31 - A traitor.

Gou Aho stood leaning against a round table . Placed on it was a map detailing the Kanerria Dynasty , home to the Emperor, hated throughout all Empires though none dared voice it out loud , Li Huang.

By him was his right hand man, Rikiko Azuma , His War General , the Great General Shengand Jung Yu the head of the Tsunging Kingdom and Ai Tsu was by his side.

Gou Aho face hardened in severity as he regarded the young man before him, trying to convince him for them to join forces , his cunning and Gou Aho's brawn as well as his numerous soldiers number 500,000 men riding calvary, 450,000 men in infantry regiment , 200,000 archers as well as specially trained men termed shadow warriors , that were versed in the art of martial combat.

"So while I am risking the lives of the all the men in my army, What will you be doing?"

"We shall have the full support of the Tsunging Kingdom." Tsu Ai said only to be cut short.

"And what support is that? The support of a group of weak men that put on armor and call themselves Warriors?! I refuse to fight alongside such detestable weaklings." Gou Aho shouted. The old man said nothing but listened as This man continued to insult his Kingdom as well as his dignity.

Finally he spoke , striking his staff he used as an aid in walking to strike the floor and all the curious eyes turned to him , wanting to hear what this old man had to say.

"Gou Aho! I have heard your words and they have displeased me. If you choose to fight alone, so be it. But know one thing, as you have refused us , so we shall refuse you when you attempt to cross our borders during your march to the Imperial Empire. We shall treat you like invaders and show no mercy. What shall become of the army, you so proudly boast of then?"

Gou glanced towards Jin Zi who nodded pointing towards a large line drawn across it symbolizing the border between the Tsunging Kingdom and the Gotchu.

The Tsunging Kingdom traded regular with the Kanerria Dynasty and had established a trans- trade route." It would provide good cover for the infiltration of Kanerria, maintaining the guise of merchants." The Great General said to his master who said nothing in return.

After some moments of silence , he faced the old man who looked at him with sharpened eyes and sighed.

"An alliance it shall be."

"This alliance will be mutually beneficial to both our Kingdoms." Tsu Ai spoke profusely. "You will not regret this Gou Aho."

A young girl walked in with a tray of green tea and bowed in respect as she set the tea on a table and retreated from the room.

"I had better not." He growled after the chamber maid had left. He turned to his General and his. "Are the troops ready?"

"Yes my lord." General Sheng replied but the younger added "But even with the forces of the Tsunging Kingdom we are still greatly outnumbered. The Kanerria Dynasty significantly outmans us in terms of warfare. We should act smartly so as to not count our losses."

Gou Aho laughed mirthlessly as he patted the young man in his back. "You are still young. It is well known that attack is the best defence."

"Yes." The General agreed and stated his plan. "We shall attack at night. Some of our men will disguise their selves as merchants and infiltrate the borders of Kanerria. Once they succeed on getting rid of the guards that protect the borders, the rest of our army shall march on and level the city."

"Hmm." Gou Aho grinned wickedly folding his hands in a superior manner as the General stayed out their modes of attack.

Li Huang would not know what hit him.

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Yue Ying dipped her pen in the bowl of ink and ended the letter. Gingerly rolling up the papyrus paper , She tied in firmly with a scarlet thread. She opened up her cupboard and pressed her hands underneath it revealing a secret compartment. The only contents in this were a red candle and a stamp.

Lighting up the wick of the candle , Yue Ying watched slowly as it burned. Once the wax began to melt , she lets some drops fall to the letter and then she pressed it down with the stamp , creating a seal that no one else would understand.

She sighed as she slipped her dainty feet into her shoes and put on her cloak.She quickly skitted down the empty hallways of the Palace and made her way through the streets. It was already dark but that quarter of the kingdom was lively and full of life.

A cold wind blew and Yue Ying looked back in fear. No one was following her, She sighed in relief as she moved stealthily as a shadow. The letter she held firmly in her hand , hidden in her hand was the tool of destruction of her Kingdom. She was a spy and a traitor to her Kingdom, the letter being a revelation of the impending attack of Gou Aho. Yue Ying wished that she had not had to do this. One day her brother, Yoon Kwan ,had gone out of their home and did not return that day. She had thought he had stayed over at one of his friends house until she received an anonymous message giving her a specific location to rendezvous.

Arriving , her heart in fear for her brother, Yue Ying was confronted by the sight of her dear brother, beaten half to death , blood flowing from his face as she gasped in horror.

She was told by the man that held her brother that if she ever wanted to see him alive again , she was to report to him the goings of the Palace at this particular location. She had refused not wanting to be a traitor to her Kingdom but when the wicked man gave Yoon Kwan a heart wrenching kick to the chest , She gave in.

She became a chamber maid in the Palace to have a chance of learning of the secrets of Gou Aho . At first she had gotten scraps and pieces of information but they were not enough , the man complained, warning her to get creative and bring more useful information if she wanted her brother back alive. She tried to get closer to Gou Aho but he was a beast . Her first and only night with him gave her a number of bruises and welters. Her breasts ached from the passionate bites and her thighs were sore from the never ending , hard thrust he made into her. Yue Ying could not contemplate spending another night with him so as a last resort , she warmed herself into the heart and the bed of Rikiko , his second in command. Although it was not Gou Aho himself , Rikiko was a better alternative, because even though it was the same rough treatment but with better information , information worth enough consideration by the man that held her brother hostage.

Yue Ying made a sharp turn as she stood underneath the shade behind the huge blossom tree. She heard some familiar footsteps as he stepped out into the light.

She handed over the letter which he took from her and placed in the inner part of his garment.

"You have done well." He said. "But you better hope this is not a waste of my time or Yoon will suffer the consequences."

"When will I get my brother back?!" Yue Ying cried.

"When I no longer have need of your assistance." The man replied and turned , walking away. A sudden burst of energy shot through Yue Ying as she ran at him , clutching his clothes, refusing to let go.

"I have done every thing you have asked of me! I have lain with brutes and animals in order to get information for you! Give me back my brother!"

The man already annoyed with this woman kneeling before him , smirching his clothes with dirt , shot out his hand and grabbed hold of her throat and nailed her again at the wall as he spoke in a coarse voice while she tried to free herself.

"Know your place woman. If you do not , your brother will have to pay the price." The man glossed his hand over her hair as she attempted to wrench herself free. "Or I ought to ravish you myself..."

He threw her down to the ground and she fell , her knees grazing the floor. "Your brother life depends on you. Know that." He disappeared as quickly as he had come.

Yue Ying began crying, as rain fell down , masking her tears . How much more of this could she take , she cried.

How much longer?