Yan Provincial Roleplay

[Li Dao Wen]

Kingdom of Yan, July 205 B.C.

OOC: For Meia (Ding Yi), but any free Chu officer not tied up in Chu may join in.

The fall of Shi Tong's armies, once the backbone of the largest kingdom in China, was spectacular. Much like every army that had faced Imperial Chu before, the highly-touted juggernaut of the north was more numerous, better-equipped, and determined to defend their homeland against the mighty Ma Dieu.

It took the Conqueror-King of Chu a full two days to completely shatter the sturdy main body of Jiaodong, but even before the dawn of the second day it was already a decided battle. Almost 80,000 of their original 90,000 had fallen during the furious, whole-afternoon slaughter.

It is inexplicable, almost miraculous, how the men of Chu, dauntless and fearsome as they are, never seem to take into consideration how many of them fall. Every month their numbers are cut down, then they simply assimilate fresh troops into their ranks, making them even stronger. Like a bamboo which grows higher when cut down, the men of Chu are resilient and ever-ascending. It is as if they are simply fighting for the sake of fighting, animated by a spirit which knows no fear, no guilt, no pain. They simply march in glorious array, led by the most famous and fearsome general in the land, already looking ahead to the next battle, fully confident of victory.

Xian Long Rui had done his share in the fighting, going about his usual tactics of wading into the thick of battle, then proceeding to level everything that came before him. He was certainly the most glorified warrior in the ranks of Chu, the third wheel in a triumvirate of heroes who had one day decided that they wished to rule the world. Ambitious as they were, each was driven by a different motivation which didn't overlap or trample on the other's goal, hence their efficient and harmonious working condition.

Ma Dieu's ambition was the murkiest; his actions spoke volumes about his thirst for glory, his desire for conquest. Yet his facade involved a sincere, almost resigned desire to bring the chaos low before the feet of the new Emperor of Chu. There was no telling whether he would stop climbing the ladder of power when the whole world is prostate before his might.

Fei Lai, on the other hand, was more subtle. He simply wished to see Ma Dieu in control of everything, with him serving as the cunning to his sworn brother's brilliance. He was a man with simple tastes, thus he kept everything about him that way. Fei served as the greatest instrument to Dieu's success; what he lacked in strength he buried under a fabulous wit that helped shape the destiny of the Conqueror.

And at last him, the man known as Xun Jiang, the sword arm, the right hand of death. He had finally gotten everything he had ever wanted, and had found satisfaction in serving below the sworn brothers. He was to be made a king in the near future, a surety, given all that he had done in Dieu's service. He was a beast of a man for sure, an ogre, maybe even a dragon; a man who finds rapture in the chaos and destruction which the Chu campaigns had unleashed upon the land. Yet here he was, staring at the land which he wanted to make his own, to rule under an iron fist which demanded -ironically- not fear and subservience, but simply justice and obedience.

Mounted on the nineteen-hand tall Demon Charger, he towered over the landscape of Yan, a cold, hard smirk on his face. A distance away was a caravan of soldiers, supplies, and other necessities. These are some of Chu's finest men, some of the most grizzled veterans of the Chu wars, on their way to pacify the capital of the ancient kingdom of Yan. Yet as they shivered in the cold, biting winds of the north, the grim giant was steady and silent.

On a carriage right beside him rode the woman who, in the most unexpected of ways, had changed the Demon warrior of Chu. Whereas the future Queen of Yan had been driven away from her homeland as a vagabond being hunted for her price, she was now returning in full power, power that she was free to employ however she wished. Xun Jiang intended to leave affairs of state in her hands, with only the military being directly under his guidance. He wanted to create an army which would both deter barbarian incursions from entering the Great Wall of Qin, and serve as ready allies for the King of Chu if ever a revolt broke out.

When the outskirts of the capital were in sight, Xun Jiang decided to halt the advance so he may send an advance scout to announce their arrival. It would minimize panic and help calm things down for the new regime. Camping out in the forest, everyone unloaded their things, set up their tents and built fires. Soon the campsite was full of veteran men talking amongst themselves, of experiences drawn from the numerous campaigns, and of the enemies they had helped uproot; from Xiang Yu, to Baocen Peng, to Zu Yanghei, and at last, to Shi Tong.

