Blue Phoenix
Walking briskly through the halls, the guards snapped to attention at her presence. She could not be bothered to pay them any attention. If her lord has requested her presence, then she should not waste any time. Crossing the large courtyard, she ascended the long flight of steps, making her way into the palace. Finally reaching the great doors of the throne room. The guard by the door looked at her, and nodded, opening the doors for her.
"General Yu Lei Fong has arrived!"
She nodded in thanks to the guard, stepping into the grand hall. She did not stop to admire the lavish decorations, furniture or ornaments. She headed straight for the throne, where the stern face of her lord stared down at her. Reaching the bottom of the steps before the throne, she stopped. Swiping down her arms, like unrolling sleeves, she went down on her left knee, with her left hand balled into a fist, down on the floor. Her head bowed, and did not face her lord.
"General Yu, at your request, my lord."
Her lord stroked his chin. He knew of this particular general, and had requested of her capabilities multiple times. Her abilities were unquestionable, but there was something that had that made him think constantly.
"Tell me, general Yu. Why is it that i keep hearing about you letting your enemies get away?"
Her lord took a cup, and sipped carefully from it, putting it back onto the tray which a servant held.
"My lord, those that i have let escape are nothing more than mere civilians. They are not fighters, and will not pose a threat to your kingdom."
"Oh, but has the fact not occurred to you, that those that you call... civilians.... peasants, that they may one day rise up as soldiers? By letting them go, you have fuelled their desire for revenge, and giving the chance to do so."
"If such the case of these people arming themselves with swords, then my blade will cut them down as the enemy."
She said with completely no hesitation, but her heart wavered. It pained her to know such truth. Her lord knew, he always did, but he simply smiled.
"... Life is precious, Lei Fong. One should take pride that you are alive."
"...."
"What you did is not wrong. I will not condemn you, but rather you should be complemented on. You strive to act on your own judgement in this world of chaos."
"And for that, i apologize."
She lowered her head even lower. Her lord simply chuckled.
"I do not wish to hear an apology from you, my daughter. Though the blood that flows in you is not directly of my own, your spirit is more than enough proof to know that you are of my family."
She could hear the footsteps of her lord stepping down from the throne, and standing before her. His hands on her shoulders, he lifted her chin, letting her face him directly.
"You are beautiful, just like your mother. I'm sure Dun would agree, since he was closest to her."
"My lord-"
"There is no need for formalities when it is just us."
"... But this is the-"
"Bah, who cares. If it bothers you so, then come."
He walked off, with Lei Fong getting up and following him. He led her out of the room, and out to the garden. He sat down at a chair under the shade, gesturing her to join him. If there was one thing she knew, her lord was short and sometimes found it rather irritating. Even if she is young, she's about his height. Sitting down in the chair opposite him.
"Now, isn't this better? So tell me, Lei Fong, how is everything?"
"It's fine, father."
She had this conversation constantly for the past month already. Ever since her mother died, her lord had been all over her. As well as her two uncles.
"Your mother was a kind hearted woman, and it is a shame to see her daughter to be involved in the fighting."
"I do not mind, actually. Besides, uncle Dun has been teaching me some different fighting styles."
"Ah, Dun... Yes, i see. Well, seeing as how you are his sister's daughter, i guess he would feel obligated. Tell me, why did you choose me over him as your adoptive father?"
She had told him the answer before, but she guessed he was getting forgetful. When her mother died, her two uncles wanted to be her adoptive parent, or guardian. But she knew that there was someone who was a better candidate. Her mother's cousin, the great lord of Wei, Cao Cao. He may be a fierce general and leader, showing little remorse, but she knew he was very soft when facing his own family. Apparently, her mother was very well liked in the family.
"I did not want uncle Dun and uncle Yuan to be constantly bickering over being my guardian."
"Right..."
Cao Cao smiled, leaning back in his chair.
"I hate to ask this of you, but there is some place that i need you and your men to go. Wen Yuan and Pi will follow you."
Her eyebrow twitched slightly at that news. Zhang Liao, a fierce general who once served the great warrior Lu Bu, and Cao Cao's own son, Cao Pi, were to follow her? She knew that her biological cousin was slightly heartless when it came to dealing with civilians, and that she and him were constantly at odds with each other. Friendly rivalry, one could say, though Cao Cao would often use the term 'sibling rivalry'. She did not work well with the crown prince of Wei, and the other general was slightly intimidating, if not completely frightening.
"Go to Hu Liang, in Wu territory. There is something of great importance there. Wu and Shu should be fighting in the Luo Sheng plains, so you can expect little resistance."
"... The civilians?"
"Do as you wish. My son needs to learn that war is more than just simple numbers of soldiers."
Which he never learns. Lei Fong knew that Pi hated to learn things that did not suit to his methods. But an order is an order. She stood up, punching her left fist into the palm of her straightened right hand.
"As you command, my lord."
With that, she walked off before Cao Cao could correct her. With Lei Fong's figure too far for him to tell her to stop, Cao Cao sighed, leaning back in his chair.
"... She's tough to handle. Just like you, Hua Shen."
