"Start talking then."
"What have they done to you baba?"
"Where are they?"
"They moved out."
"What happened, they found out you were a girl and just left you here to die?"
"No. I told them to get the soldiers out of here, and leave me here."
"WHAT?" Shang ran out of the tent and into the prisoners' tent.
"Di Ren!" He yelled running into his tent. "The prisoners… they are gone!"
"WHAT?"
"I guess one of the soldiers snuck into the tent and got the others free."
"YOU GUESS!" Di Ren yelled at him. "Keep an eye on Lian. They might come back to free her. Go in her tent and don't leave! If she escapes I will have your head!"
"Yes sir."
Shang was returning to Liam's tent when he heard her singing. He stood outside her tent listening.
I'm already there
Take a look around
I'm the sunshine in your hair
I'm the shadow on the ground
I'm the whisper in the wind
And I'll be there until the end
Can you feel the love that we share
Oh I'm already there
Oh I'm already
There
He walked in as soon as he knew she was done singing… "That song, it sounds so familiar." He said calmly and quietly.
Lian looked up, "it should, you sang it to me when I was little, before you went off to war."
"I never had any children. You are mistaken." His voice started to get stronger and lauder.
Lian bowed her head; "yeah I guess I must have mistaken you for someone else. He was a good man, he taught me everything I know. What do you want now? I am not going to tell you where they are."
"What are you trying to prove? Why are you going to let them kill you. Just tell us where the troops are."
Lian looked up into his eyes, "because I don't want to be like you anymore baba. A traitor. I rather die young with honor, than die being a traitor like you have become."
Shang smacked her, Lian was surprised, but at the same time not. Shang never laid a hand on her, but this was not Shang. Her father, who she had known was dead, instead there was this traitor standing in front of her.
"Get out of here!" Lian screamed.Shang returned to Di Ren's tent and told him that she was not going to tell them anything. Di Ren told some of his men to go pick up her brother, they were talking loud and she prayed to her ancestors that Shen got there in time to get them to safety. Hours past Lian remembered how her father use to be. She was forced from her thoughts when she heard horses drawing near. She tried to look out through the flap, but it was no use she couldn't see anything.
"WHAT! What do you mean they disappeared! BRING HER TO ME NOW!"
She saw a shadow come toward the tent and then there was Shang. He untied her legs and then her hands from the poll. She had her chance to escape. She drop kicked Shang and ran. She didn't get far, since she was in the middle of camp and the Huns were walking all around her. She was tackled at once. The Huns picked her up and held her there, she watched Shang walk out of the tent. He walked towards her, "So you think you can escape? Well you were caught."
"Yeah, so. What are you going to do about that?"
"Hold her tight." He told the Huns that held her. He punched her in the stomach, and face. And then he kicked her hard in the stomach.
"Drop her." When they did he grabbed her bound hands and dragged her into the tent.
Di Ren didn't care what happened, he just came up to her and yelled at her.
"Where are they?"
"Fuck you." She was smacked.
"Tell me now!"
"Go to hell!" she was smacked again.
Di Ren looked at Shang. "Take her back to her tent. She dies in 2 days."
Lian was horrified the end was drawing near. She was bound back to the pole, and was left there for the rest of the night. She cried herself to sleep.
"Psst. Lian" Lian woke up and looked in back of her. It was Shen.
"Shen. What are you doing here?"
"getting you out of here."
"No Shen. Now leave!" she turned her head away from him.
Shen walked closer to her, and caressed her face. "What is wrong Lian?"
"They did something to my father. If I cant save him, then I die."
"No Lian. You are coming with me"
"Get out of here! Touch me, and I'll yell for the guards. Now Go!"
Shen looked at her hurt, but leaned in and kissed her, "Please Shen leave here and never come back. Please do it for me."
"I don't want to lose you-"
"You wont. What ever happens, I will always be with you. Now go. LEAVE!" she was in tears. She watched him leave tears in his eyes. Shang came in and looked around. "who were you talking to?"
"no one."
Shang was about to run out to see who was there that she was talking to, when Lian shouted, "You wanna know something?"
Shang turned around, "What?"
"You were a great man. I knew something was going to happen to you, that is why I didn't want to see you off."
"Who was in here?"
"The future Emperor. He just came in here telling me that he would get me out now. Instead I told him I was going to stay and he kissed me and left." She said with no expression on her face, so it was hard to tell if she was making it up or if she was telling the truth. The day passed like always she was tortured and then beaten and brought back to her tent to sit.
