The Concubine's Cannon

Chapter 14: Bow and Arrow

(Sorry I don't really have a good title for this one.)

They set up tables and benches and different training exercises. They would have to work fast today. Generals, soldier, councilmen, no one was safe from training. They only had three days from what Chi said. Three days to get things ready. What they needed was a plan. A plan to get them around discretely, and a plan to get supplies. As if the emperor would let the women bring in cannons, even if they claimed they were fake.

It took all day to get some of the men to agree. A few of them even had to be bribed with women and money. All of this was for them, did they not realize that? Are they really that ignorant?

Sounds of huffs and puffs and panting and arguing sound all around her. Climbing poles, creating plans, awarding in group ranks. Everything was so busy around her. Such little time. So restraining! "Mulan?" The voice sounds throughout the silence but she does not look up from her paper. The illusion of people disappears around her as the footsteps grow near.

"Are you alright?" A shiver of something shoots through her bones. It rests on her shoulder. "I'll take a break in a minute, Shang. I'm almost done with this plan." She continues to scribble on the paper, fully aware of the lie she just told. "You need to sleep." He takes a seat next to her. She shakes her head. The cold morning air blows through the palace, the door wide open. If anyone saw them.... "You should go back to your room if you don't want to dishonor yourself." Her voice is ruff and harsh, jagged and broken, yet sad and cold, desperate and needing. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. She was not supposed to be the one begging she was....

"I only meant to protect your honor. You are not like the other concubines...." He pauses. "You need rest." He lets out a breath. It pains his chest to see the one he cares so deeply for hurting. How could she go from wanting to kiss him nonstop to working nonstop in under an hour? It only took one phrase to get her like this. Unbelievable.

"I know. You should get back to bed though." She gives him a soft smile. He smiles back at least until her eyes avert his gaze. "If we survive this. I'll marry you." Though his expression is blank his heart is wide. She meets his stare and leans in to answer his request. She pulls back, a small sigh escapes her. "Okay," and back to work, she goes.

It took all three days to get here. Three days of planning, three days of training, three days of faking a fake disease. It had become widespread in some of the troops and some even out of the loop began to fake having it. The actual army still had enough soldiers to surround the Pass, but their army barely had enough to be a fourth of the Huns'.

"Are they gone yet?" The question comes out as a whisper. She'd been bedridden for the past three days. If anyone saw her. "They're leaving the palace right now. I hope you know what you're doing, Mulan." His voice is horse and crisp as usual, despite that sadness lingers in his words, intertwined with anger for the endangerment of his only daughter, his only child. She nods, a smiling smirk crossing over her face. "I'll be fine, Baba. No one has seen me yet. They think we're just getting replacements for props."

"Very well. Just remember to keep looking for what is not seen but do not overlook what is. You have done this before and you should continue doing it now." Though the words confuse her she nods. With a smile, they embrace and his visit to his sick daughter ends.

"Take care of her, General." The wise father pats his back, a blush spreads across his face. He had only just gotten there, he couldn't have seen him walking up from behind. Shang turns his thoughts away from the man and instead to the man's child. "We need to move the canons as soon as possible as well as make sure that we have all the armor." She meets him at the door and nods her agreement. "I'll check with the ladies on the canons. It'll just look like girl-talk to the unseen eye. Can you make sure Mang got everything?" He stiffens at the request but nods. He had been her guard for only a short time but it felt unnatural to be away from her still, even at night it was no exception. "We'll be on watch tonight. I'll see you after it's over." With a smile, she goes to close the door. He stops it. "One more thing?" She looks up and her eyes widen. A gentle kiss laying on her cheek. "I'll take you home afterward." He leaves with a smile and a touch on her cheek. He had made the first contact.
            ____________________________

Footsteps patter in the strong rain. It seemed like the weather was against them. Along the lines of the wall surrounding the village, a guard's tower's fire was flickering on. Several whispers were heard and several more were started. But it was too late. The moment they underestimated the women and moved the marker, their plan had already begun.

Wild horses run and blood is shot. A call throughout the palace was heard. "They're here," called the snotty rat. He had burst through the doors of the emperor's chambers. "We need to get you to safety!" He presses what he had always believed forward. "Get my people to safety. Lock the doors and get all the women safe first. Only then will I join them." The councilman nods and issues begin to be orders, but no one was there. The councilman had already alerted them when running for the emperor. Their plan was in motion.

"Shang, take the women and your remaining troop to the entrance. I need those three soldiers you were talking about with me. I'll clue them into what's happening. Someone get Ai somewhere safe, she's too young to fight. Chi, alert my father and the servants. Bring them with Shang. You know the plan, kill as many as you can, and keep them at the same place as long as you can. GO! GO! GO!" She issues everyone their roles, there is no time to fight. This is going down now, and yet. "Shang, I said go." "I need to make sure you're safe." She sighs a deep sigh. She loves him but sometimes he can be stupid. "I SAID GO! We have no time for this. You trained me now get your butt out and MOVE!" He nods to her orders.

They run through to the south end of the palace. Windows and balconies reveal the fighting going outside. Blood mixes with rain, she can see Shang trying to fight off the leader. She shakes the image out of her head and reaches a certain balcony. Several columns line the corners, she takes out four scarves. "We're going up." Two out of the three soldiers her general brought her raises their brow. The thin lanky one known as Ling speaks first, "How do you expect us to climb this? Nobody at camp could climb it so how do you expect you... to. I take back my word." His jaw drops among others that she brought with as she scales the pole using nothing but her scarf. "Send down the scarf after you're done. I left three more down there. If you care to go first, Ling." She lets the scarf fly down to him. Grabbing it in his hand he salutes her. "I'm sorry I ever doubted you."

Each one makes it up slowly but surely. They could see the loss of bodies down there. It was tearing. She can only pray that Shang is alright. "Aim the canons down there. We have fire arrows as well, take out as many as possible. If possible try to start a widespread fire. They already know the plan down there. They'll get out of the way." "Girls?" Yao, the short gruff one questions only to get a punch from Ling, already having been proven girls are more than a pretty face. "Where is Captain Ping?" It was the name she used when first meeting them, back when she addressed them all in her male disguise. "You're looking at him." The three look at each other before she finally sighs and brings her hand to her hair. She holds it up as if her hand was a band. Realization strikes them across their face.

"We have little time, now. Shoot the arrows first. Try to strike a Hun carcass and create a fire. Then aim the cannons and shoot." They nod again and begin to fire. If her plan worked then they'd be heroes by sunrise.

Author: VIOLENCE!!!!!! Also I love Ling's response towards the end XD lots of just "I'm not trying to look dumb" moments. From here on out it gets a bit choppy and honestly I have no idea how it why I even wrote it this way but it's fun. You only have two chapters left to go and then I'll be posting another book! I know nobody reads this but it's nice to think that maybe somebody will. Maybe somebody will get fed up with how trash it is and take it into their own hands and write something themself for the ship and Mulan. But until then all you got is this dumpster fire!!!!