((A/N: Hehe, bet you guess just love me for leaving a cliffhanger like
that, eh? Sorry my Internet has been down and Final Fantasy X and X-2 is
addicting, but that's a good thing for you because I got a head start on
this chapter! And its Spring Break so I have all the time in the world! (
I just love it when we stay home during S.B.!) Also, tell me your feelings
on this chapter. I'm experimenting with POV's and there will be lots of
switching. If it gets confusing tell me and I'll go back and revise. Ok,
so on with this because I'm about to get clobbered by an angry mob.
Angry Mob: THERE SHE IS! THE ONE WHO LEFT THAT HORRIBLE CLIFFHANGER! GET HER!
Ra-chan: Gotta run! * Runs like the dickens to Gan Ning and jumps up into his arms* SAVE ME!
Gan Ning: * puts Ra-chan to the side and picks up his Sea Master * NO ONE HURTS RA-CHAN WHILE I'M ALIVE!
Ra-chan: My hero! * Stars glow in eyes *
* Shamoke comes and kills Gan Ning *
Ra-chan: Oh dear . . . * gets attacked by the mob *
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Chapter 2: Return of the Bells
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((Last Time))
My heart once again skipped a beat and I burst open the door in my rush to see the faces of the voices. There, standing together once again, were my parents. Gan Ning and Diao Wan lived again. They were alive.
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((Present, Hua Wan's POV))
Li Wu just stood there, shock and happiness covering his entire face. He rushed into the room.
"Mom!" he exclaimed.
"Oh! My baby! Li Wu!" said a woman's voice . . . that seemed vaguely familiar.
"Wan, he ain't a baby! He's a man! Can't 'ya see?" said a gruff voice.
"You just shut yer' trap and let me hug my son, Ning!" the woman's voice snapped.
Shang Xiang and I looked at each other and smiled. It was them all right, no one but them could fight with each other with such love in every tone. Shang Xiang started for the door to enter . . . but I hesitated. 'What would they think of me?' I thought, 'Will I be accepted? Do they even remember me?' Shang Xiang saw my hesitation and pulled me by the arm.
"Don't sweat it! In one moment you'll wish you could escape that head-lock-hug of your Dad's!" she said with a laugh.
Unfortunately, I didn't feel the least bit relieved and I found myself unnaturally self-conscious. We entered the small room to see Jiang Wei and Zhao Yun reclining in two chairs to the left. A woman was smothering Li Wu, obviously my mother now, in the back right corner. Her hair was longer and pulled up into a bun. Her age was beginning to show, for she wasn't as skinny or as lanky as she used to be. Gan Ning stood next to them, and pried Li Wu away from Diao Wan. He took him into a huge hug that looked like it broke poor Li Wu's back.
"Nice to see you too, Dad," said Li Wu, obviously short of breath.
My father still looked the same as normal, except he actually wore a full shirt for once. ((A/N: I know, I know, but I had to make him seem older. Lol!)) Both of their clothes were plain and dirty, with the occasional black spot here and there. The obvious signs of them being near a fire. I wanted Shang Xiang to let me go and just let me sneak back and not be noticed, praying that they didn't recognize me. But luck was not with me then, for my brother, the idiot, went and opened his big mouth.
"Hua Wan! Give yer' brother a hand and free me from this!" he yelled out.
At the mention of my name my parents stopped immediately and looked over at me. Li Wu was freed of my father as he dropped him to the ground. Li Wu gave a sigh, but otherwise you could of heard a pin drop. I saw a tear run down my mother's cheek as she suddenly started crying. She ran forward and held me in her embrace.
"Ah! I'm such a horrible mother! How could I leave my beautiful daughter!" she sobbed as she looked me straight in the eyes, "Oh my! You got the looks I never got didn't you? Heh, unfortunately you got your father's hair."
"I resent that remark! It's not unfortunate at all, everyone knows I have the better hair! Now move aside woman! I want to see my little girl too!" my father said laughing as he came over as well and held me.
Everything came flooding back now. I had pushed my parents out of my memory so long I had basically forgot about them, but now my memory came back fully. Memories of my childhood came racing back. I couldn't believe I was finally back with my family, my entire family. I laughed and hugged both my parents back. We stood there, crying and laughing. Li Wu also came over and joined. Zhao Yun, Jiang Wei, and Shang Xiang left quietly out of respect. Wow, I sure have missed them.
