Chapter Forty: Introductions

Entrances include the warriors of the Ma Clan, as well as the reappearance of a certain young Wei officer.

For many a great warrior, the spear was a favorite weapon of choice. Its significant length provided excellent range and reach, an advantage only amplified during mounted dueling. Yet at the same time, it was also simultaneously light enough to foil a nimble sword and strong enough to counter an unwieldy halberd. Lastly, in the event that should the spearhead itself be somehow thwarted, the pole could still be used to deal the decisive blow in a match.

But for twenty-one-year-old Ma Chao of Xiliang, his Stallion Fury was more than just a mere weapon. It was a part of his own body. It moved with a lethal grace, the slender, serpentine shaft arching through the air as if by an extension of its master's will. It danced and twisted in combat, thrusting forward, whirling back, soaring up and spinning three-hundred-and-sixty-degrees in flight at a speed that was at once breathtaking and dizzying to behold. Its sharp iron tip glinted in the sunlight with a surreal beauty—surreal and sinister, for each half-moon drawn by that silvery blade meant certain death for a felled opponent.

Or it would have, had Ma Chao's strike not been countered by an unusually brave sparring partner: a young woman, no older than twenty, wearing a blue-feathered tiara in her jet ponytail and a steel-gray armor tailored especially for her athletic but still slim build. She was not particularly beautiful, but her features—razor cheekbones, proudly chiseled nose, and strong, dark brows—were set in such a way so as to render her face quite striking to the eye.

That same striking face was now curving its shell-pink mouth in a smirk at the temporarily bested Horse General.

"Show off!" Ma Yun Lu(1) sang out, partly out of annoyance at her brother's fancy moves, partly to provoke the admittedly hot-tempered warrior.

With an agility that almost rivaled the Stallion Fury's effortless movements, she leapt back and raised her own spear in an offensive stance.

"Well?" She cocked an eyebrow, as if to goad on her adversary.

"That was good." Said with just a tinge of grudging admiration.

Ma Yun Lu grinned upon hearing those satisfying three words, while her aforementioned adversary stepped back and took some time to shoulder off his soaked black fighting robe and run a hand across his sweaty forehead. These particular actions only made the youngest of the Ma Clan roll her almond eyes heavenward, before she eased out of her stance in order to taunt, "Hn! They may not call me 'Splendid,' but at least I don't need to take my shirt off every time I fight!"

Ma Chao glared at his nineteen-year-old sister. His very outspoken, nineteen-year-old sister. Still, the girl did have a natural talent for spearmanship…although in this particular instance, she'd lowered her guard just long enough for her brother to take revenge.

In a flash, he had closed the gap between himself and his gloating sister. Before the startled Ma Yun Lu had time to execute a second counter, the cold iron head of the Stallion Fury was pointing straight at the heart of her gleaming breastplate.

"Give up?" A smug quirking of Ma Chao's upper lip was the only indication of how much he was truly enjoying this victory.

"Fine, fine," Ma Yun Lu grumbled, letting her own weapon clatter to the ground as a gesture of surrender.

However, as soon as her brother had retracted his spear, she wasted no time in biting back under her breath, "Although you could have chosen a more decent area to point that thing at!"

Now it was Ma Chao's turn to roll his eyes, until the sight of his cousin Ma Dai changed the retort already on his lips into a greeting instead.

"Is something the matter?" the handsome young lord of Xiliang asked. "You look troubled."

Ma Dai slowly shook his head to deny any distressing notions, but the look in his eyes betrayed him as he reported, "It's Zhang Lu, Cousin. He wants to speak to you—at once."

The friendly look on Ma Chao's face was immediately extinguished by a scowl, as he narrowed his eyes and scoffed, "Doesn't the old fool have enough courtiers to feed his ego? Is he now planning to train me to spout off pretty lies on cue?"

"You should be one to talk about egos." Ma Yun Lu walked up to her two kinsmen, and continued her teasing: "Considering your own giggly little worshippers!"