With his own sumptuous tent already brought to bear, Xun Jiang waited in silence for any news from the advance scouts, sitting squarely on a wooden throne in the middle of the pavilion. Ding Yi was not around to temper him at the moment, which made him quite irritable and unpredictable. As he watched the small fire that flickered from an isolated bamboo pole in the corner, he revisited dreams of becoming a king, and how he was to rule the land to be entrusted to him.

[Meia]

Before the carriage was secured and Yi was prepared to step out, Xun Jiang had already left to oversee the setting up of the temporary camp. Ding Yi was aware of it, with his warhorse's galloping fading into a distance. A short while later, the woman alighted from the carriage, carefully assisted by a lady-in-waiting. Yi wore a woolen long-sleeved dress coupled with a fur-collared tunic, common only to the people of the northern-most region. Although her maids, under the instruction of Xun Jiang most likely, had been presenting to her many a fine new dress for her choosing, she had insisted on wearing her own for this journey.

Her eyes drifted to a close as she smelled the dewy forest air, and let the cold breeze carress her in a moment's bliss. With a couple of blinks, she then set her sights on the sprawling capital city in the valley, as the Black Orge similarly did moments before. How long had she been away..ousted from this land, she queried to herself while silently scanning for distinctive landmarks and buildings within the fortified city. She felt somewhat surreal, after a slew of dramatic, even traumatic personal events, she would come full circle. There was an overwhelming sense of familiarity returning to her homeland. Yet it also felt different.. To her own surprise, Ding had begun to ponder how she could help the citizens there after the Chu had moved in. She now felt a sense of responsibility toward the welfare of these people -her people-, that it had become an intuitive thought. It seemed that Xun Jiang had had a deep, and probably permanent effect on her- be it from their encounter in the prison or the notion that she would soon be his Queen- although it arguable whether this was actually noticed. During the travels, Yi would cast glances from the safely behind the carriage's veiled curtains, at the dark obscured figure of the man to whom her fate was tied to. There was numbing disbelief that the infamously-cruel Demon warrior of Chu would live up to his word given to a captured enemy officer. He had challenged her wide-eyed naivety, and made her realise that there was perhaps more to people than they seemed. While it remained to be seen whether her trait had been invariably quashed, it had certainly dimished.

Since her 'acceptance' into the Ma Dieu ranks, Ding had barely spoken to anyone, spending much time simply adjusting to the new people and surroundings. With the entire army busy with the engagement of Shi Tong's forces, she passed her first days among the Chu without disturbance. Now she was content to stay outdoors and watch the scenery peacefully and unperturbed by the cold wind, until she was otherwise summoned.

[Li Dao Wen]

Deep within the tent, Xun Jiang let out a tiny sniffle. then took a cloth and wiped his nose with it. His eyes were a bit red, not from crying -obviously- but from a burning sensation within his head. He had sorely underestimated how cold Yan was, but whatever discomfort he felt was lost behind a genuine veneer of strength and stoicity. It might have been obvious earlier, apparent in the fact that he always tried to keep close to the burning fires wherever he went within the expanse of the camp. But nobody dared make inquiries as to his physical state; he was the King of Yan, ever-strong. His men considered him beyond human, beyond sickness and inebriation. To keep their morale up, Xun Jiang clamped his jaw locked and bore it all without complaint. Now alone and a bit more 'human', he could feel a massive headache coming on from all his silent suffering.

The only warming thought he had gotten all day was the -besides his not-too-reclusive dreams of kingship- was the fact that just behind him, riding within the carriage he guarded so closely, was Ding Yi, smug, silent and comfortable in her own warm clothes. The tiniest of smiles broke through his exterior, wondering in amusement if she had not warned him because she knew of his bravado, or because she was trying to get even with him. The thought of the latter amused him in his lonesome moments.

During the battle against the kingdom of Jiaodong, Ding Yi's desire to avenge the fallen kingdom of Yan drove him on, adding impetus to his ever-present personal motivations. He had laid waste to countless men before, but everything had been done of his own accord, all for himself. Ma Dieu had never required him to be so soft and considerate; the Conqueror had need of his strength and loyalty, but not his sentiments. He knew better than to expect that. As such, it was truly the first time in his life when he had felt he was truly fighting for someone else, for the benefit of another, no matter how small, or how petty.

