everybody!" Reiko the Great General cheered. "MORE WINE!" he blurted out with his mouth already overflowing with drink.
"NO!" Kano disagreed."More Women!"
Close by was the eldest child of Shao Khan. The Princess Kitana, the most beautiful woman in all the realms. Hair Black as night, eyes like diamonds but with a glare as sharp as a sword. Her eyes were the color of the sea, matching the blue of her outfit. Many men who take any dare to stand beside the princess. But she was more then pure beauty.
"How about a Kiss eh Princes?!" the mighty Sub Zero of the Lin Kuei asked. "GAD! You're a lovely one!"
Slowly music began to rise. Echoing off the castle walls to bounce from one end of the room to the next. Looking over the violin's and cellos were all playing by themselves. The bows moved by invisible hands back and forth, plucking the strings. All to the wave of one man's hand.
Shang Tsung stood before the invisible band waving his hands back and forth making the music. He was perhaps the only one in the hall who was enjoying it. A woman made her way across the rambunctious partiers towards him. Dressed completely in red expect for a the black mask in the shape of a bird with a long beak.
"You all certainly have a way of celebrating here." Gothel whispered once she stood beside him.
"The Emperor is a man to be celebrated. A God among Mortal Men." She turned to find him across the room. The Emperor in this throne. A bottle of win in each hand and a booming laughter to accompany his seemingly insatiable appetite.
"Well he's a man of huge appetites, that's for sure. Who's the cute face next to him? Another one of his 'conquests'." She giggled at her own joke.
"His daughter." He replied flatly immediately stopping her laughter.
"His daughter?!" she turned to him. Shang Tsung smirked at her over his shoulder." Well that's insane. How can he let her dress like that?!"
"The Emperor has his reasons for everything."
"Well if I ever have a daughter I'd never let her dress like that!"
"You are not the Emperor." He said to her." I need not question your reasoning." She moved closer to him with a single step.
"When you said you'd show me your home I wasn't expecting this."
"It was the easiest way to keep you from being noticed."
"I could do without the-" she began to pull the mask away.
"No ,No, No" He said quickly. Bringing his hand up to cover the mask. Bringing it down to cover her face once more." Keep the Mask on."
"But I can hardly see-" She said trying to lift it up once more but was once again stopped by him.
"Then it must be so." He said after doing so. She did not argue and lifted her covered face to look up at him." For your protection." She latched both her arms around him and dug her fingers into his back.
"Dance with me!" she said. But she had only said it after the fact and had already pulled him into the middle of the dance hall surrounded by everyone. Amongst this room of monsters, assassins, killers and worse it was simply the two of them.
Her left hand took her dress in hand while his right hand placed itself on her hip, bringing them closer. Their free hands locked together on the opposite side.
He led first taking a step forward while she moved with him by stepping back. Then he moved back while she stepped forward. A step to the side followed by another then he turned and dipped her. She took her free hand from her dress and ran it across his face. Starting behind his ear, running across his jaw line and ended at his beard. Despite everything telling him not to, especially the mask between them. He could not ignore his feelings.
Shang Tsung began to bend down towards her. While Gothel took one hand and lifted her mask. Though she only exposed her lips, as he would have liked. He pulled himself closer to her.
"AH!" he suddenly yelled out as he was grabbed from his pony tail and yanked to his feet. Gothel fell from his arms and flat onto her back. "Who dares-" he yelled swiftly turning around to face whoever it was. But upon seeing her his demeanor quickly changed. "Princess. "Shang Tsung quickly added a smile and a hint of sweetness to his speech." How wonderful to see you."
"Teach me that." Mileena demanded quickly.
"That, Princess?" She stammered. Gothel had already risen to her full height behind him. And Shang Tsung quickly moved to block her from Mileena's view.
"That!" she pointed at him. "What you were just doing. Teach me that."
"Uh-"He stammered.
"No-" Gothel said over his shoulder.
"Certainly Princess." He answered quickly, silencing Gothel in the process. He put both his hands out." First take my hands in your own. Then-"
"That's not what you were doing." Mileena hissed.
"That was a more advanced level. For experts." He regretted his choice of words instantly.
"I'm an expert!" she declared pointing a finger in her chest.
