TIANSHI, THE WARRIOR EMPRESS

THE RETURN

"They are back." The guards at the capital yelled and sounded the drums upon spotting the Tian army flags flying in a distance.

"Open the gates." One of them orders and at once the gates were drawn open and the draw bridge was lowered to the other side of the small river that flowed by.

The wounded were being supported and all those that had survived the bloody war with the She'ngda armies.

They had looted some treasures that the She'ngda armies had carried along to help purchase their needs with also food and wine that they were loaded and took long travelling back.

Bao Chan was in the palace when a messenger arrived into the throne room.

"Your Majesty, the Emperor has returned from the battle." The messenger said and at once the Empress stood on her feet.

Her face was lit with a wide smile and she was pleased that she dashed out of the room followed by her ordinary train of servants who tended to her needs.

"Shao Ye." Ping Yi called Tianshi. "Your father has returned from the war." She added.

Tianshi who was seated on beside her window while playing the flute suddenly stopped.

Her face was lit with a wide smile as well that she immediately stood up from her window and dashed outside while Ping Yi followed.

The people cheered their troops that had returned from the battle victorious but the warriors despite being wounded wore sad expressions on their faces.

The joy and excitement that they were supposed to feel after their act of valor was no where to be seen in their eyes.

The expression they wore were contrary to that, they were mourning and it was very clear that something was not right.

The Emperor who rode ahead was sad as his head was bowed down that he lacked the courage to look up to his people.

He felt like a failure and much as they had won the battle, he had terribly failed.

The Empress stood with Tianshi on the stairs of the palace awaiting the arrival of her husband.

The two had a distance between them that was about five feet as they all stared and watched the palace gates open wide.

The Emperor rode into the courtyard as he approached his family, he was being followed by a small beautiful carriage and a few more soldiers.

Bao Chan was overjoyed on seeing him that for a moment, she forgot about her son as her husband rode closer into her view.

When the Emperor's red horse stopped, he got off with the help of some of the soldiers that it was clear how he flushed his face in pain as he was lowered.

It had been a week since their departure and it became clear to Tianshi how his father  had lost so much weight in all that time.

She moved her eyes, of course, she felt someone was missing and her assumptions were confirmed when she saw no sign of him around.

Once the Emperor was down, he was being supported by the guards that it was clear he had no strength to stand on his own two feet.

Bao Chan seemed to remember that she had a son and moved up to her husband who looked very sickly and at the same time very sad and grievous.

"Laogong." She said capturing his attention and it was as though he had forgotten that they had been standing there in front of him all that time.

"Where is Mao?" She added asking him.