He could have chosen any other land, lands which were bigger, richer, and closer to Chu, where his weak skills at generalship would be shadowed by the brilliance of Ma Dieu in case another satellite nation rose in arms against the Empire. Yet here he was, a clogged nose to go along with a content heart. In his thoughts, he believed he had chosen well; Ding Yi was with her people, just as he had promised.

Finally done with hiding away from the coldness of the kingdom he was to rule, Xun Jiang took a deep breath with some difficulty, took his halberd from its holster, then came out into the open. Whereas Ding Yi had expected to be summoned from her solitary musings, Xun Jiang in turn felt no need to call on her, preferring to come himself. Letting Ding Yi do as she pleased had been his indulgence while they were together, and his distinct command to his retainers while he had been out to battle against Shi Tong.

He found his wool-clad future-Queen looking out into the forest, towards where the city of Shanggu lay. The city's lights seemed like fireflies in the descending darkness, and felt like countless arrows piercing his hollow soul. Those lights would soon be living beneath the shadow of his cruel reputation; he hoped that Ding Yi could soften it somewhat, for he did not want to become every Yan citizen's great burden to bear.

His metal boots soon broke the tranquility of Lady Ding's solitude, crushing the fallen leaves that bound his path towards her. Strangely enough, once he was beside her, he felt all the more better.

"So this is the land where you were born?" he said to her, his deep voice betraying no signs of his illness. "I haven't had the luxury of being able to admire nature in peace for awhile. You hail from a truly pristine land, milady."

[Meia]

She smiled softly at his comment, continuing to gaze at the city under the darkening sky. From her calm demeanor, it seemed Yi had to some degree accepted the ways of Yan's new king, and was committed towards preparing for her role as his co-ruler. Over her recent ordeal, she had attained a philosophical perspective. As long as men desired power for themselves, there may never be an end to the cycle of wars and fights and deaths.. However, she took it as a sort of consolation that, in choosing to marry the notorious warlord over death, she obtained power to help ordinary folk...survivors of war and strife. And very soon, the people of Yan would become her life's cause. While she did not know for sure why Xun Jiang chose the northern province to rule, Yi had an inkling that she might be part of the reason.

She was looking out further, beyond the city walls..toward the far mountains in the horizon, when she turned slightly towards him with a puzzled expression. While he might be able to keep a straight face and appear unaffected, the chains on his armor on the other hand, were flailing and clattering intensely under the extreme weather. "Um..the winds are rather strong today..do you not feel chilly?” Yi had to raise her voice when she posed the innocent question, hardly able to hear herself against the frosty gusts. “Foreigners to Yan tend to wear facescarves.” She was about to reach into her sleeve where she kept one, but suddenly minding his egotistic nature, she refrained. Her hands slipped gently back to her sides and disappeared beneath the thick sleeves. As Ding Yi gazed at him and awaited a response, puffs of air were released from her mouth whenever she exhaled. It was apparent in her expression that she bore no grudge against Xun Jiang; it simply had not crossed her mind to highlight the uncomfortable conditions to anyone.

[Li Dao Wen]

"Face scarves... Hmmm." Xun Jiang echoed his Queen's words, having half a mind to procure one for himself once they arrived in the town. A woolen bear coat wouldn't hurt either, he thought, closing his eyes in a moment of contemplation. He didn't notice her stealthy attempt to retrieve something for him from within her robes.

All the time they had been together Xun Jiang had struggled to remain vague, to maintain his distance. He knew that Ding Yi didn't care for his health in the affectionate manner of a wife, much less his own ambition. He also knew that she was simply with him because she felt was cornered into their union, and because she could save herself and then save the citizens of Yan.

He didn't mind these facts at all. Truth be told, he didn't even know precisely why he offered her Queenship in the first place, save for the fact that she had initially caught his fancy in the worst way possible. But that was something that he could have taken without tying her down to him, without having to bother himself with any attachment. He could have had her then and there within the prison and then set her free -or otherwise killed her. Or to be more diabolical, he could have made his promise, had his fill of her, then broken his word like the savage that he used to be.