Di Ren came in alone. Lian watched him not being able to do anything, but stand there. He came up to her.
"You have one more day till you die."
"Yeah what are you trying to get at?" she looked at him, he was getting closer to her. His lips getting closer to hers until his lips fell upon hers. His right hand caressing her breast and his left moving down her body, until it reached its destination. Lian was able to get his lips off of hers.
"Get off of me you ass!" but he didn't listen he forced his lips on hers again and moved as close to her as possible. He moved his left hand from her sacred area and moved it to her other breast. He started to move his hips back and fourth. Lian was horrified at what he was doing. He was getting himself aroused and caressing her breasts. He unbuttoned her shirt and started to rape her. Before he was able to go lower one of the Huns came in and told him they needed him, he looked at her and then at him, and sighed. "I'll be back beautiful." He smirked at her and left. She was left half naked. When he left she started to cry. Shang came in about 5 minutes later and saw what he was trying to do. He covered her and started to talk to her.
"Please kill me now. I am begging you. I don't want to die knowing Iwas raped."
"He wont be able to come back tonight, he is swamped with work. You still have some time to tell us where the troops are."
"Don't bother trying to get it out of me, can you just untie my legs so I can curl up and cry. And then just leave me."
"I can do better."
Lian was horrified by what he said, was he going to do something to her? But she watched him untie her hands and feet. "You can't go anywhere we will be up all night. Me guarding you, and the others partying about the-"
"Thank you, now please just leave me." Shang sighed and walked out.
Lian remembered when she was younger. Her brother just left for the academy, her mother went out of town, and her father was still at war. She was alone. She was practicing when she heard laughing. She spun around and there she saw her father there.
"BABA!" she yelled running up to her.
"Where is your mother?"
"She went out of town."
"And you are here alone?"
"Yes."
"For how long?"
"About 2 days. But Fai has been coming over everyday to look after me."
Shang smiled at her. "What!" Lian smiled back.
Lian remembered the song Shang had sang to her years ago when he came home. She got up from the ground and walked over to the tent flap and stared out. She started to sing.
It must have been cold there in my shadow,
to never have sunlight on your face.
You were content to let me shine, that's your way,
you always walked a step behind.
So I was the one with all the glory,
while you were the one with all the strength.
A beautiful face without a name -- for so long,
a beautiful smile to hide the pain.
Did you ever know that you're my hero,
and ev'rything I would like to be?
I can fly higher than an eagle,
'cause you are the wind beneath my wings.
It might have appeared to go unnoticed,
but I've got it all here in my heart.
I want you to know I know the truth, of course I know it,
I would be nothing with out you.
She was to die the next morning. Only 10 hours left to live, and she still wanted to do so much more in her life. She sighed. Thinking about her family and friends. 'Why did I have to come' she thought to herself.
Fires are burning,
The nightmare's begun.
The world is dark again,
I need your lullaby.
Sleep has gone.
Night is long again.
Sing me your song.
Let me sleep.
Bring me peace.
Lian fell asleep a little after.
She woke up at run rise. And bowed her head. She walked towards the entrance of the tent, there was Shang walking towards her tent, and in the distance she saw the Huns getting everything set for her execution. She turned around and walked to the back of the tent. She fell to her knees and started to pray. When she got up she spotted something that must have fallen out of her pocket. She picked it up and looked at it. She couldn't believe her eyes. She forgot all about it. It was the necklace her father Shang had given to her when she was younger. She looked at it and traced it with her finger. She remembered what Shang had told her when he gave it to her.
He was going off to battle and she didn't want him to go. He got down on his knee so he was about her size. He looked at her and smiled. She watched his hands go around his neck and take off the necklace, and put it on her. "I will always be here with you. When ever you put this on I will be there." She looked at the necklace and then at him, then she jumped up on him and hugged him.
"What are you looking at?" Lian turned around to see Shang standing in the flap way.
"Oh its nothing. Its just something my father gave me before he went off to war."
She watched Shang walk towards her and sit down besides her. She looked over at him he held out his hand and she gave him the necklace. She watched him trace his fingers over it.
"Its beautiful. It looks so familiar."
"It should… it's yours, baba." Shang looked over at her.
"I am not you father, I never married and never had kids."
