First time out (Cao Cao)

[Zhou Yu]

Bored, bored, bored was there nothing to do in this dull wilderness. Gongsun Li Ling or lady Li Ling as she preferred looked out of the window of her carriage, all she could see was the rolling hill side of Bei Hei. She gently fanned her felt with her silk fan in her oft hand she scratched the bamboo seating with the other. She would much rather be outside with full armour riding. Instead she was trapped in here doomed to the suppose comfort that a lady of high rank was deemed to need. Those southern bitches did not know a thing if they thought this was the way to travel she thought. It was like being trapped in an exquisitely furnished cage. Why on earth had Gongsun Zan decided she needed to keep up court appearances in this back water province. Perhaps it was just worry about the Yellow turban bandits as they were called. Of course she had never seen a real bandit of course she still thought like a child they were something exciting and heroic defying the cruel law of the land. This childish illusion was soon to be shattered however.

“What was that?” She asked aloud looking at her lady in waiting she sat on the other bench. A second before the carriage had shaken as it was struck twice by something. It happened again this time a arrow punching threw the side of the wall. Her weak companion screamed and tried for the door handle. She slapped her away, if there were arrows flying it was a poor time to go outside. She peered through the shutters instead. They could hear the shouts of battle now and the bellowed war cry’s. Outside she could make the scenes of battle as he small troops of city guard from Bei Ping struggled against an enemy. They did not wear the yellow scarves around there heads so she assumed they had to be bandits. She was caught in a rush of emotion, excitement which soon turned to horror then to confusion. Why would they attack them? did they want her or was this just what bandits did. She wished now they had not lead such a sheltered life. She considered grabbing her daggers and rushing outside to help. But she had never been in a real fight before and she did not even like the idea of killing a man. Above everything else she was confused. Outside the fight ended with the rest of her guards running for their lives. She could see a large shadow as one of the bandits approached the carriage and reach out to open the door.

Li Ling quickly reached under her seat for her daggers ignoring the stupid cow look her maid had over her pretty face as she sat there like a dead fish. Just as she gripped the handle the carriage door swung open. A Ugly man who must have been 6 foot tall with muscles like a bull reached in and grabbed her arm. She slashed out with her off hand at his face. She scoured a hit marking with a red line across his check, but it was a thin wound. He pulled her out of the carriage and she collapsed in a heap on the ground.

[Xiang Yu]

Cao Cao had erected a large encampment on the outskirts of the Pu Yang prefecture, sheltering his men and giving them the rest they would need for what would surely be an excessive and tiring battle. He did not mind the wait, for even he knew the sensibility in having a well fed army at his backing. But there was something troubling that day, something he had yet to put a finger on.

He had called for a small meeting as he prepared what to do, and then decided it was best to draw out a large map of the region he had come to visit. Bei Hai was upon their rear, a small road having left its mark near the encampment. Yes, it was Bei Hai that had troubled him, and he turned a wry eye to Li Dian who had stood to attention before such an icy gaze.

“To think we would be free would be to play the hands of god.” He said, “Maybe we should send a scout to Bei Hai, if we were to be attacked from behind our campaign would be short lived.”

Li Dian nodded to the order, knowing it was best to feed the appetite of his master when war was upon them.

“Bandits have been known to roam Bei Hai, so I shall take a small escort with your permission.”

“Of course.” Cao Cao smiled at last, leaning back in his chair and looking upon the map he had quickly assembled, “Take a regiment of the cavalry and go with haste.”

The two parted ways, and Li Dian set his sights upon the north east, where Bei Hai would stand like a mountain blocking the sun.

---

The road had been long, but at last Li Dian and his small platoon had arrived at a scene best described as a carnage. He could vaguely spot the differences between corpses, and looked at a broken carriage as it lay shattered on the opposite side of the path. Bei Hai – which still stood tall was just up ahead, and the noise of sharp swords and flint could be heard.

The regiment followed the tracks, leading to a scene that had paused the young officer. He could see a bandit holding the wrists of a young woman, a sword placed to her throat as a blood line trickled his already blemished face. The two did not notice the army of cavalry – their hearts and minds set in whatever had already transpired.

Then it came, the howl of a man foolish enough to charge the regiment. His life was met short with a spear thrust that shattered even the largest of dreams. He died, and Li Dian scowled at the bandits for a time.

