Choices and Consequences

Trust betrayed

The battle has been raging for weeks. The stench of battle assails her nostrils as she looks out into the battlefield. A rare lull in the fighting allowed her to recover the dead and her soldiers to get a much needed respite. Yelu Xue is worried about how long they can continue to defend their city. Her parents and young siblings are holed up behind the city fortifications whilst she leads their army in defending their country. Their kingdom is one of the kingdoms of Liao Dynasty. Her father being the Crown Prince and ruler of the northern kingdom. She, his eldest daughter, is the commander of a 10,000 strong cavalry regiment fighting the army of the Northern Song Dynasty. Casualties on both sides have been heavy and without the reinforcements from his uncle's army, they will lose the city in a matter of days.

Bone weary and wounded, Yelu Xue called her second in command. "Dashi, any news on the movement of my uncle's army? Do we know when they're likely to arrive?" "They are 10 li away from the city, your highness." "Thank you Dashi. Go and make sure all our remaining soldiers are in their battle stations and are ready. I can see movements around the Song army camp. They're gearing up for battle again."

The 100,000 strong cavalry thundered into the battlefield. Arrows flying and slamming into bodies of the enemy. Swords decapitating heads and limbs. The reinforcements have arrived led by the second prince, her uncle. Yelu Xue is jubilant. Finally, they are winning the battle and it couldn't come any sooner. Her army has been reduced to no more than 3,000 of heavily wounded soldiers. They were on the verge of losing the city and endangering the lives of the people behind the city wall. Her uncle's army made short work of the remaining enemies whilst the others fled.

"Open the city gates. Let the second prince army into the city." Xue ran to welcome her uncle but instead of a hug, she was restrained by his soldiers and slammed face down the ground. Her soldiers have been rounded up and commanded to their knees. Xue raise a bewildered face to her uncle. She couldn't understand what was happening. "Get the Crown Prince and his family here" her uncle commanded. "What's going on uncle Muzong? Why are you doing this?" Xue asked.

Her family was dragged into the main square. Her father look defeated but stoic. Her mother look terrified but still retains the grace she is well known for. Her younger twin brother and sister are in tears, terrified and a look of hope in their faces when they saw her. It broke her heart to see the hope and trust in their faces for she now knows that hope is a luxury they can't afford at this moment.

"The Crown Prince has conspired with the Northern Song Dynasty to overthrow  great Liao. The battle here is a showpiece to deceive the Emperor and weaken the kingdom. This crime is punishable by death." Her father pleaded. "Muzong, I know that you have been after the title of Crown Prince. To be named the successor of Liao throne. I am willing to die and hand you the crown but please spare my family" Muzong laugh out loud. "Spare your family? Spare them so they can betray me in the future?"

Xue watched as her family's bodies were pierced by the arrows. The young bodies of her siblings lifted off the ground by the sheer force of the arrows penetrating them. Xue lost all reasons. With a loud snarl, she sprang up and stabbed her uncle in the heart before collapsing in the ground with arrows sticking out of her back. As her life force leaves her body she vowed that she will avenge her family and never to trust again.