"That you are Princess." He swiftly agreed. He smiled but took a step back. He dipped his head back and whispered to Gothel "Go to the Flesh Pits. Wait for me there."
"Why?" Boomed a voice. At once Shang Tsung realized it was not Gothel. With wide eyes he turned to see none other then his Master standing there." What's down in the Flesh Pits?" Quickly the Sorcerer changed his face.
"Only my next great prize for you Emperor. I-"
"Could it be you were not speaking to me Sorcerer?" The Khan questioned with a hand to his bare chest." Might you have been talking to that." He turned and pointed to the cloaked and covered Mother Gothel next to them."What for?"
Both Shang Tsung and Mother Gothel realized for the first time now that the room had become silent. Everyone had stopped what they were doing to watch this. This was the worst thing that could have happened. And the greatest fear Shang Tsung had ever dreamed of. His silence spoke for him.
"Ah!" The Emperor let out with a slight chuckle." So the Sorcerer has some vices after all!" He raised his voice at the end. Which was immediately taken over by the laughter of the crowd around them. Gothel did not like the sound of that. "And tell me concubine has Shang Tsung taught you any tricks?" Chuckles went from one end of court to another. As he spoke his hand moved to touch her. And on instinct Mother Gothel moved away. And that little act silenced everything in the room.
The Emperor's hand was still stretched out before her. Only inches away. The Khan looked to his hand almost startled. When he looked to her the look stayed. And when their eyes met his lips turned into a snarl.
"Come to me." He said in a slow booming voice. She couldn't move under his cold stare. So she couldn't see Shang Tsung's petrified face. The Khan terrified her more then anything she had ever seen before. And his voice alone compelled her towards him.
Her footsteps clicked against the ground and echoed around them. Such was the silence of the onlookers when they saw the Khan had been defied. With another step she went towards him and found her whole head trapped under Shao Khan's hand.
He looked down at her with a sneer. His eyes never blinked.
"What do you see in her Sorcerer?" He asked though he never turned to him.
"A distraction, My Emperor." Shang Tsung answered." Something to pass the time." Gothel's eyes flashed over to the source of Shang Tsung's voice. Though she could not see him as he was blocked by Shao Khan's hulking frame.
"Then tell me Sorcerer." Shao Khan said turning over his shoulder to look at him. "Why keep her at all? Perhaps I shall serve you for once by removing such a distraction from your palate." His free arm stretched out and everyone saw his signature hammer form out of fire into his hand. The weapon was as big as Gothel herself. The thought of blood only seemed to excite the crowd. And Gothel knew who's it was going to be.
"I sing." Gothel said. The room was silent once more. Slowly Shao Khan turned his head back to her." I can sing." The answer once again broke the room out into a laugh. Though Shao Khan or Shang Tsung never laughed.
"Is that true Sorcerer?" The Khan asked turning back to him.
"Yes, sire." He said clasping both hands together and bowing." The voice of a songbird."
"Better then my own daughter?" The Khan asked raising one arm in the direction of Kitana. Shang Tsung grew pale and gulped down a breath. Neither answer he could give would help him. With him unable to help her Gothel had to answer for herself.
"Much better." Her boldness only increased Shang Tsung's fear. Once more the Khan slowly turned back to her. Silence only followed as he looked her over.
"We will see." He said quietly despite his booming voice. He released her and turned around. Though as he walked back he passed Shang Tsung on his way. "And if I do not like what I hear, you will share her fate. Agreed?" Shang Tsung's green eyes flashed from Shao Khan to Gothel. She shook her head but her answered the opposite.
"Yes. Of course, sire." Gothel made a move to voice her concern but Shao Khan spoke instead.
"Well Concubine." She saw he had returned to his throne, hovering over it." Sing." He demanded. Gothel's lips turned to a snarl beneath her mask." Sing!" He demanded. Her eyes flashed to Shang Tsung who nodded that she must.
First Gothel cleared her throat. Then she took a deep breath. The crowd huddled around her with shining eyes that felt like one giant hand around her throat. Once she exhaled she opened her mouth.
