(27) Shot

Da held her dress, watching as Ce hoisted himself up on the horse. He looked back at her, with that cocky grin of his, and tipped his hat at her. She wiped away a tear, and he turned his horse. She tried to stay calm, to be collected and supportive. He was doing this for her, he said. But she couldn't help it. She dashed forward, yelling "Ce! Ce Promise me one more time! You'll come home!" He looked over his shoulder, and smiled at her.

"Of course I am Da," he stilled his horse.

She ran to his side. "Say it."

"I promise Da. I promise I'll come home." He caressed her cheek before straightening his coat and the bandanna around his neck. "I love you Da. I wouldn't just leave you. I'll take care of that scoundrel, and come back."

"Be sure that you do," a sultry voice said, and both of their heads turned to see Ji, Da's half sister, though nobody would know looking. Da and Ji looked the same, obviously gaining their looks from their mother. It was Xiao, the youngest, who had resembled Lady Qiao's husband. "I won't forgive you if you hurt my sisters." Looking at Zhen Ji that would mean nothing. She was a curvy, sultry woman who had men lining up at the door. But Ce knew her. She wielded a shot gun like a man, and slapped like girl. Her threats were to be taken seriously. Since she was around, it was slightly curious that Xiao wasn't.

Ji read his thoughts. "She is currently stalking Yu to make sure he doesn't leave her and follow you." Ce grinned. "You realize what you are getting to, don't you?"

"Yes, Ji. I know what I'm doing. I'm not as stupid as you seem to like to think."

"When to two men meet, only one can return," she stated almost cryptically. Da sniffed behind Ce, trying not to cry.

"I know," he sighed.

"Good. Then go. Your lingering is not helping her any. Off with you." He tipped his hat at her, looked once more, longingly at Da before digging his heels in and his horse raced off. Ji watched him go, before walking out and hugging Da.

"Why does he have to go?"

"Because he is going to make the world safe for you, and eventually your kids," Jii mumbled into her hair.

"But… I just want him."

"Men don't seem to realize that honey." Ji gave a bitter laugh. "But you should be fine dearest. What do I always say?"

"There are only two types of men," Da recited, "the deadly and the dead."

"While I do not entirely approve of Ce, he is a deadly man. He will reach his goal. He is as stubborn as he is foolish. Now, cheer up. You need to keep everything at its best, and be a dutiful woman. Be here and ready to awe and coo over him when he returns. So stop those tears, dearest. Come on. First we must save Yu, and then you need to cheer up. Xiao is good at that." Ji gently lead Da away, only once looking over her shoulder towards the way Ce went.

Xiao sighed when she saw Da sitting beside the window, staring off towards the north. It had been a month since Ce had rode off after the bad guy. Even Yu had started admitting something might have gone wrong. He had even rode off to look for Ce, much to her dismay. Xiao ran her hand through her blonde hair, quickly moving to sit next to Da. "Sis," she whined, holding her hand. Da turned to look at her. "C'mon. Let's go into town, kay? Ji planned on going in anyway. Let's go."

"Alright, Xiao," Da gave in.

"You need to get dressed! We'll find you something pretty to wear." Xiao dragged her back towards her room, her fake smile almost looking real. Ji sat in the kitchen, watching them run up the stairs. She had been their legal guardian for two years, since their father had died. Xiao still didn't like her all too much, but things weren't as bumpy as they were in the start. Ji sighed and pushed her dark hair back. Apparently she was going into town.

Da let Xiao drag her all around town, looking at finery and pretty dresses. Ji said she had business in the bar and had left. But Da just couldn't bring herself to really care about the dresses and jewels. Neither could Xiao, though, Da thought. Her happy-go-lucky was just an act. Da wondered how much Xiao believed it though. Shaking her head, and fixing her hat before it fell, Da followed after her as Xiao made her way to a stand. Neither of them realized they were across from the slaving sale until they heard the bidding. They both turned to see the group of people crowded around the stand.

The slave chained on the stand was sold, and guided none too gently off. Da couldn't hide her hatred when the man got up on the stage next, grinning broadly and proudly as he looked down at the crowd. "Next up is our northern slaves. We picked these ones over nicely you see. Traveled the countryside to find the special people. Though unused to such fine climate as this, they are hardy folk who will work well. First up is…" Da didn't hear the rest. She turned to look at Xiao, who was trying hard to ignore the slave traders before walking over towards one of the 'guards' on the side. He saw her coming, and the lusty grin on his face was enough to make Da want to turn around and run.

"Excuse me sir," Da asked, giving a curtsy before continuing. "I heard you had been up north."