((Next Day, Diao Wan's POV))
I awoke in the morning around nine and sat up on my elbow. Gan Ning was sleeping soundly beside me on his back, his right arm around my waist. I had awaked in the same way for almost thirty years now, except for one fact. I had no remorse now for leaving Hua Wan behind. She had said she forgave us, and that it might of well as been better for her because she appreciated us a lot more than she would of if she had known us her entire life. I laughed and laid back down on my back. Gan Ning stirred slightly with my movement but stayed asleep. Hua Wan and Gan Li Wu were rooms next to us, and we were in my old room. Old memories came back as I lay there, like the time Zhao Yun and Jiang Wei came into my room early in the morning and scared me half to death when I turned to see them in the same spot Ning was at. I smiled, and turned to look at him. He had gotten a lot older looking these past years. His facial features were wiser looking and his hair actually had some white in it now. I kissed his cheek gently and stroked his chin with my hand.
"Wan, its too early to wake up ya know?" he whispered.
"It's nine in the morning," I told him.
"Exactly my point. Can't a guy sleep in for once?" he asked.
"Oh ok, I'll give you till noon, but I'm not sure everyone else will give you your joyous moment of rest," I said.
"I'm getting old and cranky, they'll have to wait," he said with a laugh.
"Ok, I'll tell them to bug you later with the story of our great escape," I said.
"You will now? But who said you were leaving," he said as he kissed me on the lips.
"I did," I laughed and got up.
He laughed before he fell back asleep and his breathing became heavy and loud. I tiptoed out quietly into Hua Wan's room. She was dressed and getting ready to leave. She smiled as I entered.
"Good morning, mother," she said with a smile.
"Good morning, dear. Leaving are we? I don't think so!" I said.
"Why not?" she asked.
"Because I want to talk! So, tell me . . . any boys?" I asked excitedly as we sat in two chairs by the window.
"Boys? No . . ." she said confused.
"No boys? Come on! Not even a crush?"
"Mother! Stop fishing!"
"It's what mother's do, so spit it out!"
"Well . . . the only men I have met have been Zhao Yun's age . . . and I'm not really interested in them. I haven't really paid much attention to the boys/men at Wu, either."
"You have to be kidding me? When I was your age . . . wait . . . I was already married. But! When I was a girl of around fifteen I was crushing on every single man that was in his twenty's or teen's, had a build, and was descent enough looking on the ships I worked on. But they never even gave me a second glance. Don't blame them really."
"Why not, mother?"
"Well, to avoid trouble, and so I could actually get on some pirate ships, I made it seem like I was a boy."
"That would explain it."
"Yes it certainly would. But I only had to do that on some ships, most took me without hesitation."
"I thought being a woman on a ship was bad luck though."
"It is, but have you ever tasted the cooking on some of those ships? Plus, if they didn't take me on I threatened to hurt them in cruel and unnatural ways."
"Weren't you just the kindest soul . . ."
"I'm just kidding! It was because I could wield a sword and Tamahori taught me. Some of the ship captains had a respect for him so they figured that countered the bad luck of me being a woman. As for trouble with male hormones, I made sure that wouldn't be a problem."
"You gave them the cold shoulder?"
"No, that's where I threatened to do cruel and unnatural things to them."
We both giggled hysterically and I gave Hua Wan a teasing wink. We both regained our breath and heaved a big sigh.
"I'm guessing you weren't the favorite person on the ship were you mother?" Hua Wan asked me.
"Hehe, actually I was liked a rather good deal by my ship mates. I only threatened them if they tried to make a move. So how bout you?"
"I never was put into battle, so I never had to deal with the troops. I stayed around Da Qiao, her daughter, and Lu Xun. I find strategy to be more of my strength."
"I knew you didn't take after your father all the way! Smart like me, eh?"
"Mother your lying through your very teeth."
"Ok you caught me. Who knows, it could have been one of things that skips a generation."
"While we're confessing, I did have this one crush . . ."
My ears perked up after that! I laughed and we talked for a long time about mother daughter stuff. I was feeling like I was finally getting to re-know my daughter. It was around eleven when I heard Gan Ning finally get up.
"Sounds like your Father finally decided to rejoin the living," I said with a wink.
"Yes, and Li Wu is still in the realm of sleeping-soundly-till-well- in-the-evening!" Hua Wan laughed.