But then he restrained himself, first from serving his lust, then serving his cruelty, and lastly, serving his sadism. What's more, he even went to battle with that promise in mind, and in the end claimed the kingdom of Yan with all his brazen might.

Maybe he simply fancied himself to be above everybody else in this regard... Or maybe he had unwittingly, and finally found a true measure of honor within himself.

The temperature was already extreme and it was bound to get worse as night falls. Despite his increasing discomfort, however, Xun Jiang neither flinched nor whimpered. He kept staring into the vast horizon, staring down the mighty winds that lashed his face with icy water, defying his personal limitations in the name of his pride and his kingship. Ding Yi was absolutely correct; he was an egotistical man who would never let the odds beat him. To him, martial strength and physical endurance should rule over petty whims and hurdles. Even if it took him to death, he'd never deliberately show any signs of weakness. Precisely the very condition which was slowly gripping him.

He looked down at Ding Yi's soft smile with eyes that were full of bravado and assurances that she might not actually care about. But it offered her a window to the man beyond the monster; the man who was fallible, and already burning out with a very high fever. Perhaps out of a delirious moment of reprieve from his towering bravado - or perhaps out of a genuine, budding affection for the woman- the King of Yan's face broke down into a soft smile of its own. He absent-mindedly unclasped his heavy gauntlet, letting it drop into the wet, chilly ground.

The freed hand found its way towards her cheek, a touch without force, a caress without intimidation. "Does being in Yan make you happy, Ding Yi? Did I make the right choice?"

[Meia]

Widened eyes followed the unclasped gauntlet which fell to partially snow-covered ground with a heavy thud. They grew wider still when in a blink of an eye, he had closed in on her. Yi inhaled sharply from a soft gasp in reaction to his touching her cheek. “..I.. uhm….Yes..” As her heart raced, she spluttered an answer before giving a curt nod. “Yes..: Yan is where I belong.”

His fingers felt rough and calloused against her cheek, but they were merely brushing lightly and painlessly over her skin. She stood frozen, still a little shocked over what just happened. Was his demeanor changing before her or just another side to him that had simply been suppressed or not openly displayed? She felt the warmth on his hand… was it perhaps too warm? Yi blinked in curious thought, her hand deftly reached and placed over his.

[Li Dao Wen]

Cold sweat all broke over Xun Jiang's forehead as her eyes blinked. He had never felt so strange in his whole life before. It was as if the universe had conspired and brought it all together, the Angel and Demon of their age, mercy against cruelty, gentleness to brutality. It seemed like both had had a profound effect on the other, even if it was hidden or obscured behind layers of doubt and suspicion on one hand, and pride and distance on the other.

"I'm... glad," he simply said to her, a light smile gracing his lips as she placed her hand over his. Would she feel the feelings that burned inside him, the contentment that bored through his mighty and brazen exterior? Would she penetrate past the monster, and value the man who did the recent good things he did in her name? Or would the new found warmth in his soul be dismissed as what his body was desperately trying to convey, which was a burning fever? He chuckled inside, wondering what in the world made him think of such things. But his hand did not leave her cheek; instead, he gently pulled her to him, keeping her close, trying to feel her heartbeat thumping against his armor.

One of her two theories would be correct. Which one between the two is another matter altogether. Even though he didn't care what other people thought of him, it was sufficient evidence to show that he was not a complete thing of evil without a heart or a soul. He may have slaughtered countless men before, probably enough to make a small lake, but he had realized that he isn't immune to affection.

In his life's tale of endless war and bloodshed, he was quickly becoming the beast, to Ding Yi's beauty.

His bare hand felt cold against the back of her head, but he hoped her woolen robe would neuter the icy surface of his golden armor. The halberd on his other hand, dormant and almost forgotten, appeared to be glued to him as it pointed diagonally towards the ground.

"It is such a strange world we're heading to, milady. A world where my blade would be far weaker than your mercy. I will need you to temper these people. Lend me your strength, Lady Ding Yi..."

[Meia]

It was the first time Yi had seen him smile like this, and it heightened her awareness that something might be wrong, although she did not know what.