"Aye," the man said, still eyeing her form.

"I was hoping you could tell me if the bandit, Zhang Jiao was still around?"

"That old fool? Naw, killed not too long ago. Justice finally caught up with him. Bravest man to face him made his way up, and the law rang out, they say."

"The only law he knew was that of a gun," Da said slowly, reciting the saying that came with Zhang Jiao.

"Aye. That old cook and his cult are gone," the man chuckled, puffing out his chest in a manly sort of way. But Da paid him no mind. Ce had done it, she thought. Ce had killed the bandit!

"That man who killed him-"

"Nobody knows who done it," the man sighed.

"Excuse me?"

"Yeah, ain't nobody heard word of who done it. Lots o' people claiming to have though. Had a slave in saying he had been shot while shooting Zhang Jiao, but I ain't believing it."

"You found a man… what did he look like?" Da asked, feeling out of breath as she wrung her gloved hands.

"Eh," the slaver shrugged, glaring down at her now, "brown hair, brown eyes, brown skin."

"Did he have a goatee?" she pleaded.

"I guess." He gave another shrug.

"Is he here?" She tried to look passed him.

"Naw ma'am, sold 'em already."

"… Oh," Da's shoulders slumped before she looked back up to him, "was another man with him?"

"Naw. Found him alone in the plains. Now ma'am, I've got work to do. Begone with ye." Da glared up at him, before turning haughtily and almost running into Xiao. The look on her face told Da she had heard enough to know what had happened. Grabbing her hand, Da and her raced towards the bar to find Ji.

(28)Found

Ce could only sigh as they came upon the ruins. Pulling himself up and over the edge of the cliff he gave a deep, pointless laugh. Beneath him, his other adventurers grunted, one smacking his leg. "Move, idiot," the man said, and Ce laughed again. Standing up, he slowly walked towards the wall that had once been an unbreakable wall. The other three stood behind him, staring at the ruins with as much awe as him.

"This is it," one said, stumbling past a dead tree to stare up at the crumbling wall and the arch where a great door had once stood.

"I bet it was easier getting down," Ce said with a groan, rolling his shoulder.

"They probably had a trail then," the third agreed.

"Well, c'mon Yu, Ci," Ce rushed passed them and through the arch. "I can't believe we really found it." Inside, the ruins were as bad as the wall. Under the setting sun they turned a cold blue, the dead branches of trees reaching for the blood red sky. The first building was tall, taller then what was left of the wall, and the top was a dome.

"This was the ceremonial spot for the King to greet his royal guests," Yu stated in awe, gently resting his palm on one of the pillars, the dead vine wrapped around it turning to dust.

"The whole town is here," Ci mumbled, hand resting on his large sword as he looked around. "Anything could be living here now, and it will take us ages to look through it all. We don't have enough food do we?"

"Not really," Ce sighed, scratching the back of his neck.

"But we know where it is now. We can return. The town isn't that far," he mumbled at the end.

"But the climb is a killer," Ce finished for him.

"It does explain why they were never defeated in battle. One trail up, heavily watched no doubt. No army could easily make its way up here. Though the trail is gone now."

"It's been years, weather got rid of it," Yu groaned. Ce laughed at them both, and slowly made his way forward.

"Let's find the castle. We'll look in there. Best stuff must be there right? There or the temple," he said, coming to a stop with that thought.

`"We can split up, and meet back here," Yu said, walking beside him. "Ci and I shall check the temple, and you can take the castle. Ci is just as good as you, so you don't need him. And I know you've always wanted to check the castle for the sleeping princess."

"It's just a story," Ci sighed with a roll of his hazel eyes.

"I know it is," Ce mumbled, turning to look at the beautiful castle towers. "But every man has to have his own little dreams right? That is why all of us are here."

"So you're going to crush your dream by proving it is just a story?"

"It all comes to an end," Ce shrugged with a goofy grin. "Alright. Meet back here when the moon is at its peak?"

"Then we'll get some sleep, and finish up tomorrow." Yu nodded. They clasped hands, and then parted. Ce almost ran toward the steps that led to the main door. Rushing up them, he stopped at the wooden doors. One was barely holding on to its hinges, the other was gone. Turning, his back to the setting sun, he could see the entire town. The temple was to his right, the white stone gold and blue with the light. Pushing his shaggy brown hair back, he turned to face the castle.

