Lian felt tired as she stood in the food line for her rice. She held her bowl and chopsticks and took steps forward as the line moved up. She sighed in boredom and looked around the camp. She saw the same young man who had been sitting in front of the tent that morning. She figured he was the supervising councilman. He looked too young to be one though. He wasn't wearing his hat that he had been earlier; he had his hair down and tied behind him. He looked as if he had been pampered his whole life, yet he still was well built. Shen looked like a man who had actually gone through military training, with a well-built physique and a small scar under his left eye that made him look distinguished. The councilman walked over to her to her surprise.
"Are you Li Chen?" he asked. She nodded.
"The Captain wishes to speak with you," he told her and began to lead her in the direction of Shen's tent. She placed her bowl and chopsticks into a fold of her clothes and followed him. Shen's tent was a golden color with dark red trimming. The councilman lifted a flap of the tent and told her to go it. She found Shen sitting in the middle of the room looking at a map of China and eating casually from a bowl of rice. He looked up as the flaps closed behind her, leaving the two of them alone.
"You wish to speak with me, Sir?" she asked.
"I do," he said beckoning her to sit on the ground opposite of him. She did so and her eyes surveyed the map. He was working on a plan of attack.
"Do you consider me a fool?" he asked her. She looked up at him in surprise.
"Sir?"
"You better me at the Imperial Palace, on the trip here, at the pole, on the ledge. Every encounter we have with each other you seem only to prove yourself better then I. So, do you consider me a fool?"
"No, sir, I do not. I consider you one who enjoys being tested. Hence why you called me here, for a rematch. Now if you'll excuse me, Sir, I am hungry" she said standing up and walking out of the tent.
"Wait!" she heard him yell as he quickly followed her out of his tent. She continued walking away as he caught up.
"You consider yourself quite highly!" he said to her.
"I consider myself quite hungry, SIR" she corrected him walking toward the line for rice.
"You do know who I am, don't you?"
"You are a man who has been led to believe he deserves respect for doing something all other men and women have done. The simple act of being born."
"You are the bravest man I have ever met Chen. No man would ever try to test me, or get on the bad side of me!"
"I am not a brave man, Sir."
"Then you are foolish?"
"I am Li Chen, Sir. I am no fool," she said as she continued walking even though he stopped surprised.
"You're hiding something from me Li Chen, and I know what it is," he told her. She stopped in her tracks. Could he?
"What are you talking about sir, I hide nothing from you, Sir," she told him. He walked over to her, now grinning.
"I should have put it together sooner. Li Chen, I know who you are."
"What do you mean, Sir?"
"You are the son of General Li, aren't you?" he asked. Lian felt a wave of relief rush over her.
"I am."
"Why did you hide that from me?"
"I did no such thing Sir," she told him beginning to walk toward the rice line again. Now she really was getting quite hungry.
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
"You didn't ask, and I plan on working hard and earning my respect, that is why I didn't tell you. You would have given me respect just because General Li Shang is my father"
"Anything else about you I should ask?"
"Perhaps if I'd like to be part of the troops sent to retrieve my Father?"
"You have no choice in the matter, but of course you will be."
"Then I am glad I have no choice."
"You know, I'd be willing to bet that your sister is mad that you're out here and not her."
"I wouldn't bet against you," Lian said and smiled.
"How is Lian doing? I haven't seen her for, hmm, six years."
"She was at the Matchmaker's all but four days ago."
"She's old enough for the Matchmaker's already?"
"As am I," Lian said. It felt kind of weird talking about herself.
"Me too, ha! Perhaps your sister and I shall be matched together!" Shen said and laughed. Lian stopped walking frozen in her tracks with her eyes wide open. Shen noticed and turned around curiously.
"Against the idea?" he asked smiling.
"I fear for your safety only Sir," Lian told him. Shen laughed.
"You and Lian have a lot in common then?"
"Almost everything, she is my other half, sir" Lian answered him.
"Then I fear for my safety as well," Shen said as Lian started to walk again. She took out her bowl and chopsticks and got in line. The men in front of her bowed to Shen. Shen smiled at her.
"Relax men, in the rice line all of us are nothing but hungry souls, right Chen?"
"Wrong, Sir. In the rice line we are all still under your command. We still must act upon your order and desire. You are our future emperor, and therefore in your presence we must bow," Lian told him and bowed. She replaced her bowl and chopsticks into her clothes and walked off in the direction of her tent. She could skip a meal; sleep would cure her hunger for a bit.
Lian walked into her tent and made sure she tied the flap closed. It wasn't as large as Shen's but was roomy enough. She untied her sword first and set it on the ground. She took her bowl and chopsticks and set them by her sword. She sighed and sat down on her mat.
"Chen."
Lian tied her hair up fast. "Yes sir?"
Shen walked in, "I'm sorry for barging in on you like this."
"That is ok sir."
"I am sorry about your father Chen. He trained me when he was always at the palace. They wouldn't let me outside of the walls. They said it was for my own protection."
"I'm sorry. But why are you telling me this?"
"What has happen to us Chen? We have been friends for years, and now-"
"It's easy sir, you are the next emperor, you get any woman you want excuse me any amount of women you want."
"But I don't want that. I don't want to be married I don't want to be emperor."
Right then the messenger comes in.
"Sir I'm sorry, Chen there is a message for you."
He hands the letter to Lian.
"Chen I will leave you."
"Thank you sir."
Dear Lian,
Why did you go? It was Chen's spot not yours. I know you want to save your father, and me but you didn't have to go. The matchmaker has found someone in the military; she thought that you might feel a little bit at home with someone in the military. She didn't tell me his name though. Just please come home safe. I couldn't handle losing a child, and a husband. Come home darling.
Love,
Your mother