The Warlord's Prize

Chapter 26 - Blood on the Crimson Walls

The large crimson red door stood towering above us like the gate to the city once did. Shan Yu gazed at it almost in awe at how grand the palace would be outside and in. I stood beside him as he struck the door hard with his bare fist. I was expecting there to be no effect, but to my surprise, the impact made the door give away as a huge hole where his fist had struck. The direct approach was clearly right after all in his eyes.

"And they thought they could keep me out sweetling, such a pathetic door for one to be the entrance. I was expecting it to be thicker,"

"Maybe you're stronger than it," I told him,

He grinned maliciously but to me it was a loving grin with a hint of evil that now made my heart pound in pleasure rather than fear.

We entered and the inside of the palace to a large red corridor with golden dragon engravings on each side; thankfully, there were no guards just yet which gave us the perfect time to come up with a strategy as we walked forward.

"We need to get to the throne room, no doubt the Emperor will be there and heavily guarded. You have no combat training and I can't let you out of my sight otherwise you'll be killed," Shan Yu said, taking my free hand in his,

"What about that guard in the alley who tried to take me away?"

"By now the Emperor should know we're together based on any surviving witnesses. A soldier might be suspicious if a woman approaches with her weapon drawn. I believe they will no longer underestimate you now that they know you are with me."

My heart sank this time and now there was definitely no way of getting out of the fight. The Emperor's guards were ready in full force no matter who was brave enough to venture into the palace. We entered through a set of double doors into a large room with golden red pillars on each side and a tall rectangular window with massive burgundy drapes on each side. At first the room seemed silent until footsteps came across the room. Shan Yu and I stood hand in hand with our swords ready. There was no telling what was around that corner or how we would fight it off together.

Shan Yu clutched my hand tightly but gently and whispered, "Emily, whatever you do from here on until we get to the throne room, stay close to me. I think I may have an idea how we can deal the guards, especially when there are groups of them,"

"How?"

Before he could answer my question suddenly from around the corner a single guard in golden Imperial armor appeared. He looked like a scout and his sword was thick but did not appear to be as sharp.

"Intruders! The palace has been breached!"

Shan Yu grinned wickedly and inside I imagined he was thinking: That's right, tell everyone of our presence, that way we can fight our way to the Emperor to prove our might and show him we mean business,"

Without warning Shan Yu charged towards the single soldier, pulling me with him just as more. The soldier did not hesitate as he put up his shield not caring who his opponents were; he stood ready to fend for himself if necessary. Suddenly, I felt Shan Yu's hand in mine move to my waist as he lifted me off the ground, and struck the soldier's shield hard with his own sword.

The shield held briefly each time the sword struck. At first, I felt like all I could do was watch until I looked down to notice our opponent struggling to bring forth his sword. I quickly took my own sword and parried his before it could strike Shan Yu. The soldier grunted and continued to push, and for the first time I was clashing with the enemy without panic but with confidence instead. Shan Yu set me back down on the ground once he realized what I was up to and without even knowing it, the next clash of steel suddenly came so hard and I turned the blade causing my opponent's arm to twist. His sword fell to the ground.