Three Kingdoms
Chapter 1
Fatal Unity
"If I dare ask if the enemy is numerous, disciplined, and about to advance how should we respond to them? I would say first seize something they love for then they will listen to you"-Sun Tzu The Art of War
209 AD) That pompous, haughty, arrogant, over stuffed peacock Zhuge Jin! How could he come up with such a utterly ridiculous plan! The despicably flea bitten son of a gutter rat! It's insane how could they agree to such a thing?! Sun Quan, Sun Ce, and Zhou Yu; the three most intelligent men in all the kingdoms and they couldn't think of a better plan than to marry off the future empress?! What fools! I'm to marry Liu Bei of all people! This horrendous deal had been made a year ago and they couldn't trouble themselves to tell me!
"DAMN, DAMN, DAMN IT ALL!" My shout caused more than a few heads to turn my way. Flinging myself onto my back I plucked a piece of straw and placed it in my mouth, chewing on it to hold in all the insults I wanted to hurl. Hearing a rustle nearby I tensed, feeling the heat of someone's body behind me I swung to my right turning my upper body around and feeling my forearm connect with warm, solid flesh.
Gan Ning was squatting behind me his right arm raised to fend off my blow. One eyebrow raised he said jokingly "letting your anger out on me, or didn't you hear me?" he said flicking one of the dozen or so bells strung on his sash. Looking sheepish I said "sorry, I guess I'm a little distracted" He smiled than a blade of a smile and I thought oh no"with what insulting the sky? Or is it that her majesty won't acknowledge a poor son of a pirate like me?"
Laughing he stood up extending his hand to me "come on I've got just the thing to cheer you up." Putting my hand in his I let him pull me up. Leading me to his horse I let him boost me up into the saddle, before he swung on behind me. Leaning back to get comfortable I suddenly felt self-conscious, my head and back was pressed to his bare chest. Gan Ning never wore his over robes, or under-robes for that matter preferring to go bare-chested. I could feel his chest rumble with his words as he said "when I say so close your eyes and don't you dare open them 'till I say so."
I closed my eyes at his word and was led into what appeared to be part of the jungle in the surrounding area near the castle. When I opened my eyes we were standing on a large grey stone smooth and flat from the water of the waterfall wearing away at it. Folding his legs underneath him he sat, grabbing my hand he lightly tugged silently tell me to sit too. After a little while he asked "why were you so mad earlier?""Are," I corrected him "I'm still mad, Gan" he just chuckled.
Like a dam bursting I ranted on and on about the marriage, demanding to know if he knew. After denying my accusation he looked at the sky now the deep cerulean blue of nearing twilight "It's getting dark," I rolled my eyes thinking of course, because I'm blind I couldn't tell "and now that you're to be-" here he smiled it may have been the growing darkness but it didn't quite touch his eyes "married, they wouldn't want you out with a mutt like me." The walk back to the horse was silent as we made our way through the jungle in the coming night.
During the ride back we spoke of harmless things: the weather, and crops. Somewhere along the way I must have drifted off; comforted by the warmth of his arms around me, because the last thing I remember before waking up in my pallet was the feel of his arms.
The following mornings one of my handmaidens informed me that I was to dine with my brother and his advisors that night. Brushing it off I disrobed putting on a fresh pair of clothes. Throwing on a pair of maroon pants and a red sash I pulled my under robe on, before pulling my maroon over robe on long sleeved with cuffs that flared around the wrist. The robe ended too short not covering the bottom of my navel; I needed a new wardrobe measured.
Grabbing a pair of fans I hung them on either side of my waist, before heading to the training grounds my blood boiling at the thought of the deal made a year ago, I was ready to spar. When I got there I saw my second oldest brother Sun Ce sparing with a young general Lu Xun. After finishing his match Sun Ce walked over to me and said "morning Xiang," he'd clipped my name Sun Shang Xiang because as he put it "it's a mouthful." "Good morning, Xiang" Lu Xun called loping up to me like a large dog, smiling I said "morning!"
Looking me over Sun Ce saw the mood I was in and the way I stood "I think Ling Tong is looking for a partner." Nodding my thanks I wandered over to Ling tong and asked him to a match, he nodded his consent and we slowly circled one another pushing up the thin bamboo slats on the frames of my fan sharp blades emerged from the thick hollow bamboo frames.
Like the strike of a snake his sword flashed out; knocking it aside with one fan I used the other to slash at his midsection. Leaping back he effectively dodged it, as he swung his sword down I caught it between two blades on my fan twisting it and forcing his sword from his hands. Ling Tong quickly launched a kick to my ribs twisting I caught his leg, quickly kicking his leg out from under him I brought the leg still in my grip up forcing it high his knee touching his chest his foot above his head. Getting off I helped him up, gingerly walking over to one of the stone benches on the side of the sparing grounds.