Gan Ning opened the door and entered. He reached upward and stretched.
"Good afternoon, ladies," he called.
"Good afternoon, Father!"
"Ning, your gray is showing."
His eyes immediately went wide as his hand connected to his head and frantically started rummaging through his hair looking for a gray strand. Hua Wan and I started laughing and he suddenly stopped.
"I love you too, Diao Wan," he said.
"Had 'ta do it to ya', love" I said with a laugh, "Now I think I need to go eat something before I starve. Oh! Ning, go see if your son is up yet will you? He needs to wake up already."
"Yes, dear," Xingba said before leaving the room, "See 'ya, Hua Wan."
"Goodbye, Father," Hua Wan said politely.
Gan Ning smiled and left to go wake up Li Wu. I smiled after him and got up myself.
"Well, its about time I went out and faced the music," I said.
"What do you mean, Mother," Hua Wan asked confused.
"Oh! You know Zhao Yun and Jiang Wei! They'll want to know every single detail of our trip and how we escaped from the ship while it was burning. Sheesh! Those two should get their own comedy act," I said laughing.
"That is true!" she said with a nod.
I walked out and went on my way to find some food and those two friends of mine.
((Hua Wan's POV, bout lunch time))
I was sitting on the wall of the palace grounds and munching on a fruit. Now I understood what family reunions were like, you just want to get away sometimes. I laughed to myself and indulged in some people watching. One thing I had learned was that not many people liked those in other social classes. For example, a peasant would never talk to a middle or royal class, but they would respect them . . . only because it was a life or death, freedom or slavery kind of relationship. Also, the middle and the upper, or royal, classes would look down apon the peasants in the lower class -so on so forth. Luckily my mother and father grew up in the lower class so they didn't resent them (I think so at least), but if you were like that of royal blood, such as a prince, you would resent the lower class with passion. The middle class wasn't as prejudice though. They were mainly neutral. Anyway, I was mainly just staring off into space, until this one particular peasant sitting just a few yards off caught my eye. He was sitting not too far off, taking a lunch break from the building job he had been doing. He was rather handsome, too. His face was strong and had high cheekbones, like that of my father. His skin was deeply tanned from all the hours he must have spent outdoors working. He had a dark complexion with his deep brown eyes, which were slightly overlarge. He wore a plain peasant outfit of trousers and a three-quarter- length-sleeve shirt that covered his . . . well . . . VERY nice built body (he did do construction after all). I must have stared at him too long, for he noticed my gaze and looked up. Then I made the mistake of looking away very quickly and turning to look somewhere else. 'Nice, Hua Wan, ingenious," I said to myself. I just prayed he would forget about it and not think anything bad of me . . . but Lady Luck was definitely not with me today. I heard him call several of his friends over from where they also sat eating lunch and they whispered for a few minutes. My worry started to go away slowly as I heard them stop whispering. I, feeling relieved and more confident now, jumped down from the wall into the village. I started to wander off and take a little walk around the village market before returning to the palace when I heard them come up behind me. Someone grabbed my shoulder and pinned me against the wall. I was then surrounded by several of the men that the first one had been talking too.
"So, girl! What were you doing looking at Taro here, eh?" one of them shouted.
I was stricken silent with the shock at first of being treated in such a way. I had been to the village many times with Zhao Yun and I was never treated like this. Every one had bowed and been extremely respectful. That's when I noticed, I had on my plainer clothes instead of my nicer outfits. 'They must think I'm just a peasant girl!' I thought.
"Answer me!" he shouted again.
"Do you know who I am," I screamed in his face.
"Yes, your some peasant girl who thinks she can get away with bugging a man of higher class like Taro," one said.
"Agreed, and one who thinks she actually belongs in the palace! You do know it's against the rules to sit up there don't you?" the one called Taro snapped.
These men were insane! Did they not know whose daughter I was? This was not going to be pretty. I was scared and unarmed at the moment, all I had was my fists and these men outnumbered me and were much stronger. Suddenly I heard a kind voice below out in my defense.
"Hey! Let her go! What are you to beat on those who cannot defend for themselves?" yelled the voice of a man from behind the mob.
"And what are you for butting in on someone else's business?" yelled several of the men pinning me.
