The Distant Shores of China

Chapter 3: The Battle of the Huns

So, here we are at the battle. Hope you enjoy! This chapter has violence in it, but bear with me, because this story IS rated T.

OOXO

As screams were heard from the village square, Merida and Rapunzel rounded the corner, just in time to see a young man, who they both assumed to be Li-Shang, with Mulan, who looked to be around the same age, fighting against horrid-looking men, who were armed with swords and bows. As one of them spotted the two princesses, he quickly fired an arrow in their direction. Barely managing to duck behind a building, Rapunzel readied her frying pan, thinking of using it as a shield. Of course, Merida had quickly gotten to work firing her own arrows, watching, with satisfaction, as they all met their marks, but more just kept coming. That's when Eugene and King Markus burst into the square, all armed with swords. Eugene managed to sneak up behind one of the Huns, and hit him upside the head with the hilt of his sword.

"Charge!" Yao yelled, running toward a particularly big Hun, with Ling and Chien-Po following close behind.

"Mulan, look out!" the strange man yelled, pushing her out of the way of an incoming blade, which he promptly swiped aside, only to be met with a side-stroke from the left, slicing across his arm. Crying in pain, the man tried to defend himself, only to be knocked to the ground. Before the Hun could finish him off, Mulan descended on him, swiping his legs out from under him, then promptly stabbing him in the heart.

"Incoming!" Chien-Po yelled, knocking into another Hun, who didn't stand a chance against the burly Chinese man.

As Rapunzel and Merida jumped into the fray, Mushu and Cri-Kee quietly snuck up on a Hun intent on killing the king. With a battle cry, Cri-Kee managed to execute a daring leap onto the Hun's face, while Mushu burnt his heel. Crying out in pain, dancing on his other foot, the Hun quickly met with Rapunzel's frying pan, which mercilessly smacked his face, knocking him out.

"Come here, you little brat!" a skinny Hun yelled, trying to stab Merida, who kept leaping and twisting out of the way of his blows.

What the Hun didn't expect were Merida's brothers to leap onto his back, with him stumbling back in shock. That's when Maximus, the captain of the soldiers of Corona, who also happened to be a horse, raced up and head-butted the Hun, who fell back, with a dazed look on his face. As the boys cheered in triumph, they were picked up by the backs of their shirts by another Hun.

"Well, well, well, what daring little brats do we have here?"

Maximus was about to charge again when several Huns held him back, with the horse kicking in protest. Before the Hun could do any harm to the boys, Fergus grabbed the Hun by his neck and growled,

"I suggest that you put my sons down, because you really don't want me to squeeze."

After making sure that the Hun gently set his boys down, Fergus smacked him into the fountain. As Maximus finally managed to kick the Huns who were holding him, Khan raced into the courtyard, stamping down several Huns, with Mushu and Cri-Kee yelling war whoops, as they raced around the fountain.

Meanwhile, Yao, Ling, Chien-Po, and Li-Shang, were being surrounded on all sides by the enemy. However, they did not see Rapunzel climb up a nearby roof. Using her hair as a rope, she threw it toward a nearby beam. Making sure it was steady, she jumped, kicking the face of the first Hun in her way, hard. As she knocked him to the ground, she managed to swing to an opposite roof, where the Huns were now preparing to fire at her. However, King Markus raced into their midst, hacking and slashing, to create just enough of a diversion for Rapunzel to swing again, kicking both of her feet into the fray, knocking the Huns to the ground. As Rapunzel folded her arms in satisfaction, a Hun knocked down her father and swung her across his shoulder.

"Well, aren't you the prettiest maiden I've ever seen? I think that you're a keeper."

As Rapunzel was being carried away, Eugene charged into the square with all the ruffians of the Snuggly Duckling, who struck fear in the hearts of their enemies. Using this as an opportunity, Rapunzel slammed her arms into her captor's back, causing him to lurch forward, where she promptly delivered a swift kick to his face. Growling, the Hun was just about to draw his sword when Rapunzel delivered a whack to his face with her frying pan.

As this was occurring, Merida and Mulan were back-to-back, watching as a couple enemies crept toward them.

"I'll take the clumsy-looking one, you distract the other," Mulan commanded, striking a fighting pose.

Shrugging, Merida wrapped her hand around her bow, ready to draw it out at a moment's notice. As the Hun drew out a couple of deadly-looking knives, Merida asked,

"You sure you want to try that?"

"Like a little girl is going to stop me."

With a swift kick, the Hun knocked the bow out of Merida's hands. Reflexes kicking in, Merida dodged the slices made by her attacker, who growled in annoyance, wondering how she could be so fast. Unfortunately, one of the knives met its target, slicing into Merida's shoulder. Gasping in pain, Merida had to avoid getting beheaded, as she flipped to the right, where her bow lay. However, before she could grab it, another Hun picked it up, saying,

"Looking for this?"

Before any of them could react, Yao put the Hun holding Merida's bow in a headlock, while Ling kicked the other into a building, before jabbing his sword into the Hun's heart. Quickly grabbing her bow, Merida fired her last arrow into the last Hun's heart.

As the battle ended, Eugene went to check for anyone who had injuries. The only ones who really needed attending were Li-Shang and Merida, who both had been slashed with knives.

"You alright, lass?" Fergus asked in concern, as he saw the blood drip out of the wound on his daughter's shoulder.

"I'm fine, Dad, it's just a scratch. He looks like he needs more attention than I do," Merida replied, pointing to Li-Shang, who was already being bandaged by Eugene, with Mulan watching in concern.

As they were all led back to the castle, Merida began to wonder if the situation was worse than she had imagined. Only time would tell, and tell it definitely would.

OOXO

So, was this chapter fast-paced enough for you guys? Whatever you thought of this chapter, I hope that you keep reading, because I'll get to China later on.