" Lips ripe as the berries in June. Red the rose, red the rose. Skin pale as the light of the moon Gently as she goes." Almost at once the room was captivated by her and her voice. It was first noticed by Shao Khan. He hovered over his throne but went crashing down into it upon hearing her voice. The crowd all turned their heads forward, trying to get as close as they could to listen. Seeing their glowing, shifting eyes around her Gothel shut her own." Eyes blue like the sea and the sky. Water flows, water flows." Shao Khan shifted himself forward as if to listen better." Heart burning like fire in the night. Gently as she goes. Gently as she goes." Shao Khan leaned forward in his throne." Resting both elbows onto his knees." Lips ripe like the berries in june. Red the rose, red the rose. Skin pale as the light of the moon." The crowd began to lower down and began to sit around her." Gently as she goes. Eyes blue as the sea and the sky." They all continued to shift lower and lower to the ground." Water flows, water flows. Heart burning like a fire in the night. Gently as she goes."
When she was finished Gothel opened her eyes to see everyone around her on the ground. The Emperor was slouched down in his throne. His hordes all laid out across the floor, including his daughter. The only other person standing in the room was Gothel herself and Shang Tsung.
He marched across the room. Moving passed the bodies laid out across the floor. When he was close enough he reached out and grabbed her by the wrist.
"You have to go, Now!" He said fiercely breaking her from her trance. And she wasn't in the mood to argue. She knew he was right. He pulled her away and led her out of the room and into the hall. Upon their swift exit Gothel's mask fell from her face and landed on the ground below. Neither had a reason to go back for it.
Shang Tsung took her down to the Flesh Pits the only place where he knew she'd be safe…. For now.
"This is as far as we go." He said turning to face her.
"Go?" she repeated. But too loud apparently. He hushed her with a finger to his own lips.
"I placed a spell on the room while you sang." He whispered leaning down towards her. "They will sleep and when they wake this will feel but like a midsummer night's dream."
"They won't remember anything?"
"They will remember nothing." he assured her. That was a comfort.
"I was starting to think I was overstaying my welcome. "She snickered which did form a small smile on his face." So I don't think I'll be coming back here again anytime soon." She continued to chuckle. She leaned forward and pressed her forehead against his.
"Time…." He exhaled a breath." Is of the essence." Every moment she stayed was a greater danger. But still she put both her hands against his face.
"Time is nothing to us." And pressed both her lips against his. In response Shang Tsung put both his arms around her. When they pulled apart they did not separate just yet.
"You must go." He said. And with a wave of his hand an orange portal appeared behind her. On the other side was clearly the inside of her tower." Go. "He said softly. Gothel took one step back, splitting their foreheads from one another. But her hands stayed connected with his. Another step and she was now in the portal. But heir hands stayed together.
With one more step her hand drifted from his only to be replaced with the cold air. The portal shut and darkness filled the room once more. And Shang Tsung was alone. He began the walk back to the palace and to the throne room.
He had lied to Gothel only to reassure her. His spell had been cast and sent the room into a deep sleep. But it would not last for long. And the longer he was gone. The more questions would be asked. As he came before the great wooden doors he paused only a moment to compose himself.
He straightened out his vest and ran hid hands through his hair. Only then did he enter. He hadn't noticed it but the Mask that Gothel had dropped was gone.
"Sorcerer!" The Khan boomed when he saw him." I wondered where you had gone!"
"To fetch you more wine highness." He removed his hand from his back to reveal a fresh bottle of wine.
"Wine?!" The Khan boomed. "I have all the-" He showcased the bottle in his hand and prepared to drown himself in it. Only to find out it was dry as a bone. Casually he discarded it to the ground and yanked the new one from Shang Tsung hand." Well done Sorcerer." He said quickly before he pulled the cork out and began drinking.
"I live to serve Emperor." He turned with a sly smile as he looked into the crowd. And it was there that he saw something horrible.
Right in front of him he saw Gothel's black bird mask. She was standing right in front of him, right next to the Emperor. How could this be? How was this possible? Had the Khan found out? Was he even effected by the spell?!
"AH!" Tsung exclaimed when he saw her. In response a thick cackling laughter emerged from beneath the mask. Two hands lifted it up to be none other then the Princess Mileena.
"I got you!" she laughed pointing to Shang Tsung." I scared you!"