TIANSHI, THE WARRIOR EMPRESS

A DECLARATION OF WAR

Tianshi had turned twenty years of age and her brother was eighteen.

The two children were seated in the study of their father always putting on the useless charade of good siblings yet they were rivals.

"It has been a very long time since we sat down like this as a family." The Emperor said.

"Indeed it has father, what is the matter?" Xiang Mao asked.

"Same as usual but I have now grown quite old and I feel very tired yet I wish to discuss one important matter that applies to the both of you." The Emperor replied.

"What is it father?" Tianshi asked with a concerned look on her face, her caring aura could be entirely felt by the aging man.

"All my life I was protective of both of you because you were my only children and I dearly loved you all equally.

For Tianshi I was more afraid to have you married off to a terrible man for a husband and Mao to a very uncultured woman for a wife.

I have been now convicted that I can not stay with you forever and tradition demands that you both must find life partners." The Emperor said.

The two siblings shook their heads in approval but not very comfortable to talk.

The Emperor must have seen the uncertainty of this in the eyes of his children that he went ahead to talk.

"Mao you do understand that in future you shall need an heir to keep your name and leadership gets boring  that it is only best with the right person by your side.

Tianshi I understand you are worried about ever marrying a man who shall love you for your stature but you all need partners for life." The Emperor said.

Suddenly, there was a guard who rushed into the study.

"Your Majesty, there is a messenger here who seeks the liberty of seeing you." The soldier said.

The Emperor stood up and ordered that the man be led inside.

The messenger came inside loudly panting and it was very clear that he was very tired with beads of sweat clustered on his face.

"Your Majesty, The armies is She'ngda have invaded the western fortress in the south of the Yangtze River, they are marching towards the capital." The messenger said as he kowtowed.

"They want to overthrow me, there has been no sort of conquest over the last few years, why now?" The Emperor asked.

"They are being led by General Zhi Xing and the Emperor Zhao Guo and his son." The messenger said.

"Summon the court now, send News to the fortresses in the West to be fortified, and the cavalry protecting the capital to stand guard." The Emperor said.

"Father, shall I come with you?" Xiang Mao asked.

"Come with me, Tianshi, stay here in the palace with your mother, the only way that I can be able to win this war is if we forced them off back into their territory." The Emperor said.

Tianshi was seated in her chambers s she stared in the mirror.

"Shao ye, what is the matter?" Her personal maid asked seeing her lost in thought as she stared at her reflection.

"I do not know, this battle, sometimes I wish that I would tell my father that I can help fight in this war but I doubt he would let me.

I wish that I could put my skill to use and win us victory but I cannot and I doubt that he shall let me." Tianshi said in reply.