“Do all weak men break the spirit of women, or are you just a fool to lay a hand on a woman of noble birth?”

He did not know whether his accusation was true, but with how she appeared it was obvious she was of some courtly figure, making her a much more important figure than Li Dian had hoped.

He drew his sword, though sweat had adorned the brow which kept his body still. Things were about to get ugly, and Li Dian was unaware should any other bandits exist in the area.

[Zhou Yu]

“What you caught there boss?” One of the bandits called out as he leered at Li Ling. He was holding a bow as were many of the others. It seemed they had ambushed her guards from the hill and then taken then with a swift cavalry charge. Li Ling was still held in the Iron grip of the big man she now knew to be there boss.

“Just some young court bitch, just another of those Han whores but probably worth a pretty penny ay lads.” He laughed as he twisted her wrist to and make her drop her dagger. Clearly he did not want any more facial scars. She had no idea what he had just called her, she was not familiar with some of those words but she did not like the way he looked or her or the sink of his breath.

“Drop the knife little lady.” He snared as he twisted her wrist further until she thought it was about a inch from breaking. She moaned in pain and did exactly what he asked. She dropped her dagger down and it landed right on his foot. Unlike her he was wearing plain straw saddles; it cut threw like the blade of justice slashing scum. He bellowed in pain and let her go. Her follow up block with her foot took him between the led. His bellow turned to a high pitch scream and he doubled over and collapsed like a felled oak tree. She had never understood why men did not ware more armour there.

She was lucky in that the bandits wanted her alive. If they wanted to kill her so many men with bows would have managed it in seconds. As it was trying to disarm a young lady wilding a pair of short daggers without losing to many fingers was a most difficult task. Most of them had not even noticed the regiment of Wei cavalry in the distance yet. She pulled thrid dagger to arm herself again.

One of the bandits mounted on a small pony charged at her arm outstretched to grab her. She ducked under his reach and slashed out with both daggers. Once cut across his open hand severing the tendons in his palm. The other cut the straps holding his feet in the stirrups of his pony. Screaming he fell backwards and landed in a bleeding heap on the ground. She could hear their boss moaning on the ground as he yelled for someone to grab her. Before they could she jumped into the saddle of the pony and steering it with her legs set off. Unlike the bandits she was an exceptional rider. She dodged between them as she lead them on a merry chase through the hills.

“This is no way to woow a young lady.” Li Ling called to the bandits chasing her. All her former ideas about how bandits were anything but scum had quickly evaporated. Still the ride was something better than being stuck in that carriage. She just wondered how long she could keep this up.

[Xiang Yu]

Enough was enough.

“Men…charge!”

He cared not for discretion that day, nor did the sensibility of planning enter his mind when he saw the woman take flight of the barbarians that adorned her rear. No, he would not sit by in some idle camp and watch the bandits have their wishes, he would do as his master would do, kill the guards and reap the rewards.

“Let none escape!”

He had not realised his second order, his mind too busy as the horse came to a halt near a bandit. The man did not suspect the sword to be handled so skilfully, and he dropped shortly after he had noticed the man’s attack. It was a pity, for this was no fight, it was a bloody massacre.

“Protect the woman at all costs.”

He spurred his mount into a trot, and then galloped quickly behind striking a man in the back. He fell.

“Quick, take my hand!”

He lowered his body and offered a hand to the woman, hoping she’d grab and hail herself on the back of the horse. He would protect her, but he would also have to later turn and fight – for his men were now noticed, and bandits seamlessly poured from the crevices of the earth, there seemed to be no end of them.

He watched a few of his soldiers gallop around and slash down a few of the bandits, and then gasped when another horse to his ranks were felled by the blows of the insane. He watched his officer rise from the blow, dust showering his body – he looked up at his lord and smiled, before the face distorted at the visual impact of a spear driving through his chest. Li Dian cried.

“No! Do not encounter, retreat and reform god damn it!”

He hoped the woman was safe for now, and turned back to his men who had slowly begun to retreat and reform. Their ranks collided, swirled and then darted back into the fray of battle. More enemies died, and Li Dian could do nothing but watch helplessly with his sword protecting the only treasure available to them, the woman.