Yi did not utter anything in reply to his request. In fact, she was befuddled beyond words, because her struggle to comprehend him continued. How confusing he was. And completely different from the time he was in Sai.. It almost sounded ridiculous.., that he needed her to help him rule the land. Did a man like Xun Jiang ever needed anyone..? This question briefly crossed her mind. Perhaps it was due to the fact that she hadn't imagined this ferocious warrior and champion to Ma Dieu to ever be detached from the battlefield. She was also hopelessly confused as to why he even said those words. Hadn't they settled this? It was the promise DingYi had made; albeit she was terrified at the time she made it, it hadn't yet crossed her mind to get herself out of it. She also did not realize that Xun Jiang seemed to be asking her to choose her destiny again, but with new-found sincerity this time.

Silence ensued as she collected her thoughts. Just when it seemed there was no distance left between them, Xun could feel the slight movement from her huddling that much closer against his breastplate. Then she calmly exhaled as she turned her head sideways to look out into the open scenery with a glossed, half-open gaze, absently lulled by the sense of security which stemmed from his presense. She certainly had not expected to feel this calm, safe, and free from apprehension to malice she associated Xun and his men with, but she did.

A sudden gust of wind shook her from her quiet pondering, “We had best get to shelter.” she said with a glance at his dark, strained eyes

[Li Dao Wen]

"Yes," he murmured as he returned her gaze, his own eyes appearing sleepy and weak. He barely stifled the desire to caress her hair before leading her on back to camp. "Let's go back."

She appeared so confused to him, so unsure of why he was even saying the things he was saying. Of course, he wouldn't be able to assuage that even if he tried. He too was struggling to suppress the free-flowing emotions from inside him. Was it truly lust that turned his eyes towards her jail within that dark labyrinth? Or was it fate?

Suddenly and without warning, the great giant fell to one knee, barely managing to let go of Ding Yi's shoulder before collapsing. Twilight Mourning laid prostate on the ground beside him as he fought off his intermittent coughing. There was a limit to human endurance, and no matter how much he fancied himself to be beyond mortal, he definitely was still a man. Just one man. His act of sincerity and affection was tantamount to letting down his guard, and he couldn't recover fast enough to prevent himself revealing his condition. To his bitter consternation, his last cough showed some speckles of blood on his palm when he covered his mouth. The snow was also tainted with a few drops.

"Damn it," he growled weakly as he picked up his fallen gauntlet from the ground, clasping it on hurriedly to hide away the speckles. He was unsure if Ding Yi managed to catch a glimpse of it before he tucked it away. Even if she had, he would have preferred if she didn't address it at all, not wanting her to see him so debilitated. In his hurry, his fingers were left un-wiped before the gauntlet was equipped, and before long they felt clammy and painful inside the armor.

Once Xun Jiang was back to his feet, he inhaled a heavy breath, as if trying to clean his insides with Yan's ungentle gusts. He felt terrible, weak, and drained of strength, but he looked at Yan's Queen stoically. "It's nothing. I'll be fine with bed rest. Come... 'll have the -ugh- attendants prepare you some food. We will... Enter Shanggu tomorrow at dawn."

Shaking his head to clear his mind, he walked on ahead slowly, setting an easy pace so she'd be able to catch up to him.

[Meia]

In natural reaction, Ding Yi spun and tried to support the falling giant, the wide sleeve of her robe thrown and sprawled over his back and shoulder. She then spied the specks of blood on the palm of his hand. “Oh..you're bleeding..!” she exclaimed immediately, her voice was alarmed but hushed. But within seconds, the Orge had mustered himself on his feet, although he was unable to hide his grimace. And with steely determination he marched on as if pretending the incident never happened, leaving her to absorb the words he had muttered. The lady stared, first at the blood drops on the snow, then at the retreating figure, dumbfounded and frowning to his words, with a look of sympathy that threatened bore through the back of his armor.

She arose gracefully, then caught up with Xun after a short brisk-walk. Again, succinctly aware of his blatant pride, Yi opted to hold her tongue about the matter. The only sounds made against the relentless winds came from the heavy trudging of his boots, and her steady breathing. She seemed to prefer walking slightly behind him, although sometimes they were adjacent.

Once the escort was done, Yi waited for him to be gone before leaving her tent, intending to instruct the kitchen attendants to prepare a warm broth and have it brought to him.