Ci had been right; anything could be in the town, waiting to attack them. But Ce knew he needed to do this alone. This had been his dream since his mother had told him the stories. The princess of the invincible kingdom sleeping soundly in the castle, shielded by their God for protection. It was a fairytale, and deep in his heart Ce knew it. But he was going to live it. He was going to find her. Grinning again like a fool, he stepped around the door and into the castle. He had to find her tonight, if he wanted to be alone. The Temple was smaller then the castle and they would probably finish. Tomorrow all three of them would be in the castle searching.

If everything he knew was true, her room was in the upper chambers. Using the map in his memory, he started racing through the halls and up the stairs. He couldn't resist stopping to look in the throne room, taking a few moments to sit in the king's chair. But he tried not to get too distracted with the ruins, and forbid himself from looking in closed rooms. Reaching the room he knew to be it, if the stories and rumors were true of course, he stopped to admire the door. It was still standing, though warped and cracked. The hinges were rusty, probably only barely holding on. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he closed his eyes, and gently pushed open the door.

Opening his eyes, he gasped. The room was marvelous, and unchanged from the stories. The furniture was crafted elegantly, and of the finest wood. The lamps flickered, and the doors to the balcony were closed, the glass perfectly intact. A sheer veil covered the bed, but a form could be made out. His heart missed a beat. Wiping away the sweat on his brow, Ce slowly stepped towards the veil. Could it be? Was it the princess? Were the stories true? How could she be here? Ce forgot how to breathe as he stood before the veil. With a flick of his wrist, the veil was gone.

The girl in the bed was undoubtedly beautiful, her features serene as she lay in the bed. Her dark golden hair looking like a halo. Her skin porcelain, cheeks rosy, and lips parted in the most innocent of manners. Ce tried to breathe, tried to think as he looked down at her. The only thing that got him moving was the way the charm around his neck started to burn his chest. Somebody was casting magic. Spinning around, he barely had time to get up a decent shield. It shattered, and he felt his inside burning with pain as he stumbled back. He fell back on the bed, the veil falling on him. His necklace was stinging again.

Kicking away the veil, he rolled behind the bed and pulled out his sword. He preferred his spear, or tonfas, but he was darn good with a sword. The spell never came. Of course, he thought. They didn't want to hurt the princess. Calming his breaths, he created a shield, somewhat better then the last as he didn't learn much magic, and stood to face his opponent. He was shocked to see a woman no bigger then the princess in bed. Her hair dark pulled back in a bun the bangs framing her face in an elegant manner. She held herself regally, her pale skin glowing in the moonlight from the balcony.

"You will remove yourself from the castle grounds, retrieve your friends from the temple, and leave the Kingdom," she demanded, her voice almost ethereal.

"Two people survived?" Ce mumbled.

Her dark eyes narrowed dangerously, "I will not repeat myself, you fiend. Leave now." Ce fumbled for some words, eyes briefly falling onto the princess. It was in the mirror on her nightstand that Ce saw the new threat. Spinning around, he saw the five mean break through the balcony doors and attack with their own blades. The small woman screamed in outrage, and the necklace against his chest told Ce she was making one heck of a spell. Raising his blade, Ce blocked a sword and rammed forward. Twisting around, he slashed at another man, and stabbed for the third. The man getting up from the fall met the sole of his foot, and when Ce stood up again, he saw the last two men jumping off the balcony in flames. He looked back to the woman to see her cradling the princess. She watched him with dangerous eyes, her hand glowing with another spell.

Ce briefly wondered how many she could throw at him, or enemies, before she would pass out from the strain. She watched as he wiped the blood off his blade, eyes narrowing again. "They were not with you?" she asked.

"No ma'am…" he said slowly, staring at the bodies turned to dust. What a curse, he thought, and a safety precaution.

"They came in with you, and followed you up," she said, gently moving some of the princess's hair. "But it matters not. What I said still stands. You will leave these grounds, alone or not."

Ce turned to fully face her, comforted by the fact that the necklace wasn't burning. "I will leave? So you may sit in here alone under whatever curse or blessing is on you, to guard the sleeping beauty?"

"Yes," she stated with such firmness that Ce had nothing to argue with. "You slew those men, which is why I will not fight you out. Leave peacefully, good sir." Ce sheathed his sword, and looked once more on the sleeping princess. But the temple exploding ruined the moment. Both he and the woman faced the flames, and Ce gave a roar as the thought of his friends being in there.

Alright guys, I was hoping I wasn't going to have to do this, but REVIEW PLEASE. I seriously right so much quicker if I get reviews. These I almost had to force myself to write even though I had the ideas sitting around waiting. I still update, Heroes is proof of that, but I write quicker with reviews. So, please push the little button and review these, and any other stories you want updated.

On another note, I really really like the second one. The first one isn't bad, but the second one! Almost as good as Names.