This was my chance, I could get them by surprise with their attention now turned toward the street. Good thing Father taught me a thing or two about the pirate way of fighting. I looked around for a good escape route and I found it. The men were positioned in such a way that if I knocked the one in front of me over, all of them would fall easily. I pushed myself off the wall with my legs and rammed my shoulder into the middle of the man's back. He fell hard against the one in front and grabbed the others next to him down with a grab of their wrists. The rest proceeded in the same order, making a Domino kind of effect.
"Defenseless am I?" I asked the man who had called out and basically saved my life.
"No, I guess not . . ." he said trailing off.
My breath caught short at the sight of him though. He was lanky and tall, and not as built and buff as Taro, but he was handsome in the face. I looked up into his blue eyes that were half covered by his long black hair. He looked almost as dumbstruck as I was his mouth hanging halfway open and his blue eyes wide with surprise.
"My name is Hua Wan . . ." I said, "Thank you for sticking up for me. I couldn't have pulled that off without a diversion."
"Names Zhou Lin, and don't worry 'bout it. My older sister always said I had a bigger mouth than I did a brain," he said.
I laughed at his joke and smiled. My stomach fluttered and suddenly felt woozy. 'Was it the fruit I ate?' I thought, 'Oh no . . . my mother's wish has come true. I have a crush.' He looked down at me and gave me a reassuring wink.
"So where do you live? I'll walk you home," Zhou Lin said.
"Oh, don't worry. I live right over there," I said pointing over the wall.
"Um . . . Hua Wan . . . you do know that is the royal palace?" he said rather confused.
"Aye," I said.
He raised an eyebrow at me and looked extremely confused. That's when I felt someone tap my shoulder. Without thinking I quickly turned around and slugged the person behind me in the stomach . . . only too find out it was Father.
"Ahh! Hua Wan, don't hit 'yer old man like that. I got you trained too well!" he yelled as he fell to his right knee in pain.
"Sorry, Father!" I yelled surprised.
He got up and held his stomach a bit as he forced a smile.
"No worries, Hua Wan. Gan Ning don't get that old that quick. Your mother has been looking for you and she's 'bout 'ta wring my neck 'fer it. Thinks I lost 'ya, but I'll show that woman otherwise now," he said.
"Father . . . if you didn't know where I was, you did lose me. For when you lose something that means you don't know where it is. You didn't know where I was, so you lost me," I corrected him.
"Yes, but your mother don't know that yet, so let's go!" he said pulling me over toward the gate into the palace grounds.
I rolled my eyes and was about to walk back with him when I remembered Zhou Lin. I stopped suddenly and turned around to say goodbye and thank him again . . . but he was no where to be seen. He had disappeared, and my heart lurched in sadness. I looked around frantically for him, but he was no where to be seen.
"Y-y-y-our really G-g-gan Ning?" I heard someone say.
I turned around and saw that the men who had attacked me earlier had finally gotten to their feet and were gawking over my dad. Then a certain idea came to my head and I decided that Zhou Lin could wait for one moment.
"Yes, the one and only. What can I do fer 'ya boys?" he asked.
"Can we see your sword?"
"Didn't you die?"
"Is Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao really as beautiful as it is rumored?"
"Well, its simple: First, no one touches my sword; Second, no one can kill Gan Ning boys! ; Third, I'm married I can't say so or my wife will kill me and their married their husbands will kill me," Father answered.
"Um . . . Father, I'd like to introduce the men who mistook me for a peasant girl and tried to beat the living snot out of me," I said with a casual smile.
The look on my father's face went to a simple smile, to extreme and utter rage. Ah, the sweet smell of revenge! I smiled and walked away towards the gate, ignoring the sounds of pain being inflicted apon the bodies of the men by my father and his uber big sword. I was about to open the gate to go in when I spotted Zhou Lin behind a tree beckoning me over. Suddenly curious, I walked over.
"Can you meet me here same time tomorrow?" he asked looking hopeful.
"Yes! But what if someone who doesn't . . ." I trailed off.
". . . Like to see a lower class peasant talking to the daughter of one of the most respected generals in Shu and Wu, besides Zhao Yun of course," Zhou Lin finished for me.
I nodded. I smiled reassuringly.
"You're also the daughter of a pirate. They're rebels right?" he said.
I laughed, "Aye. I'll be here."
"Good! . . .you're a very beautiful girl Hua Wan," he said before disappearing off into the many shadows of the setting sun.
