A fierce battle rages between a mercenary clan called the Sing Wah who were bent on taking over the empire and the imperial guards who were sworn to protect the empress Su Ling. And the Sing Wah appeared to be winning.
The Young empress and three of her Guards huddled behind a rock wall for protection from the hail of arrows that were flying all around. Suddenly the Sing Wah warriors broke through the advance guard the three guardsmen stood up and charged at the Sing Wah.
"Run Empress," one of them yelled, "We'll hold them off as long as we can!"
Su Ling turned and ran for the woods. Entering the woods she kept on running she tripped on roots, fell, got tired but she wouldn't stop she kept on running.
Su Ling stirred opened her eyes at sat up. Her resting place had been a high meadow in the side of an unfamiliar mountain. She wasn't sure how long she had been traveling or where she was. She stood up, Picked up her little bundle of belongings and started off hoping to make it down to the valley and into the next village that day. She left the meadow and began to make her way down the path to the rocky over mountain trail that she had been on yesterday afternoon before she found the meadow. Rounding a bend in the path she came in sight of the trail below and her heart sank. There had been a rockslide during the night and now six of the largest boulders she had ever seen were blocking the trail. She sat down in there in the path trying to figure out what she was going to do. She hadn't sat there long with she suddenly heard the sound of whistling and footsteps. Scurrying behind a nearby bush crouched down and waited. A few seconds later and tall yellow-haired boy wearing brown leather pants, yellow shirt and brown leather manacles came into view. He whistled a happy little tune as he went. One hand held a pack that was over his shoulder while the other swung gracefully at his side.
Su ling noticed right away that this boy was muscular she guessed that he probably had some warrior training for they were taught to keep themselves trim and muscular. It was then that the boy caught sight of the blockage in the trail and, to the watching girls amazement, viewed it with an amazingly nonchalant expression on his face. The boy laid aside his pack, walked up to the pile of boulders and stood there for a minute with his hands on his hips as thought he was sizing up the task.
Then Su ling's mouth dropped open and she watched in disbelief as the boy reached out, grabbed one of the biggest boulders and tossed aside as though it didn't take any effort. The boy then went to work in earnest throwing aside one boulder after another they rolled down the side of the mountain to land in the deep river gorge down below. In less time that it takes to tell about it the mysterious boy was finished with his task. He brushed himself off, picked up his pack and resuming his happy little tune he continued on down the trail.
One Week Later…Hercules Jason and Iolaus sat at Kora's talking over the day's events.
"Boy," said Iolaus as he picked up one of the drinks that Kora brought them, " that Pop quiz that Feducious gave us was murder."
"Well," said Jason, "Maybe if you spent more time studying your books and less time studying girls Feducious' tests wouldn't kill you all the time."
In response to that Iolaus launched into an explanation of why the study of girls was vitally important. Just then a person in a loose white outfit and a broad brimmed hat that was pulled down low covering his face walked up to the bar and handed Kora some money then disappeared up the stairs to the second floor where all the rooms were.
"Who was that?" asked Iolaus.
"Don't really know his name," said Kora, " he hasn't spoken a word since he got here and come to think of it I've never really even seen his face but he always pays his bill on time so who am I to complain." A few minutes later the person came back down the stairs and walked out with out saying a word or looking at anyone."
Shrugging the whole thing off Jason and Iolaus went back to their conversation. Suddenly without any explanation Hercules jumped to his feet and headed toward the door. Jason and Iolaus jumped and followed as they always did. With they got side they saw that three mercenaries had caught the stranger in the hat right out side the door. The oldest of the three was threatening the stranger with a large knife while the other two held him.
"I want that money you took from my son." He growled, " and I don't care about some stupid bet you say he lost!!"
"Hey, bigmouth," snapped Hercules, "Pick on somebody your own size!" the man turned and glared at the Demigod.
"This is none of your business!" he snapped pointing the knife he was holding at Hercules. Suddenly Hercules grabbed the man by the throat and lifted him of the ground like he didn't weight a thing.
"I'm making it my business." He snarled.
With that he turned and side-armed the man across the clearing were he slammed into a tree. When they saw this fete of super-human strength the other two men let go of the stranger and took off running. The stranger lost his balance and sat down hard on the ground.
The third man staggered to his feet.
"This isn't over boy," he snapped before turning and running after his men. Hercules rolled his eyes,
"Yeah, Yeah, that's what they all say." With that he turned and helped the stranger to his feet.
"Are you okay?" he asked the stranger nodded but said nothing and kept his head slightly bowed so the cadets couldn't see his face.
"For the time being," said Hercules, "I would be safer if you stayed with his at Cheiron's academy. Those goons might try to get you again when we're not around. The stranger nodded and after he got his things they started up the path toward the academy. As they walked Hercules noticed that the stranger walked slightly in front of him closer to him than he did to Jason and Iolaus. I wasn't until Hercules took a deep in through the nose out through the mouth breath that things began to make sense. Iolaus walked toward the stranger and stuck out his hand.
"Mister," he said, "this is Jason and I'm Iolaus and the big guy with the muscles here his Hercules."
"Uh Iolaus," said Hercules, "I think you should say Miss instead of Mister." At Iolaus' puzzled look Hercules reached up and pulled the strangers hat off long raven hair fell out of the hat and down about the shoulders and back framing the exquisite face of a beautiful Asian girl. Jason and Iolaus stood there with their mouths hanging open. The girl turned to Hercules.
"How did you know, my lord?" she asked.
"Yeah," said Jason, "How'd you know that HE was really a SHE?"
"When I took a deep breath a minute ago I caught her fragrance," replied Hercules, "normally boys don't smell like soap and lilacs." Hercules paused and turned back to the girl,
"Did you just call me?" he stopped short when he found the girl on her knees bowing low with her forehead almost touching the ground.
"You have every right to be angry with you handmaiden Su ling for my deception, my lord," she said without even looking up, "I am prepared to accept what ever punishment you see fit to strike me with."
Hercules stood there momentarily stunned by what the girl had said then he noticed that she was kneeling there with her eyes tightly closed obviously expecting the worst. Her eyes opened in stunned surprise when Hercules gently reached down and lifted her to her feet.
"I have no intention of hurt you in any way," said Hercules, "and why do you keep calling me my lord."
"Is that not the proper way to address a god?" she asked.
"I'm not a god," said Hercules.
"But I saw your strength in the pass when you moved those boulders to clear the landslide," she said, "and again just now with my attackers no mere mortal possesses such strength."
"It's like this," said Hercules, "My father was a god and my mother is a mortal. That makes me a half-god most half gods have at least one godly power god-like strength is mine. Am I making sense?" Su ling nodded and promptly dropped to her knees again.
"I am you handmaiden, Master," she said, "I trust you will deal kindly with me."
"What is all this master stuff," said Hercules flabbergasted, "I just got through telling you that I'm not a god."
"Even so you have saved my life," she replied, "and so by our custom I must serve you in any way that that you wish of me."
TBC PLEASE READ AND REVIEW