“What fool would escort a woman of noble birth to a land known for raiding!” He cursed silently, speaking to no one in particular. Things were only just kicking off, and Li Dian did not know whether he wanted to know what would come to him next.

[Zhou Yu]

Li Ling laughed as she ducked and dodged between the grasping hands of the bandits as they flailed around trying to grab her. Many of the bandits backed away with deep cuts or missing fingers from their efforts. That would teach them for trying to touch her. She was quickly starting to understand that these men did not know what honour was, or perhaps they simply had left it behind long ago. Never the less the hills swarmed with bandits like an angry ant hive. She could not hold them off forever and they were starting to get more violent. One of the smarter of them had drawn his bow and taken a bead on her. The arrow struck her mount in the head putting her pony down right away. Although they did not want to damage their merchandise they had no compunctions about her mount. She was thrown clear into a mass of the bandits.

“Get the hell off me.” She whimpered as the bandits grabbed her forcing her stained red hands downs. But her daggers were like an extension of her body. She swivelled her wrist rotating the dagger like a manic and slitting the wrists that held her down. But for every man that backed away clutching a wound it seemed that more were there to take their place. She was already bruised and could not keep this up much longer. She might have to drop her disgust of killing soon then again that might cause them to decide she was more trouble than she was worth. Behind the bandits she could make out a cloud of rising dust. She recognised it instantly as the dust kicked up by a troop of horsemen. More bandits or something else?

As if in answer to her prayer a sword cut down the bandit holding her arm as a troop of Han cavalrymen broke through the men encircling her. She took the proffered hand and used it to slide quickly into the saddle behind Li Dian. She was really quite light and not wearing armour so she would not add much weight to him. She wrapped one hand around his waist for balance. She wanted to ask her rescuers name but now did not seem like a good time. The bandit hoard was approaching fast, it seemed they did not like having there fun interrupted.

“It was my father’s idea; he doesn’t tend to know much about anything beyond the walls of his palace in Xiang Ping.” Li Ling ask smiling oddly as she answered Li Dian’s rhetorical question anyway. She loved her father but sometimes he did make the odd mistake every now and then. Besides her bother Gong had always been his favourite.

“Ah you did bring more men than this right?” She asked finally taking in how few they were compared to the mass of bandits. At these odds it would be very difficult for them if the bandits did managed to catch up with them.

[Xiang Yu]

(Sorry for the delay. I went to an interview yesterday and then met up with some friends so when I did get home I just collapsed.)

Li Dian smiled at the woman’s words as he brought his horse to a standstill. He did not know how he would face so many enemies, and for a moment he had contemplated using the troops as a means of distraction for a speedy get a way.

“You know, we are only a scout group.” He laughed slightly as he turned to face the woman, “We were only to report the happenings of the bandits to our lord Cao Cao. The main army is positioned on the border of Pu Yang. I fear we cannot expect much assistance from them.”

He looked behind the woman to the city, where the turban banners flew, “And I do not believe the turbans will help us either.”

He was right. The turbans would not help those who assisted the Han. If anything, they too would raise their banners and open their gates – sending an army to crush not just the rebels but the officers of the Han as well.

He sighed.

“To be fair, we did not expect a carriage of nobility to be ransacked by the path, would you have preferred to stay and die at the hands of the bandits. You’re feisty – and their patience runs thin when their ransom is dictated to by a troubled woman.”

He smiled again, though the smile did not reflect the mood he had bared, “That, and whatever chastity you have would be long gone before you returned to the side of your family.”

He let loose another sigh, and then looked for a small isolated spot where bush and shrub could conceal a body. Maybe, just maybe he could present the distraction himself, if god allowed it – maybe he would even survive such an ordeal, but he did not believe it.

“Take my horse.” He muttered. He pulled himself from the horse and landed on the floor, passing the reins to the woman, “She is a fast and one rider will move faster than one. Take the horse and flee to the clearing over there, avoid the bandits and find cloth to wrap yourself up in. We needn’t get the attention of others.”

He turned to face the bandits, who still struggled to over-power his better trained cavalry, even if his army were out-numbered they were still considerably better at killing.

“Now go!”

