Walking away with Lian Shi my handmaiden, I had let out a quiet chuckle. When next I’d seen him it was during my punishment , I cringed remembering, having to act as a lady. I had been in the Chrysanthemum garden looking across the pond, I’d been fidgeting with my long over robes with a look of annoyance when he’d sauntered up a look of boyish apology on his face. We’d talked for hours in the garden solidifying our fast growing friendship.
This fight so different from our first and last left me a bit disconcerted. Dinner that night, left me in shocked annoyance, Liu Bei my ‘future husband’ was to coming to stay for the summer, I’d have to act as a lady and try to act appropriately, he’d arrive in a fortnight.
Glaring my brother down I asked as civilly as I possibly could “why must I be bargained off? Why must I stop fighting? I am the princess of the bow,” Zhuge Jin spoke loudly, slowly, and clearly, as if I was addled “Last year the cost of the alliance to crush Cao Cao his former lord at the battle of Chi Bi was your hand in marriage.” The donkey looking man muttered under his breath at this and I could only imagine how he was insulting me. “It was the only way to show we were sincere about the alliance, not only that but if we’re to be betrayed you’d be able to fight your way out, he won’t be able to expect you to be able to, a man like him could only think the title ‘Princess of the Bow’ to be a title and nothing else.”
Zhuge Jin cleared his throat, and I thought yet again that he resembled more donkey than man, he continued “we stayed it until after the battle, in case he were to perish, the child of a king shouldn’t be fatherless, and you a widow.” The talk resumed quite conversations between husbands and wives, friends and brothers, I had three moons until my ‘husband’ would arrive. Staring down at my lap I tried to recall when I’d met Liu Bei, he had been still under Cao Cao’s rule, and it’d been some years back when the coalition against Yuan Shao had been formed. He’d been tall muscular, long arms capable of touching his knees without bending; his long black hair had been pulled back from his face. His facial features and even his voice were hazy in my memory, jolting back to the present I asked my brothers permission to be excused, walking back to my room I slid the door open and stared, everything, every weapon had been removed.
Striding to my wardrobe I threw it open only to see that all of my clothing had been replaced, looking around the room I collapsed against my futon shutting my eyes tightly trying to will all of it back, when I opened my eyes again, the room was just as bare as before, with a sigh I gave in closing my eyes in sleep.
When I awoke the next morning at dawn from habit, I went to my wardrobe and looked inside, all of the events from yesterday came flooding back, and I nearly screamed when Lian Shi walked in her sword at her waist, her over robe to her knees with knee length pants beneath. I sighed at the unfairness of it all. I stripped down while Lian Shi told me the news from Sun Quan. Stopping mid-action I stared Lian Shi in the eye “what? What did you just say?” She ducked and spoke shyly “you’re honorable older brother wishes for me to tell you that there has been a change in plans and the Liu Bei wasn’t at Shu’s capital as was expected and will be here within the day.” Tying my robe closed I slumped to the floor.
Lian Shi walked closer her long black hair swaying behind her “come now, it can’t be that bad, Liu Bei has a reputation for helping his people, he can’t be that bad.” Lifting my head I merely looked at her, “fine,” her eyes flashed with determination and she hauled me to her feet, Lian Shi was my closest handmaiden and friend , ever since she was taken in by Sun Quan at Han Pass while her and her mother fled the wars heading for Jiangdong. She was raised as a warrior from the beginning much like myself, though she had tried to make me a lady. I came to respect her when she rejected my Sun Quan’s marriage proposal. Letting her pull me up and drag me out my door I asked her where we were headed.
“To the two women in the palace, that would know how to turn a roaring tiger into a singing nightingale,” I didn’t say a word simply raising an eyebrow, before my eyes widened in understanding as I stood outside my brother’s room. Sliding the screen open Lian Shi released my hand and bowed to Da Qiao, walking in I nodded deeply in acknowledgement to the younger woman. She turned toward us rubbing the sleep from her eyes, her hair was down and in disarray, her lips pouted slightly, before smiling at us “what brings you two here so early?”
Walking across the room I sat before her “Sun Ce, has told you hasn’t he? I’m to be wed.” Da Qiao’s eyes widened “you’re not here to talk about…um…Wifely Duties are you?” I threw my head back and laughed at the seventeen year old as she blushed madly. “no,” I replied trying to regain my calm “ my ‘husband’ is coming a bit earlier than planned, today actually, and Lian Shi wants to recruit the help of you and Xiao to help me behave like--” my voice trailed off and I made a face “a lady” I finished lamely.
