The Mulan of Balhai Temple

[Taiylor Wallace]

(What does plenteous mean? You mean plentiful?)
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"I have a better idea so you can get home faster," Miss Mei chuckled yet again. "Here," she tucked a few coins into Fang Li's hand. "Go and get something from the vendors that you can eat on your way home. I know you're excited to tell them your good news. And to be honest, my dear," Miss Mei patted her cheek with a smile, "you make me laugh so much that I think you'll be here much longer than a week."

[kishiseta]

(yeah. it's an older word.)

"Thank you so much!" Fang Li bowed and rushed out of the house. She unbridled her horse, who turned to her with a look of protest. True, the brown gelding didn't have much time to rest, but because of what he was, he was calm and behaved about it. Of course, she could ride a normal stallion, but she preferred to have quiet rides and a trip without drama and much action.

The horse grunted as Fang Li hauled herself up, but followed her as she spurred it on. She turned back to wave at Miss Mei and purchased a siopao from one of the vendors, not bothering to come down. The vendor, a short, stauchy old lady had to go up on her tip toes to give the steamed bun to her. She apologized as she handed her payment before leting the horse canter for a while before kicking the horse into a gallop sending clouds of dust into the air out of the range of the siopao shop.

The bun was so warm and comforting in her hand, freshly cooked and wafting with mouthwatering flavors. She bit into it and burned tongue, but didn't spit it out. Instead, she opened her mouth to the strong gusts of air that blew in her face as her horse ran. After that first bite, she gobbled up the rest like it wasn't hot at all.

Soon, the village opened up to her and she stopped seeing some of her friends chattering. She got off her horse and told them the news.

"So we won't be seeing a lot of you now," Shuang frowned. She was newly married to one of the cartmakers who chose her because of her eternally red lips. In his words they were perfect for kissing, and it seemed that she didn't disappoint. Shuang was the most beautiful among them with her black, shiny hair flowing down to her waist and her face similar to a porcelain doll with her long lashes and light skin.

Shuang was everything Fang Li was not--graceful, dainty, beautiful and perfect in the kitchen. Beside her, Fang Li was a kid darkened under the sun and who let her tongue get away with everything short of slander. Her friends told her she was cute, but cute never won men. Being a woman did. She had been insecure about it when she was with her friends, but now that she had a purpose, she didn't mind it at all.

"So, you're here to tell your parents?" Lei Ba asked, her luxurious hair done up and her face painted in beautiful colors as her husband wanted, and her job as a theater actress required. That was where they met and got together even before their parents arranged for their marriage. Lei Ba's nails were lacquered pink, so she was likely playing a damsel and not some powerful woman.

Fang Li nodded. "Don't worry, I'll still get to see you."

"Might as well walk you home," Shuang shrugged and stood from her perch under the shade of the trees, followed by Lei Ba. Together, they walked on, catching up and telling stories as the old friends they were. Soon they were giggling like little girls without responsibilities of marriage and medicine.

[Taiylor Wallace]

When they arrived back at the Chan home, Luangzu was out front, fixing a fencepost, Xuzhu holding a box of nails beside him. Luangzu looked up, "Fang Li? Did everything go well?" He offered a smile to the other girls, having always been another father figure to them. He gave his hammer to his son to hold, standing up straight. Fang Li didn't get much of a chance to answer, as suddenly, just as before, the town's alarming drums sounded. "Not again," Luangzu growled. "Girls, take shelter in my home. Fang Li, get your bow." He raced inside, this time getting his sword. He'd fight up close now.
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Yellow Turbans, now aware of the monks' prescence, bolted into town, and instead of charging the monks like last time, they held back and defended. Monks gathered in a widely-spaced group, in low fighting stances, ready to kill if necessary. Among them near the Chan home were Baiyu and Khan, and Khan was the first to attack.

[kishiseta]

Fang Li did as her father instructed all but shoving her friends inside the house. Her eyes scanned the battlefield as she took her place on the rooftop to get a better view of the enemies below. By then, the streets were empty, save for the few men in the village who had been in battle before and were ready to defend their village. There was no other woman, save her among them. But even she was not going into the fray. She could not. Her father would go mad if she did.

Among the monks, she saw Master Baiyu and Master Khan with Master Gan Zu nowhere to be seen. Of course, he was still injured. He couldn't possibly come into the fray. Her breathing steadied and she calmed herself focusing on the bow in her hand and the battlefield. She closed her eyes and listened to the men and horses preparing to strike. And then, a disturbance.