"Baba, you are General Li Shang, general of the Chinese Army. When you where a Captain, there was a soldier that first you let go, but then they came back to be your best soldier. They saved your life, and betrayed you when you found out that soldier was a women. You saved her life, because she saved yours. Then she saved you and the emperor, when the Huns came back and swarmed the palace. You married her a couple of months later. You had two kids, twins to be precise, Chen and myself. You gave me that necklace when I was 8 years old before you left for battle."
"No I am not Chinese, I am a Hun-"
"No baba, you are not a Hun. When you were captured they did something to you. If mama didn't come then the soldiers in your troop would be beheaded. But they couldn't kill you; you were an importance to them. I don't know what for but you are." Shang got up; he was about to say something when Di Ren came in.
"Shang, get ready. She will be executed in a little bit.
"Yes sir." Di Ren walked out and Shang walked to where Lian was now standing. Shang went to put her necklace on her, but Lian refused it.
"Keep it baba, it was yours until you gave it to me. NowI give it back to you. Remember me." Shang gave her a confused look, and watched Lian get up and take the necklace and put it around his neck.
"Baba, I forgive you. And I am proud to call you my father." He turned around and walked out.
Lian dropped to her knee and cried, She prayed to her ancestors. It was only a couple of minutes before she was to die. She started to sing to herself. Songs that her father had sang to her. She cried, but she knew she was doing what was right.
All hope was gone
Hard to hang on
Hard to be strong
Was blind, could not see
Nothing but walls in front of me and inside no peace
And the mountains seemed impossible to climb until...
You stood on the front lines
You led the way, out of the darkness
We didn't go astray
You were ready to die for our sake
And that takes a soldier's heart
Oceans so deep
Uphill so steep
But still we believe
And when the road was too far to travel
Heros you came and carried us there
And the mountains seemed impossible to climb until...
You stood on the front lines
You led the way, out of the darkness
We didn't go astray
You were ready to die for our sake
And that takes a soldier's heart
And so our flag was still there
All because you decided to care
You stood on the front lines
You led the way, out of the darkness
You could have let us go astray
You were ready to die for our sake
And that takes a soldier's heart
And that takes a soldier's heart
Shang couldn't understand what was going on. He was a Hun, not a Chinese General. He never had a family, nor a wife. But he had this feeling deep down inside him, that something that Lian was telling him was true. But he shook it off and went to eat and then went to talk to Di Ren.
"Its time. Go get the prisoner Shang." Shang nodded and left the tent, on his way to Lian's tent he heard a song that was very familiar. He remembered the song, but couldn't remember where he heard it.
He used to play in daddy's uniform
With the stripes across the sleeve
And he knew when he was all grown up
What he was gonna to be
He used to like to ambush every careless cat or dog
That had the nerve to cross the battle lines he had drawn
And even though he didn't know
What his dad was fighting for
He was proud to be the other little soldier
In this war
The phone rang in the middle of the night
When they called his dad to go
Kissed him and his mom goodbye
And said God I love you both
I know that it's a lot to ask of such a little man
But hold the fort and
I'll be home as quickly as I can
And even though he didn't know
What his dad was fighting for
He was proud to be the other little soldier
In this war
When he walked into the tent she stopped singing, she knew what he had come for… her. It was time.
"Where did you- how do you know that song?"
Lian looked up at him. "You taught me that song."
"We have to go." Lian nodded and got up.
"I'm ready."
Lian walked in front of him and out through the tent. She walked with dignity to her death. When she reached where they were going to execute her, she turned around, "Baba, please forgive me. I know understand the fight we had. War is not a game."
Shang remembered the fight they had months ago. When Lian was walking further to where she was going to be executed Shang grabbed her arm. Lian looked back. He pulled her into a hug and whispered. "I'm sorry Lian... I am so so sorry."
"It's alright baba. I will do what is needed. Please forgive me father. I know I didn't grow up to be the daughter you wanted-"
Shang pulled Lian's head from his shoulder so she was facing him. "Lian your mother was just like you. I have never been prouder. I swear I will get you out of this."
"No baba. Just get out of here.I came tobring you back home.If die thenI die with honor. I love you baba." Lian kissed his cheek and walked to he executioner. Lian kneeled down and was ready to die, until she heard a shout in the distance.
"No." she whispered. "It can't be."
It was Shen; he shot an arrow at Lian's executer and wounded him. He was running down the side of the hill with sward in hand.
"BABA DO SOMETHING!" Lian yelled before everything went black.