Chapter 14 ~ War
"They are building a wall." The sentry said, having ridden out to the border between the Huns and China.
"What?" a diplomat asked, rising from his council seat.
"A wall. A wall of stone so thick that many people could walk shoulder to shoulder and not touch. It is tall as well, far taller than any wall has ever been built before." The sentry continued.
"Why are they building a wall?" a diplomat asked.
"There's more." The sentry said, earning a hush, "The wall is at least a hundred yards from the border. A hundred yards onto out land."
That earned outrage from all the councilmen. They argued and called for war. Shan Yu sat in one of the councilmen's chairs, silent. The Hun emperor sat in silent contemplation as well. "ENOUGH!" he called, bolting up and slamming his hands onto the table.
A hush fell. "What do you think Shan Yu? You are our military expert." The emperor said.
"To build a wall on our land without an agreement is an act of war." Shan Yu said plainly.
"I thought we were at peace. Shan Yu married that princess." A councilman said.
The entire room was shocked. None had dared mention Su Lin in front of Shan Yu. The Hun warrior rose from his chair. "She married me for peace." He said, his voice monotone. "She died. That peace we gained by our marriage became null and void when the Emperor began building that wall."
The councilmen agreed and soon the Huns were at war. There were small skirmishes along the borders while the wall was being built. These skirmishes earned Shan Yu his reputation as a fearless, blood-thirsty, merciless man. No Chinese soldier or general could figure where his rage stemmed from, but his men knew. None knew better than Peng, Lan's husband. The archer had ridden through thick and thin with Shan Yu and could tell the man's heart was black. Weather it was black from rage or sorrow, he could not tell. How often those two emotions went hand in hand. He had also heard from Lan that Su Lin was pregnant. That added another shade of black to Shan Yu's heart.
Shan Yu felt himself change but did nothing to stop himself. The thing that he had loved and adored was gone. Now, her people dared to try and block his people off their land? That would not stand. It wasn't just a war for land. For Shan Yu, it was a war for Su Lin. She had wanted peace between the two peoples but her father dishonored herself and her death by building that wall. If she had been alive… No, she was gone. Shan Yu knew nothing would make the hurt in his heart go away so he filled the gapping void with blood and hate for the Chinese and their army. He would clasp her wolf tooth necklace, thinking of her before he mounted up and cut down her people. His thoughts were almost always of her.
[AN: Insert movie here.]
The End
[AN: There will be a two-shot follow up to this little story. You don't have to read it but it does give Shan Yu a happy ending. If you do, enjoy. If not, happy FanFiction-ing (and yes, this is a word). ~Cosmic Horse.]