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A/N: Hey, hope you like actually having two chapters put up at the same time. Internet is still down and I'm still on Spring Break, tons of time to write! Hope you liked it! See no cliffhangers this time . . . well bad ones anyway.
P.S.: Happy Easter!
Angry Mob: THERE SHE IS! THE ONE WHO LEFT THAT HORRIBLE CLIFFHANGER! GET HER!
Ra-chan: Gotta run! * Runs like the dickens to Gan Ning and jumps up into his arms* SAVE ME!
Gan Ning: * puts Ra-chan to the side and picks up his Sea Master * NO ONE HURTS RA-CHAN WHILE I'M ALIVE!
Ra-chan: My hero! * Stars glow in eyes *
* Shamoke comes and kills Gan Ning *
Ra-chan: Oh dear . . . * gets attacked by the mob *
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Chapter 2: Return of the Bells
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((Last Time))
My heart once again skipped a beat and I burst open the door in my rush to see the faces of the voices. There, standing together once again, were my parents. Gan Ning and Diao Wan lived again. They were alive.
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((Present, Hua Wan's POV))
Li Wu just stood there, shock and happiness covering his entire face. He rushed into the room.
"Mom!" he exclaimed.
"Oh! My baby! Li Wu!" said a woman's voice . . . that seemed vaguely familiar.
"Wan, he ain't a baby! He's a man! Can't 'ya see?" said a gruff voice.
"You just shut yer' trap and let me hug my son, Ning!" the woman's voice snapped.
Shang Xiang and I looked at each other and smiled. It was them all right, no one but them could fight with each other with such love in every tone. Shang Xiang started for the door to enter . . . but I hesitated. 'What would they think of me?' I thought, 'Will I be accepted? Do they even remember me?' Shang Xiang saw my hesitation and pulled me by the arm.
"Don't sweat it! In one moment you'll wish you could escape that head-lock-hug of your Dad's!" she said with a laugh.
Unfortunately, I didn't feel the least bit relieved and I found myself unnaturally self-conscious. We entered the small room to see Jiang Wei and Zhao Yun reclining in two chairs to the left. A woman was smothering Li Wu, obviously my mother now, in the back right corner. Her hair was longer and pulled up into a bun. Her age was beginning to show, for she wasn't as skinny or as lanky as she used to be. Gan Ning stood next to them, and pried Li Wu away from Diao Wan. He took him into a huge hug that looked like it broke poor Li Wu's back.
"Nice to see you too, Dad," said Li Wu, obviously short of breath.
My father still looked the same as normal, except he actually wore a full shirt for once. ((A/N: I know, I know, but I had to make him seem older. Lol!)) Both of their clothes were plain and dirty, with the occasional black spot here and there. The obvious signs of them being near a fire. I wanted Shang Xiang to let me go and just let me sneak back and not be noticed, praying that they didn't recognize me. But luck was not with me then, for my brother, the idiot, went and opened his big mouth.
"Hua Wan! Give yer' brother a hand and free me from this!" he yelled out.
At the mention of my name my parents stopped immediately and looked over at me. Li Wu was freed of my father as he dropped him to the ground. Li Wu gave a sigh, but otherwise you could of heard a pin drop. I saw a tear run down my mother's cheek as she suddenly started crying. She ran forward and held me in her embrace.
"Ah! I'm such a horrible mother! How could I leave my beautiful daughter!" she sobbed as she looked me straight in the eyes, "Oh my! You got the looks I never got didn't you? Heh, unfortunately you got your father's hair."
"I resent that remark! It's not unfortunate at all, everyone knows I have the better hair! Now move aside woman! I want to see my little girl too!" my father said laughing as he came over as well and held me.
Everything came flooding back now. I had pushed my parents out of my memory so long I had basically forgot about them, but now my memory came back fully. Memories of my childhood came racing back. I couldn't believe I was finally back with my family, my entire family. I laughed and hugged both my parents back. We stood there, crying and laughing. Li Wu also came over and joined. Zhao Yun, Jiang Wei, and Shang Xiang left quietly out of respect. Wow, I sure have missed them.