Da’s eyes brightened hopping up she shooed the two of us from the room saying hurriedly “I’ll get my sister and meet you in your room.” Standing outside her door, I blinked bewilderedly for a moment before looking at Lian Shi and shrugging, padding softly back to my room I sat down on my futon as Lian Shi brought out my vanity and the hordes of unused face paints from my mother Lady Wu. With a sigh I resigned myself to my fate and waited for the younger girls to arrive.
When the door flew open I saw nothing but a flurry of pink and orange as I was hauled to my feet. Before me stood Xiao Qiao, her formerly black hair bleached from the sun, a deep brown pulled back from her face, large light brown eyes staring at me in contemplation, her lips screwed up. Her sister stood beside her more demurely her pink over robe, barely moving as she shifted, her hair now tidied and half up pins securing it, her large eyes looked me up and down.
Suddenly their eyes widened and they turned quickly to each other “I’ve got it!” their voices announced as one. Soon Xiao was digging through my wardrobe as Da Qiao sat me before the vanity using the many brushes to paint my face, lips, and eyes, slowly breaking down the process and explaining it so that I could do it myself. When she was completed she had me stand and flourished her hands toward her sister “look!” she exclaimed. Turning Xiao smiled “perfect, now onto clothing.” Disrobing I put on the clothes Xiao handed me grimacing at the feel of the pain on my lips and eyes, as well as the weight of the many robes on my shoulders as I padded back and forth across the room.
Da Qiao sat me before the vanity again and began combing the tangles out of my hair as I winced, the whole while listening to the younger girls exclaim and joke about how un-lady like I was. When we were finally done, I felt heavy and my scalp was screaming from the pins holding my hair in place. With a sigh I said softly to Lian Shi “I have to do this every day? Where’s a siege when you need one?” Lian Shi merely chuckled as we excused ourselves from the girls.
Ignoring the pinch of my shoes and the weight of my robes, I walked to the training yard, and smiled when I spotted Sun Ce. Using all the grace I could muster, as if I was dancing I floated over to him, where he stood talking to Lu Xun. I snapped a non-bladed fan open to get his attention, veiling half my face with it. Lowering my fan I smiled gently noticing the dumbfounded look on Lu Xun’s face I turned to him and said “I thought my nieces beauty had blinded you to all others, Lu Xun. ” Blushing red he muttered before excusing himself. Sun Ce looked at me “Xiang? I can’t believe that’s you!”
Leaning toward him I hissed “Damn right it’s me! Your wife is crazy, this robe is heavy, my face feels heavy, and my scalp is screaming! How does she do this every day!” Sun Ce bursts into hearty laughter his solders and chest shaking with uncontrolled laughter distorting the designs of his red clothing. Wiping a tear of mirth from his eyes he said “I wish you could see yourself right now Xiang, and here I almost thought you were a lady!” He resumed his laughter, “ as they say: ‘Be not deceived with the first appearance of things, for show is not substance.’ And that’s certainly true for you right now!” Slapping him with my closed fan I walked over to Zhou Yu, Sun Ce, and Sun Quan’s adviser, Sun Ce’s closest friend, and sworn brother. “Zhou, what time is—“ I gritted my teeth and forced the words out “my Lord Liu Bei, arriving?” Zhou Yu smiled at my obvious distaste and replied “Sometime around sunset,” leaning toward me he whispered conspiratorially “do try to hide the distaste though, hm?” I smile and walked away calling over my shoulder “I’ll try Uncle Yu” knowing his distaste for the nickname. With a wry smile I kept walking around to find my eldest brother Sun Quan, Liu Bei would be here by sunset the very thought made my stomach clench with anxiety.
Sun Quan was standing at the battlements his eyes closed as he leaned toward the breeze. Turning his head toward me he opened his eyes slowly, reluctantly, “Missing your lady love brother?” Sun Quan smiled his bearded face and arrogant brows showing his pleasure “Lian Shi? Hardly, my lady love trying to get her to willingly admit to anything is like pulling teeth. That one will never be so loving as to accept being called my lady love.” I just smiled at my eldest brother, taking in his slightly narrowed eyes and the anxious shine in them, he seemed to have aged over night, wrinkles f worry creased his face, though he shouldn’t have many at his age. His mouth had a downward tilt following the lines of his trim beard, but what caught my attention most about my brother was that he still held the look of a ruler.