Fang Li opened her eyes to see Master Khan take the lead. She smiled and drew her bow, focusing on one yellow turban after another. The gush of blood and mud washed by her. She knew the village would once again stink of the dead, but she had no choice. For now, she had to ignore everything. The screaming, the crunch of bones and the tearing of flesh were a distant sound as she concentrated. As the battle went on, she felt a sharp pain in her hip that she ignored. It was no time to think of pain. There was a village to defend.

[Taiylor Wallace]

Khan was a war machine, as Miss Mei had told her, and he, by far, inflicted the most damage. The other monks gave their quarry a chance to realize the power and flee, but Khan gave them so such luxury. They already knew who they were fighting. The Mongolian struck hard and fast, and though he took many hits from cheap shots, he dealt them back tenfold. Baiyu, like him, didn't give the Yellow Turbans a chance to flee, he fought with all the ferocity of a tiger, his element well-earned. They were beginning to push the Yellow Turbans back when suddenly, men in dark purple and blue uniforms suddenly charged into the town, killing the Yellow Turbans mercilessly. At first, the monks didn't know what to make of them, but soon realized they were allies. Among them came riding an impressive officer dressed in his men's colors with a long billowing black cape, surrounded by fellow, lower officers.
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"Xiahou Dun! Press on to the town center! Xiahou Yuan the north, Cao Pi the west, Cao Ren, the south! I will cover this road!"
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"Yes, milord!" They all answered before rushing off with battalions behind them. Their colors were of the kingdom of Wei, and their leader, undoubtedly was the 'Hero of Chaos', Cao Cao.

[kishiseta]

The sudden appearance of the new army shook Fang Li out of her concentration, not knowing what to make of them. She was going to wait for the monk's movement, when her vision blurred, suddenly feeling the pain at her side. For the first time since she felt the pain, she looked down and saw an arrow had pierced her through the wooden block she hid in. The head of the arrow went all the way in along with an inch of shaft. She tried to calm herself and think of a way to get herself out, but as it was, the pain dulled her mind and she could feel exhaustion and pain settling in.

Fang Li wanted to scream, but the most she could do was groan. She knew she should break the shaft, but she had nothing in hand to do it. If she didn't get out, she might not survive. She closed her eyes and broke off the shaft screaming. The arrowhead moved inside her cutting her up further, but she was out. She stumbled backwards and lay on the roof groaning and crying. It was as painful as hell and she couldn't do anything.

The battle below her disappeared and her world became one of pain. The sounds were so distant and the clashes seemed only to exist in her imagination. She was no warrior and the pain was more than she could bear without it being tended to.

[Taiylor Wallace]

After who knew how long, Fang Li felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. She could just barely hear Kera Khan's voice, and she saw his face, looking down at her with worry. "You're going to be just fine," he assured her. He picked her up as carefully as he possibly could and got her inside. Luangzu was out fighting and had no idea, but Jia saw the Mongolian monk enter, her daughter helpless in his arms.

[kishiseta]

The blood on Fang Li's clothes bloomed with the arrowhead in the middle. She drifted in and out of consciousness as the pain woke her and made her unconscious with pain.

"...fine."

The voice was familiar but she couldn't place it. She tried to open her eyes and saw Master Khan before she slipped out of consciousness again. In the house, her friends saw her and paled.

"Is there anything we can do?" Shuang asked, obviously trying not to faint at the sight of blood blotting her friend's clothes..

"Is she going to be alright?" Lei Ba chimed in.

[Taiylor Wallace]

"She'll be fine, just find a needle and thread and bandages for me." Khan knelt, carefully setting Fang Li down so that she leaned on him and her head rested on his chest. He pulled off his deep jade sash, thus revealing his scarred and heavily tattooed upper body, and he carefully drew the broken arrowhead from her side before pressing the cloth over the wound.

[kishiseta]

Shuang nodded and rushed to get what the monk needed as Lei Ba sat by her friend and held her hand. Fang Li could feel there were people around her, but everything was fuzzy. She was resting on something warm and comforting in the midst of the pain and the cold she was feeling.

Lei Ba didn't like the look of the monk. She knew the ruthlessness of Mongolians and even more so of warriors like him. She didn't want to trust him, but he was the only one who seemed to know what to do and so she stayed silent. But if he did something to her friend, she would try to kill him, even if she knew she had no chance. She watched his every move making sure he wasn't hurting or causing Fang Li more damage.