((Next Day, Diao Wan's POV))
I awoke in the morning around nine and sat up on my elbow. Gan Ning was sleeping soundly beside me on his back, his right arm around my waist. I had awaked in the same way for almost thirty years now, except for one fact. I had no remorse now for leaving Hua Wan behind. She had said she forgave us, and that it might of well as been better for her because she appreciated us a lot more than she would of if she had known us her entire life. I laughed and laid back down on my back. Gan Ning stirred slightly with my movement but stayed asleep. Hua Wan and Gan Li Wu were rooms next to us, and we were in my old room. Old memories came back as I lay there, like the time Zhao Yun and Jiang Wei came into my room early in the morning and scared me half to death when I turned to see them in the same spot Ning was at. I smiled, and turned to look at him. He had gotten a lot older looking these past years. His facial features were wiser looking and his hair actually had some white in it now. I kissed his cheek gently and stroked his chin with my hand.
"Wan, its too early to wake up ya know?" he whispered.
"It's nine in the morning," I told him.
"Exactly my point. Can't a guy sleep in for once?" he asked.
"Oh ok, I'll give you till noon, but I'm not sure everyone else will give you your joyous moment of rest," I said.
"I'm getting old and cranky, they'll have to wait," he said with a laugh.
"Ok, I'll tell them to bug you later with the story of our great escape," I said.
"You will now? But who said you were leaving," he said as he kissed me on the lips.
"I did," I laughed and got up.
He laughed before he fell back asleep and his breathing became heavy and loud. I tiptoed out quietly into Hua Wan's room. She was dressed and getting ready to leave. She smiled as I entered.
"Good morning, mother," she said with a smile.
"Good morning, dear. Leaving are we? I don't think so!" I said.
"Why not?" she asked.
"Because I want to talk! So, tell me . . . any boys?" I asked excitedly as we sat in two chairs by the window.
"Boys? No . . ." she said confused.
"No boys? Come on! Not even a crush?"
"Mother! Stop fishing!"
"It's what mother's do, so spit it out!"
"Well . . . the only men I have met have been Zhao Yun's age . . . and I'm not really interested in them. I haven't really paid much attention to the boys/men at Wu, either."
"You have to be kidding me? When I was your age . . . wait . . . I was already married. But! When I was a girl of around fifteen I was crushing on every single man that was in his twenty's or teen's, had a build, and was descent enough looking on the ships I worked on. But they never even gave me a second glance. Don't blame them really."
"Why not, mother?"
"Well, to avoid trouble, and so I could actually get on some pirate ships, I made it seem like I was a boy."
"That would explain it."
"Yes it certainly would. But I only had to do that on some ships, most took me without hesitation."
"I thought being a woman on a ship was bad luck though."
"It is, but have you ever tasted the cooking on some of those ships? Plus, if they didn't take me on I threatened to hurt them in cruel and unnatural ways."
"Weren't you just the kindest soul . . ."
"I'm just kidding! It was because I could wield a sword and Tamahori taught me. Some of the ship captains had a respect for him so they figured that countered the bad luck of me being a woman. As for trouble with male hormones, I made sure that wouldn't be a problem."
"You gave them the cold shoulder?"
"No, that's where I threatened to do cruel and unnatural things to them."
We both giggled hysterically and I gave Hua Wan a teasing wink. We both regained our breath and heaved a big sigh.
"I'm guessing you weren't the favorite person on the ship were you mother?" Hua Wan asked me.
"Hehe, actually I was liked a rather good deal by my ship mates. I only threatened them if they tried to make a move. So how bout you?"
"I never was put into battle, so I never had to deal with the troops. I stayed around Da Qiao, her daughter, and Lu Xun. I find strategy to be more of my strength."
"I knew you didn't take after your father all the way! Smart like me, eh?"
"Mother your lying through your very teeth."
"Ok you caught me. Who knows, it could have been one of things that skips a generation."
"While we're confessing, I did have this one crush . . ."
My ears perked up after that! I laughed and we talked for a long time about mother daughter stuff. I was feeling like I was finally getting to re-know my daughter. It was around eleven when I heard Gan Ning finally get up.
"Sounds like your Father finally decided to rejoin the living," I said with a wink.
"Yes, and Li Wu is still in the realm of sleeping-soundly-till-well- in-the-evening!" Hua Wan laughed.
Gan Ning opened the door and entered. He reached upward and stretched.
"Good afternoon, ladies," he called.
"Good afternoon, Father!"
"Ning, your gray is showing."