Sitting in the opening created by the castle walls I kicked my legs softly thinking of the huge difference between Sun Ce and Sun Quan. Sun Ce was a cocky, lighthearted man, with nerves of the finest steel, his sun bleached hair a deep brown. He always seemed to be smiling; he was always ready to do what he thought he must. I gave a small chuckle that seemed to be a defining characteristic of us, always performing our duties. Looking at the bright orange sun set I contemplated standing, not really fighting the urge to close my eyes and just let the gentle breezes lull me to sleep—wait, sunset?
Jumping up I almost lost my balance before righting myself and noticing that Sun Quan wasn’t there, I sprinted down the stairs, through the garden, and across the courtyard before arriving red faced and slightly mussed at the front gate. Sun Quan sent a sidelong look at me and arched a single majestic brow, shaking my head at his silent question I waved it off as Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao fussed over my mussed hair. Sun Ce and Zhou Yu soothed their worried wives, Sun Ce hooked an arm around Da Qiao’s waist swinging her around to face him, laughing as she blushed a bright red and scolded him about his public indecency. Sun Ce raised his hands in mock surrender and told his young wife “ if Liu Bei has any taste at all it won’t matter if her hair is mussed or if she’s wearing a potato sack he’ll still be impressed by Shang Xiang.”
Da Qiao pouted at her husband and conceded with a whispered “ you’re right my lord, I should not question your judgment.” I laughed knowing full well how embarrassed Ce got when his wife was so formal. Zhou Yu on the other hand seemed to be having much more trouble with his young wife judging by the back he was now facing. Arms crossed in a huff Xiao Qiao refused to listen to her slightly desperate husband as he tried to assuage her. Suddenly everyone drew to a halt at the sight before us, at first it seemed there was a battalion marching against us until a shadow detached soon followed by some fifteen others. The riders charged their horses toward us slowing before coming to a full stop a few feet from where we all stood.
Looming before us sat Liu Bei astride an ash grey stallion; his body shrouded by shadows, on either side of him sat a man and woman, both in the clothes of scholars. As they all dismounted I was awarded a closer look at the three before us. My memory hadn’t betrayed me Liu Bei was tall, though not exceedingly tall, with long arms. He was lightly muscled and from what I’d seen a possessed a lithe grace, what my memory had failed to supply me with was that he had smooth perfect skin as if chiseled from marble. His brows were expressive and arched over shockingly light brown eyes framed by thick lashes, he had a classical nose and a lower lip that was fuller than the top, my eyes caught at his jaw, strong and determined leading down the column of his throat before stopping at his broad shoulders.
His black hair was half pulled into a knot atop his head, and he was cleanly shaven, which only served to emphasize his angular features. The man before me my ’future husband’ I remembered belatedly was however seemingly trying to decide who he should stare at Da or Xiao Qiao. I felt a pang in my chest looking at the scene before me but mentally pushed it aside I suppose I should have expected this, they are the Qiaos the two sisters whose beauty is said to outshine the stars and cause even the heavens to envy. Quan coughed politely capturing Liu Bei’s attention before booming in a suitably royal voice loud enough for the soldiers filing in to hear “honored guests, you must be weary from you journey, tonight you will be lead to your quarters where food and drink will be supplied, tomorrow we feast!”
Following my brother’s pronouncement a cheer resounded; Quan looked at Liu Bei and said in a more normal voice, “I suppose introductions are in order?” One by one Quan introduced us to Liu Bei when he reached Da Qiao, Sun Ce took over as did Zhou Yu for his wife, introducing tem as the Qiao sisters and their wives, a heavy emphasis on the title of wife. Quan once again resumed his introductions and when it reached me I felt Liu Bei’s gaze burning into me, he bowed quickly his eyes scrutinizing me. Soon enough Zhuge Jin stepped forward, and I narrowed my eyes I’d never understood why my brother kept him as an adviser. Walking to the man beside Liu Bei dressed almost in peasant garb he exclaimed loudly “Brother, it’s been quite some time, I trust you are doing well?”
I nearly gasped when I heard this; this reserved looking man was related to this boorish dunce? That could only mean he was none other than Zhuge Liang, the master strategist of Shu! Zhuge Jin turned toward the woman near Zhuge Liang, “you’re wife I presume? It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Zhuge Liang smiled replying “yes, the ever lovely Yue Ying” his arm snaking around her waist to pull her closer. My eyes and thoughts strayed from the conversation, my eyes quickly finding Liu Bei as he spoke to Quan, I watched as he shifted his movements almost graceful, listening to the barely there tenor of his voice hoping to discern something, anything about the man I was to wed. That night I soaked in the tub servants filing it with heated water and scented oils and soaps, hoping that my worries could drain into the water and out of my life.