She then pursed her lips in a girlish pout and proceeded to imitate in an exaggerated, high-pitched squeal, "Oh, Lord Mengqi, what strong arms you have! Oh, General Ma, what manly hands you have! You're our splendid hero! Tee hee hee."

Both males chose to ignore her comments, although the elder of the two did send his sister an annoyed glare for her troubles. His cousin intercepted the look, and hastened to continue before yet another sibling spat could break out.

"No, it's not that," Ma Dai said reassuringly. "I think Zhang Lu's worried about a possible invasion of Hanzhong, supposedly coming from the Southeast. In either case, he wants to speak to you, Cousin. Immediately."

Ma Chao sighed, before reluctantly nodding and setting off in the direction of Zhang Lu's ornate—unnecessarily ornate—castle, throwing on a fresh silk robe as he did so.

"Which invading warlord does the old fool want me to fight off now?" he wondered, a hint of scorn coloring his voice.

"Can't be Cao Cao," he heard his sister's voice faintly, and rather cheekily, call out after him. "Bastard's too busy publicizing some wedding extravaganza and fawning over the bride to worry about expanding his territory!"

Black. Murky. Endless. Completely, utterly, and thoroughly nauseating…

A string of adjectives ran through Xi Tian's mind as she looked down at the medicine bowl in her hands with unconcealed distaste.

"I'm feeling sick just being near this thing," she declared, tentatively sniffing at the thick, dark liquid before wrinkling her nose and making a sour face.

"It's what's keeping me alive, child," Lord Xi replied benevolently from his seat on a brocade-upholstered divan. "At least until I can see my Little Treasure get married to her gallant officer."

Xi Tian's frown deepened upon hearing those words, before she bent her head and scooped up some medicine.

"Don't say that, Papa," she pleaded, as the old gentleman obediently took the spoonful of pungent brew that she held out at him. "You're going to get better. Dr. Hua is the most famous physician in the country."

Lord Xi took the white-and-blue china bowl from his daughter, and swallowed the rest of the medicine in a series of small, continuous gulps.

"Right now, I believe only Heaven's own physicians will be able to cure me of this consumption," he remarked without bitterness, as his daughter moved next to him and used a new lotus-pink handkerchief to dab at the tiny drops of tonic that had trickled down his jaw.

Xi Tian's eyes widened at this gloomy statement, but before she could speak, Yinchun's voice drifted in sweetly from the front doors: "The Jiang family is here."

Lord Xi broke into a smile when he heard that welcome announcement, although his daughter's lightning frown told an entirely different story. In his eagerness to receive his future in-laws, however, the devoted father failed to notice such a reaction, as he instead chided Yinchun in a gentle tone, "Why, don't be a silly girl, and let them in, of course."

Turning to Xi Tian, the snow-haired nobleman happily clasped her hand and instructed, "We must welcome them at once."

With that, he gave a little squeeze, before letting go to stand up and head for the doors, as if fearing that Yinchun couldn't usher in the Jiangs fast enough.

Xi Tian was left behind on the gold brocade divan, clutching her handkerchief to her lap and wearing an unreadable look in her normally artless eyes. Despite her father's words, she found that she couldn't move a muscle, and instead simply continued sitting where she was, frozen in place and vaguely hearing the greetings and small talk that floated in from the halls.

It was only when Jiang Wei's voice spoke up, softly yet nevertheless distinct, that realization suddenly hit her like a thunderclap: Her future husband was somewhere just outside this very room.

"…Oh, but where is that mischievous child?"

Hazily, Xi Tian caught her father's laughing words, and she knew it wouldn't be long before she would have to face that young general she'd heard so much about.

As if right on cue, Firelight stepped inside in a busy flurry of red silk and raven braids. A bright smile dimpled her rosy cheeks, as she darted across the room towards her mistress and grasped the latter's hand.