He raced to the front lines one more, bringing up his Jian and slicing at the head of a bandit. He was not as skilful as Cao Hong, and for a moment he prayed Cao Cao would send another party out to clarify the happenings of the city.

[Zhou Yu]

(No worries I’ve been really sick the last few days anyway only really well enough to even start posting today. Sorry if this is not quite up to my usual standard.)

The wind whipped threw her hair unbinding it so it flew out wildly behind her as he clutched one handed to Li Dian to stop herself falling. She finally managed to get her legs in position and clamed them down on either side of the horse and let go of him. She was a little embarrassed a daughter of the Gongsun should do better even if trying circumstances. She could have ridden the horse bareback just as easily. A quick glance behind her showed the bandits were still pursuing as fast as they were able.

“Who’s Cao Cao?” She asked displaying perhaps a shocking level of naivety for a noble woman. Still she did not expect an answer just a fight. It seemed the bandits would soon overtake them. She held her daggers loosely preparing to throw them if it would buy them a little more time.

“Humph I do not fear them.” She said bearing her teeth as he correctly pointed out the fate that probably would have awaited her with the bandits. Of course she told herself she would have used her daggers on herself before allowing it but she wondered if that was just another fantasy. She was quickly learning the world was a terrible place worse than even she had thought.

She was unprepared to see Li Dian hand her the horse and turn to fight the bandits while she was expected to leave and run for her life. This was more like the hero’s in the book her father and brother would read to her. Only unlike the young ladies on those epics she did not want to run away. She wanted to honour the vows of a warrior that she had sworn with her cousin’s at Bei Ping. However not to go would make Li Dian’s seemingly unwinnable fight a pointless sacrifice. But perhaps she had a 3rd option.

“Damn it I won’t hide. Just hold out as long as you can.” Li Ling said as he grabbed the reigns of the horse and took control. With the finesse that only long hours in the saddle provided she spurred it away from the clearing and down the main road to Pu Yang. It was there she could find this Cao Cao whoever he was and maybe he would send some more men out. If he did not she was safer there than here. Certainly she was lighter and a faster rider than any of the bandits they could not hope to catch to her. However it seemed they were spiteful. There was a buzz as an arrow missed her by a hair’s breath. It seemed they would have her dead or alive. Turing in the saddle while sill controlling the horse as she road backward she raised one of her daggers. She threw it end over end to take out the bandit before he could get off a second shot.

[Xiang Yu]

War...

War was a beautiful thing to watch and participate in. It was the only light that gave the honour most warriors would claim before they died. It was everything, and yet – as Li Dian repelled another attack it now meant absolutely nothing. No regret, no feeling, no passion – nothing.

He slid his sword from beneath a warriors guard and drove the blade through another man, another corpse. The blood that stained him was nothing – just water that trickled across his brow and dampened his sights, nothing was worth this, nothing was worth dying for, surely?

He turned back long enough to see the woman take flight, and shortly after she had left she was gone for good. He would not see her again – but he did not mind. He had grown accustomed to this, he had known from day one he would give his life in service of a greater good, but what good would come from this.

Another blade, met with a deflection and a counter. Another body down – another body to join the masses of the deceased.

Nothing would come from this, not even the rain would beckon its light upon them now. He smiled as another man came running towards him, and another deflection was met before his own sword met its target. Another down, and yet still he could not find solace in this battle.

He turned to his men, who had re-grouped and charge multiple times, they stood strong, and they moved with a swiftness that the bandits could not compete with. Yes, he would take them all down first, he had too.

An arrow let rip, and he turned only to watch it glisten within his eye before it landed, striking his shoulder pads and tearing through muscle and bone. He screamed.

“Men! RETREAT!”

He turned to the archer who had fired, and as another arrow was loosed the world around him faded and distorted. The world turned black.

---

Cao Hong led a secondary regiment as they scoured the countryside, he had begged Cao Cao to let him see this bandit landmass for himself, and Cao Cao had approved, giving him the rest of the cavalry and a few hundred royal guards. They arrived at a carriage, now broken and left to rot and fade. In front – Cao Hong drew a bow n arrow and pointed it to a figure coming his way; he rested the bow to his ear and gave a slight sigh before finding the arrow between the figure’s eyes.

A moment of hesitation passed, the wind spurred on and he gave another sigh before releasing the arrow.