His eyes immediately went wide as his hand connected to his head and frantically started rummaging through his hair looking for a gray strand. Hua Wan and I started laughing and he suddenly stopped.
"I love you too, Diao Wan," he said.
"Had 'ta do it to ya', love" I said with a laugh, "Now I think I need to go eat something before I starve. Oh! Ning, go see if your son is up yet will you? He needs to wake up already."
"Yes, dear," Xingba said before leaving the room, "See 'ya, Hua Wan."
"Goodbye, Father," Hua Wan said politely.
Gan Ning smiled and left to go wake up Li Wu. I smiled after him and got up myself.
"Well, its about time I went out and faced the music," I said.
"What do you mean, Mother," Hua Wan asked confused.
"Oh! You know Zhao Yun and Jiang Wei! They'll want to know every single detail of our trip and how we escaped from the ship while it was burning. Sheesh! Those two should get their own comedy act," I said laughing.
"That is true!" she said with a nod.
I walked out and went on my way to find some food and those two friends of mine.
((Hua Wan's POV, bout lunch time))
I was sitting on the wall of the palace grounds and munching on a fruit. Now I understood what family reunions were like, you just want to get away sometimes. I laughed to myself and indulged in some people watching. One thing I had learned was that not many people liked those in other social classes. For example, a peasant would never talk to a middle or royal class, but they would respect them . . . only because it was a life or death, freedom or slavery kind of relationship. Also, the middle and the upper, or royal, classes would look down apon the peasants in the lower class -so on so forth. Luckily my mother and father grew up in the lower class so they didn't resent them (I think so at least), but if you were like that of royal blood, such as a prince, you would resent the lower class with passion. The middle class wasn't as prejudice though. They were mainly neutral. Anyway, I was mainly just staring off into space, until this one particular peasant sitting just a few yards off caught my eye. He was sitting not too far off, taking a lunch break from the building job he had been doing. He was rather handsome, too. His face was strong and had high cheekbones, like that of my father. His skin was deeply tanned from all the hours he must have spent outdoors working. He had a dark complexion with his deep brown eyes, which were slightly overlarge. He wore a plain peasant outfit of trousers and a three-quarter- length-sleeve shirt that covered his . . . well . . . VERY nice built body (he did do construction after all). I must have stared at him too long, for he noticed my gaze and looked up. Then I made the mistake of looking away very quickly and turning to look somewhere else. 'Nice, Hua Wan, ingenious," I said to myself. I just prayed he would forget about it and not think anything bad of me . . . but Lady Luck was definitely not with me today. I heard him call several of his friends over from where they also sat eating lunch and they whispered for a few minutes. My worry started to go away slowly as I heard them stop whispering. I, feeling relieved and more confident now, jumped down from the wall into the village. I started to wander off and take a little walk around the village market before returning to the palace when I heard them come up behind me. Someone grabbed my shoulder and pinned me against the wall. I was then surrounded by several of the men that the first one had been talking too.
"So, girl! What were you doing looking at Taro here, eh?" one of them shouted.
I was stricken silent with the shock at first of being treated in such a way. I had been to the village many times with Zhao Yun and I was never treated like this. Every one had bowed and been extremely respectful. That's when I noticed, I had on my plainer clothes instead of my nicer outfits. 'They must think I'm just a peasant girl!' I thought.
"Answer me!" he shouted again.
"Do you know who I am," I screamed in his face.
"Yes, your some peasant girl who thinks she can get away with bugging a man of higher class like Taro," one said.
"Agreed, and one who thinks she actually belongs in the palace! You do know it's against the rules to sit up there don't you?" the one called Taro snapped.
These men were insane! Did they not know whose daughter I was? This was not going to be pretty. I was scared and unarmed at the moment, all I had was my fists and these men outnumbered me and were much stronger. Suddenly I heard a kind voice below out in my defense.
"Hey! Let her go! What are you to beat on those who cannot defend for themselves?" yelled the voice of a man from behind the mob.
"And what are you for butting in on someone else's business?" yelled several of the men pinning me.
This was my chance, I could get them by surprise with their attention now turned toward the street. Good thing Father taught me a thing or two about the pirate way of fighting. I looked around for a good escape route and I found it. The men were positioned in such a way that if I knocked the one in front of me over, all of them would fall easily. I pushed myself off the wall with my legs and rammed my shoulder into the middle of the man's back. He fell hard against the one in front and grabbed the others next to him down with a grab of their wrists. The rest proceeded in the same order, making a Domino kind of effect.
