TIANSHI, THE WARRIOR EMPRESS

A LITTLE WARRIOR

Tianshi had grown very beautiful, young and was perhaps the fairest in the entire land.

Her scarlet eyes were always bright and noticeable and her hair was as long and red as well, very smooth that all the young boys she met, princes and commons admired her.

She had a petite physique and was always in the company of other young noble princesses of her father's generals.

She was a fan of red as it was natural on her that she was called the Phoenix princess by some of her scholars.

Despite being born a princess, her life was filled with misery within the walls of the palace.

The death of her own mother to begin with was a tragedy that forced her to grow up with her controlling step mother and her mean son.

"You shall bow to your brother, he is the future Emperor and it is your duty to accord him all the necessary respect that he deserves." Bao Chan the Empress scolded her step daughter.

"Yes mother." She replied and her own life went on miserably.

The two were both schooled in the palace and Tianshi was more brilliant and smart than her charming brother who grew jealous of her.

Xiang Mao her brother who was two years younger than her always boasted around her and sometimes, she was denied food every time her father went on conquests.

She was forbidden from learning any martial arts and was off spinning, playing the flute and harp and every liberal art that was to be taught to a girl before she would get married.

At ten years of age, the Emperor had some of the best warriors train his son the art of combat.

Xiang Mao was a very slow learner and it took him a long time to grasp the war techniques at the beginning but after some time, he got very fast to learn his combat.

Xiang Tianshi would hide behind the bushes of the peach tree garden and she would watch and train with her step brother.

She made it a point to remain unnoticed until one time, a very old and short man found her, eleven at the time.

The man looked very weary from the sack that he carried on his back, it was small but he looked unable to make it.

The young Princess decided to help the old man, carry his luggage and escorted him from the palace to a small cottage outside that stood near the pond.

After the two arrived at the old man's cottage, Tianshi was marvelled at the sight.

She could not help but admire the beautiful lotus flowers that grew there and one peach tree that stood near the pond.

The cottage was small but beautiful, very quiet and isolated from the rest of the city.

"Thank you so much Young Miss." The old man said.

"It is my pleasure old friend." Tianshi replied and bowed her head but as she turned to leave, she was halted.

"Wait." The old man said that she was forced to turn around and look at the old man.

"You are one very kind young girl but why do you hide behind a bush to learn kung fu." The old man asked.

"I wish that I did not have to hide but as a princess, I am forbidden from learning the true art of combat." Tianshi replied.

"Why do you wish to learn?" The old man asked.

"I wish to one day use my skills to help people and my father win wars and restore peace to our people." The Young Princess replied.