"Hurry, Miss Xi Tian," the spirited handmaid sang out laughingly. "You have to meet General Jiang!"

Xi Tian tried, and failed, to imitate the young girl's merry mood.

"I don't think I'm quite ready yet," she stammered weakly, but Firelight, heedless of her protest, was already dragging her out the doors.

Xi Tian caught a brief glimpse of ornate mahogany furniture and rich silk portieres along the way, before she was finally propelled into the room where her future husband awaited her. As for Firelight, the handmaid managed to contain her excitement enough to slow down to a more ladylike pace upon entering the chambers, so that its occupants carried on their conversation unaware of their new guests. For the two girls' part, they could briefly observe said occupants unnoticed.

"There he is," Firelight whispered girlishly, and Xi Tian's eyes followed in the direction she was pointing at. "Oh, Miss Xi Tian, isn't he so handsome?"

"The handsomest," Xi Tian obligingly whispered back, although in truth she really couldn't say: the young man who'd so impressed her family was currently seated at such an angle that only a narrow portion of his profile was visible to her.

This problem was resolved as soon as Lord Xi sensed two new presences in the room. The feeble gentleman glanced up, and had no trouble identifying his daughter and her handmaid lingering by the entrance. His face immediately lit up with a fond smile, and he set down his teacup to greet them.

"After all these years, Daughter, you are still finding it difficult to be on time every now and then," he chided affectionately, straining to stand up and leaning heavily on his cane.

Jiang Wei hastened to reach forward and help support the old aristocrat, while the boy's plump, kindly mother turned around to welcome her future daughter-in-law.

"Come on in," the middle-aged woman invited cheerfully. "No need to be shy here; we're all going to be family very soon."

Firelight accepted the invitation and eagerly sashayed inside. Xi Tian, however, found herself suddenly as immobile as if she had been carved out of marble. She stood rooted to her place, a pretty statue with golden eyes lowered steadfastly to the ground so that she wouldn't have to look at anybody in the face.

"Tian Tian," Lord Xi called encouragingly, but the nickname that would have usually brought a grin upon its wearer's lips now seemed to bounce uselessly off of her.

Her father, however, understood—or at least thought he understood. He made a quick gesture at Firelight, and the crimson-clad handmaid obediently scurried over to her mistress.

"Let's go, Miss Xi Tian," she beamed, and began leading her by hand into the room.

Xi Tian at last entered, slowly but without protest, all the while keeping her eyes fixed on the floor. It was an action founded on hopes of avoiding having to look at the young man who'd been the reason behind stealing her away from Zhao Yun, but one which the others mistook for simple modesty.

Yet Xi Tian also knew that she couldn't evade Jiang Wei forever. When she finally saw the dark green silk of his clothes before her, heard the faint metallic rustling of his armor, she knew that she would have to raise her head…and at last meet his eyes.

Amah and Firelight had been right.

General Jiang Wei of Tianshui was, indeed, very handsome…

…Because he looked almost exactly like a younger version of Zhao Yun.

It was all there—the soft dark eyes, the sculpted features, the boyish smile…Even his hair, different though it may be in color, was pulled back into a long ponytail not terribly unlike Zilong's.

The irony of the situation was not lost on Xi Tian. She had been taken from Zhao Yun's side, so that she might marry his younger Wei counterpart.

But she smartly kept that thought, amongst others, to herself, and when she heard his voice speak her name, she responded with the appropriate acknowledgement. And, because everyone else in the room would be watching her next step, Xi Tian raised her eyes at Jiang Wei and demurely curved her lips into a smile.

1. In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms IX game, Ma Yun Lu is the fictional sister of Ma Chao. However, since I've never played it, the only thing that this story's Ma Yun Lu will have in common with the ROTK IX Ma Yun Lu will be her looks and her name (I've got a link to her portrait in my profile page, if anybody's interested in taking a peek). Everything else about Ma Chao's little sister—weapon, personality, relationships with others, etc.—I'm basically making up as I go along.