"Defenseless am I?" I asked the man who had called out and basically saved my life.
"No, I guess not . . ." he said trailing off.
My breath caught short at the sight of him though. He was lanky and tall, and not as built and buff as Taro, but he was handsome in the face. I looked up into his blue eyes that were half covered by his long black hair. He looked almost as dumbstruck as I was his mouth hanging halfway open and his blue eyes wide with surprise.
"My name is Hua Wan . . ." I said, "Thank you for sticking up for me. I couldn't have pulled that off without a diversion."
"Names Zhou Lin, and don't worry 'bout it. My older sister always said I had a bigger mouth than I did a brain," he said.
I laughed at his joke and smiled. My stomach fluttered and suddenly felt woozy. 'Was it the fruit I ate?' I thought, 'Oh no . . . my mother's wish has come true. I have a crush.' He looked down at me and gave me a reassuring wink.
"So where do you live? I'll walk you home," Zhou Lin said.
"Oh, don't worry. I live right over there," I said pointing over the wall.
"Um . . . Hua Wan . . . you do know that is the royal palace?" he said rather confused.
"Aye," I said.
He raised an eyebrow at me and looked extremely confused. That's when I felt someone tap my shoulder. Without thinking I quickly turned around and slugged the person behind me in the stomach . . . only too find out it was Father.
"Ahh! Hua Wan, don't hit 'yer old man like that. I got you trained too well!" he yelled as he fell to his right knee in pain.
"Sorry, Father!" I yelled surprised.
He got up and held his stomach a bit as he forced a smile.
"No worries, Hua Wan. Gan Ning don't get that old that quick. Your mother has been looking for you and she's 'bout 'ta wring my neck 'fer it. Thinks I lost 'ya, but I'll show that woman otherwise now," he said.
"Father . . . if you didn't know where I was, you did lose me. For when you lose something that means you don't know where it is. You didn't know where I was, so you lost me," I corrected him.
"Yes, but your mother don't know that yet, so let's go!" he said pulling me over toward the gate into the palace grounds.
I rolled my eyes and was about to walk back with him when I remembered Zhou Lin. I stopped suddenly and turned around to say goodbye and thank him again . . . but he was no where to be seen. He had disappeared, and my heart lurched in sadness. I looked around frantically for him, but he was no where to be seen.
"Y-y-y-our really G-g-gan Ning?" I heard someone say.
I turned around and saw that the men who had attacked me earlier had finally gotten to their feet and were gawking over my dad. Then a certain idea came to my head and I decided that Zhou Lin could wait for one moment.
"Yes, the one and only. What can I do fer 'ya boys?" he asked.
"Can we see your sword?"
"Didn't you die?"
"Is Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao really as beautiful as it is rumored?"
"Well, its simple: First, no one touches my sword; Second, no one can kill Gan Ning boys! ; Third, I'm married I can't say so or my wife will kill me and their married their husbands will kill me," Father answered.
"Um . . . Father, I'd like to introduce the men who mistook me for a peasant girl and tried to beat the living snot out of me," I said with a casual smile.
The look on my father's face went to a simple smile, to extreme and utter rage. Ah, the sweet smell of revenge! I smiled and walked away towards the gate, ignoring the sounds of pain being inflicted apon the bodies of the men by my father and his uber big sword. I was about to open the gate to go in when I spotted Zhou Lin behind a tree beckoning me over. Suddenly curious, I walked over.
"Can you meet me here same time tomorrow?" he asked looking hopeful.
"Yes! But what if someone who doesn't . . ." I trailed off.
". . . Like to see a lower class peasant talking to the daughter of one of the most respected generals in Shu and Wu, besides Zhao Yun of course," Zhou Lin finished for me.
I nodded. I smiled reassuringly.
"You're also the daughter of a pirate. They're rebels right?" he said.
I laughed, "Aye. I'll be here."
"Good! . . .you're a very beautiful girl Hua Wan," he said before disappearing off into the many shadows of the setting sun.
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A/N: Hey, hope you like actually having two chapters put up at the same time. Internet is still down and I'm still on Spring Break, tons of time to write! Hope you liked it! See no cliffhangers this time . . . well bad ones anyway.
P.S.: Happy Easter!