Adventures of a Young Warrior
I don't own DW/ROTK or its characters
A/N- Thanks for the reviews, and for reading this story so far, this is an pretty important chapter though, but also the last prewar chapter, the next chapter will begin the battle with Zhuo, and our main character is not going to do anything like take Lu Bu down with a single hit or anything else really big, right now he is just a simple commander in Sun Jian's force, question is, will he stay there and will he be around to see the next phase of this era. Now please review, it helps me a lot when I am working on this story, even if you don't really have much to say. thank you.
Lu Tan rolled out of his bed, it had been a long couple of years since his involvement with the army, since then he had spent the life of a simple man again. It was not always so hard, but for some reason after the victory over some local rebels who challenged the Han. It was not much of a battle in fact it had only lasted for 50 days. He did not even get to see any action just patrol duty during the time. After the uprising there was a large cut back on active officers, and he just happened to be one of the first to get cut, do mostly to his age, and commoner status.
His mind almost laughed at this thought, as he walked down the quiet street of the temporary new home town. He was given a house in town by the people once they had heard about what had happened to his home town. The town was like his old home town small in scale, but great in heart. The difference being that when this town heard about the Yellow Turbans, everyone who could hold a stick went to go off and fight for Sun Jian. Now that the fighting was over, with some of the towns brave not coming back, the town planed a monument to them in the market. The town biggest buildings were located there, and it was the place where people would gather to hear news of the outside world, well all of the official news anyway. From that news one would think that the empire was back to its old great self again. Nothing could however be father from the truth. He had received Letters on regular bases from Zi Xan, and from other sub commander show he had meet during his short time in the Jian's army. They told tells of killings that were going on in the capital, of poisonings of Ladies, and the murder of men. Things were no where near as good as they seemed.
He even once read in one of the leaders that all of the lesser officers who worked in the war, were not given any office of meaning. It did not take him long to figure that the Han would still be ruled by the same elitist that ruled it for at least the last 100 years. He normally would see Zi Xan every once in a while, and talk about the Han, and sometimes the talk would get onto the issue of rather the Han had passed it time. Tan, a firm support would always agree for it, and Xan would always talk the other side. They both agreed that there need to be a great hero to save the Han, and keep it from falling a part, and they both also agreed that person was not He Jin who had been killed, and not Zhuo who had just came into power not to long after. He would also tell Tan the new about Xei, who was now a proper lady, and married to the older brother of Lord Zhou Fan of Jing. Tan smiled when he heard about this new, because he knew that even when the world seemed so pointless, that at least someone was able to rise to a new level. Also over the time he had been back he began to feel like he was a part of the Zi clan. In fact he was adopted by Zi Xan not long after he was forced of the military. Since time they had act pretty much as father and son.
Tan cleared up his mind as he walked throw the nice, but simple gates that lead to Zi Xan's home. It was a nice house, maybe the nicest in town, but it was nothing compared to that of Sun Jian, or more then likely any of the generals who lived near Jian. It was a somewhat large building with a nice kitchen, living room, library, and 4 bedrooms, and fancy bathroom in one area. The walls were all in a light blue, and gold, and in the living room were relics from the battles he had been in over Xan's whole life. He walked up to the door where a old woman was standing, she happened to be Xan's only servant named Lady Zhu. Tan had no clue of her first name, mostly cause she would never say it. She was a short old lady, who if in the wrong mode was quite scary.
"Well, the young master has come, took you long enough, Lord Zi expected you almost half a hour ago, whatever, go inside, I am sure you will find him waiting," Lady Zhu said in a not to happy mood.
"Well thank you ma'am," Tan said bowing quickly wanting to get away from the mad woman as fast as possible.
He entered the room and bowed before Zi Xan who in return gave him a hug, "Well my son, how are things at your end of town."
Tan gave a small smirk, thinking about just how boring things always were, and how he already knew Xan already knew this. "Well I think they got a new type of fruit in this week, they think it may taste better then the ones they were selling last week," Tan said mocking excitement in his voice.
"Well you should of seen the shock when the lowered the cost of pots, I though we were going right back to the warring states era with that riot," Xan said with a laugh.
Tan took a seat on one of the mats that was lying on the floor, now, Tan smiled at the still somewhat angry servant, who put the tea on the nearby table, before leaving.
"Well what is with her today, seems like shi is in a worse mode then normal," Tan said looking at Xan with a curious look.
"Well you know Zhu, and despite what you might think she actually has high hopes, but I think your lateness bothered her, you know that woman is always on time," Xan replied.
"Yes, I have to say, I had no clue, well, I will try to remember that next time."
"Well did you ever finish those last transcripts I sent you, I have to say the ideas of the northerners are quite interesting, there tactics and ideas so different, some time I wonder how we would do if we to fight them, or the Riverlands to the west. Let me tell you, I have been there many of time during my career, and it is not the backward place people make it out to be. In fact I think it has a lot of promise, and a area that could come to life in chaos, which I hope is sometime in the far future."
A bit later at the door to the house a tall man with long dark hair that flowed freely over his shoulder walked up to the door, and into the house. At one glance at his uniform both Xan, and Tan knew who he was.
"Well what does Sun Jian need from us, neither of us is in the army any more," Xan said looking at the messenger.
"I am here for Lu Tan, my master, Sun Jian, is calling forward and requesting you to join his army to get rid of a new threat to the land, you will be in the force that will head to the capital, and will work to restore the Han to its old glory, " the messenger replied.
"Well I will be going with you, but please give me time to gather my stuff, I will meet you at the edge of town in a hour," Tan replied to the messenger before the messenger left the house.
"Well I guess things in the Capital have gotten worse," Xan said, looking at Tan, "Well I think I have a few things I need to give you before you go."
Xan then left out of sight, leaving Tan to wonder what he was up to. Seconds later Xan returned to the room holding a large box, placing it on the table.
"This is from a father to his son, to make sure he come back in one piece," Xan said opening the box.
Inside was an war sword, and also a suit of battle armor. Lu Tan looked a bit shocked when he saw this, "What is stuff, he asked looking confused.
"Well remember I was in wars long before you were born, this sword was what I used in those wars, given to me personally by Ma Su (father of Teng, grandfather of Chao), and the armor was I was given when I became a commander of the Han forces. Now I wish for you to have it, and use it to it best, and I am sure you will add more glory to these weapons then I did."
Lu Tan bowed before Xan, "I am not worthy of being the son of such a great man, I promise I will work to live up your honorable ideas of me."
"I have no doubt in my mind that you will, now just be careful, and if we are not to see each other in this life, well let me tell you, having you as a son is the greatest honor I have had."