Sitting beside me on the bench Ling Tong massaged his inner thigh wincing every so often "that was a vicious grab, oww." Looking sheepish I asked "it didn't hurt too badly did it?" Wincing LingTong replied "oh, it hurts all right." Behind us we heard the ringing of bells, faint at first and then louder then came the sound of a low chuckle closely followed by "she really got you eh, ling?" Gan Ning strolled up behind us and leaned between us casually propping his elbow up on Ling Tongs shoulder. Smiling he said in the same joking voice as before "and how handsome you looked as she threw you into the dust."
Ling Tong just shook his head still smiling as Gan Ning made a 'tsk tsk' noise out him. "Really though, Ling you got beat by a pampered princess, for shame!" Gan Ning's joking voice still hadn't changed as he spoke. Snapping a fan out I said to Gan Ning "how about you fight me ?" a mean smile playing on my face."You've got to be kidding me?!" he asked incredulously, in reply my smile widened.
Standing up I said "how shameful, you won't even fight me, Ling Tong at least had the guts to do that." Turning up my nose disdainfully I turned on my heel and walked away. I hadn't taken four steps before he said "alright, I won't have it said Gan Ning scourge pirate of the Yellow River backed down from a fight." Now he smirked and continued "especially from a weak sheltered princess" Whirling to face him I glared into his eyes, "come on then, try this princess on for size! I'll try not to bruise you or your ego to badly."
Straightening he unhooked his broadsword from his waist and shifted to his fighting stance. One leg in front of the other one arm outstretched the other bent in. His body faced partially to the side his right sword hand held steady. I slipped into my stance my left leg anchored on my right my slippered foot held on my thigh just above my knee. My left arm held my open fan up and curved above my head, my right was down anchored outward near my right hip. After a few moments of absolute silence we struck.
His sword clashed against my fan, trying to push me back using his greater size and strength to his advantage. I disengaged my fan from his sword jumping back with a push. I used his energy to propel me back about seven feet back. Gan Ning rushed forward and slashed down at me from the right. Blocking I thrust his sword back, back-flipping, my foot connecting solidly with his jaw.
Taking this chance I swung up from right to left, my left hand snapping my fan shut I thrust it into the tender spot where his ribs began. Jumping back to dodge he kicked his right leg into my unprotected ribs. I winced in pain as I caught his kick holding it in place against my ribs, using his momentum he turned his body swinging his left leg up and at my head. Blocking the blow with my right arm I lost grip on his right leg, placing his hands on my shoulders, he turned his body and gripped tightly pulling himself completely erect above me.
Giving me a wink and the flash of a smile he used all his weight he kept his tight grip and tilted toward the floor. The movement sent me over his back thrown into the dust my feet resting by his own. Gan Ning flipped landing above me, his hands on either side of my head, his bent legs outside my own pressed against my thighs. He was breathing heavy, or was that me? My heart was pounding in my ears, I was drowning in his brown eyes. My only thoughts were of how close his lips were to my own, I took a deep breath enjoying the smell of him. He smelt clean of wood, soap, and the musky but not unpleasant smell of his sweat.
Suddenly he was pulled off me, my oldest and most protective brother Sun Quan was glaring down at his General a look of pure death in his eyes. Touching my face I felt how warm it was -I must be as red as a lychee nut I thought in horror. Sun Quan's fiery anger cut through my thoughts as efficiently as a pirate's blade. "Care to explain to me why I come to the training grounds only to see my sister pinned in the dust?" Flashing a smile like the sun breaking loose from the clouds Gan Ning picked himself off of me offering his hand in help. "You know how STUBBORN your sister is, had to convince her she was beat."
Dusting myself off I thought back to the time when we first met all those years ago as I wandered away from the testosterone covered words exchanged between him and my brother.
He'd been fourteen a mere three years older than me, those five years ago. I had just seen him on the training grounds, my cropped hair just under my earlobes and boys clothes let me blend in with the other boys. His muscles were less defined then, his unruly brown hair the same as now the headband as well.
He was being a pompous, arrogant ass, challenging everyone because he was the youngest to ever become a general. Annoyed by that arrogance I accepted his challenge.
The fact he mistook me for a boy made me all the angrier, and the jeer about using fans added fuel to the fire. Neither of us held back we matched each other strike for strike, we never finished the match. My hand maiden had interrupted still believing to make a 'proper' lady out of me.
She'd rushed out stopping the match before scolding me in front of everybody "Your Highness, you can't be acting like the boys what's going to happen if you get scarred? Your hands will get rough and chapped you'll ruin silks just by touching them! And your hair! Why do you insist on looking and dressing like a man!? You've not a single garment fit for a lady!" My head was bowed cheeks flushed, all the new recruits stood slack-jawed including Gan Ning, while all the others snickered at me. They called out encouragement "It's okay lady you're welcome here any time!" "We'll miss you!" "Come back later and help us whip these greenhorns into shape!"
Taking a deep breath I raised my head and gave the noblest look I could muster and smirked straight at Gan Ning.