TROUBLE IN THE CRANNIES

POV: MING - MANGER OF THE FREE FLOWER TAVERN

LOCATION: THE CRANNIES

TIME: FEW HOURS INTO THE ROYAL FEAST- AFTER THE FEAST

After a stressful but enjoyable day at the free flower tavern, you were about to kick in for the the night when your sharp eyes picks out a shadow that lurks outside your door. Anticipating its entrance, you stand beside the door and position your sword in a way that anything that came in through the door will taste the sharp point. You focus so intently on the door that you do not notice the shadow until a hand tears through your paper wall, grabs you by the mouth,places you against the wall and another hand places a knife at your throat. This commotion makes your sleeping brother to quickly leaps up, nook his bow and points the arrow at your assailant in a speed that rivals lightening.

"Who are you?" He commands

"Put down that dagger."

"You know the prince told me that I would not be able to catch you off guard even if i tried." A familiar voice rings

"Glad to see he was right."

The hands then withdraws from your mouth and throat.

"Su Min?" You cry as you open the door

"What are you doing here by this time?"

"The prince sent me here to deliver some thing important." She answers as she places a basket in front of you.

"He says he could not trust anyone else to do it."

You look at Su Min and you notice that she is not dressed in her usual silk but rather in a black tight (you do not know what to call it) that hides all her feature except her face which was unmasked. Her attire suddenly impresses on you the importance of her message and you open the basket to see both a black and a white tiger cubs.

"How did he get two tiger cubs?" Shang asks

"He was almost killed in a hunt he went his father but the mother tiger saved his life and died in the process." She explains

"Since then he had sworn to take care of her cubs as if they were his own children."

"Then why not just do that?" You query

"Why bring it to us?"

"He lives in the imperial palace sister." Your brother clarifies as though he speaks to a three years old.

"I don't think they will appreciate having tigers roaming around."

Su Min nods in approval and says

"Smart lad"

"Well if that is the case then I am taking the white one." You say as you quickly grabs the white tiger who to your surprise offers no resistance.

The black tiger then turns to your brother and you can swear you sees its tail wagging

"So what should I call him?" You ask yourself aloud

"Him?" Su Min ask and you both turn your cubs to check their organs.

"The white one is a female Liu Ming. I thought you should know."

"Is it just me or does these tigers seems to accept us as their masters too quickly?" Shang asks.

"You are right Shang." You confirm and turn to Su Min.

"Did the prince give them instructions before you came?"

She is about to answer but the door opens and ant master rushes in.

"Pardon my intrusion managers.....and court lady, but we have a troublesome situation you need to see."

You all put on your armour, quickly move outside and what you see could only rightly be described as a troublesome situation indeed.

Xu Chu's men had formed a tercio formation around a group of young women and the archers were already aiming at a group of horsemen. The atmosphere is so thick with tension that you find your hand drifting towards your sword unconsciously.

"Who is the captain amongst you?" You ask in a commanding voice

A rider with a large banner steps down from his horse and his face was a mask of disrespect and scorn.

"Are there no men in this district that you would send a girl to insult me?" He cries

"Or do you need us to remind you what women are for?"

This brings rancour laughter from his men but one looks at yours shows that like you,they were also struggling their best to keep their anger in check.

"Are you not aware that these are the lands of the imperial prince?" You bark with heat

"What right have you to come here and cause ruckus?"

"I am not here to cause ruckus young lady." His tone becomes more professional

"I am here on behalf of my lord to claim his property which has migrated to your land."

"We are not your lord's property you swine!!" One of the half naked women cries

"It seems like they don't like you very much my friend." You say lightly with a false smile

"Were we considering their opinions?" He queries in an equally light tone then his voice turns dark.

"If you will not hand them over willingly then I am authorized by my lord to use force"

As soon as he says this, all the men on horseback draws their blades.

"Is this a threat?" You ask coldly

"It a warning." He replies

You turn to look at your men and see that instead of a warning, it is as clear as daylight that they see these men actions as an insult that cuts deeper than the first. You even notice that some of the men's hand were shaking in suppressed fury.

Armed with this support, you allow the false smile to fade away from your face and replace it with a smile so cruel that it can make a grown man wet himself.

"Do you know what the imperial prince said the first time he came here." You ask with that devious smile

"He told me that the first man who will draw his weapon in his territory, forfeits his life."

Before the captain could draw his sword you drive the ball of your fist beneath his nose, crushing bone fragments and sending them into the brain.

Immediately, you order your archers to fire upon the bewildered horsemen and their swift and accurate response brought down scores of both horseman and horse as both were bearely armoured. Seeing this you raise your head towards your men and cry out in a loud voice

"Show your anger!!!"

Immediately Xu Chu and the rest of the men responds with a devastating tercio charge that turns the once formidable calvary into flightless swans that wandered into a tiger's den. Your men burning with rage shows no mercy as they kill every living thing that came with the calvary. Of course not even shang exempts himself.

"Quite a show don't you think?" You ask Su Min who is too busy looking at the banner the riders brought

"Tell Shang and Xu Chu to keep those bodies somewhere safe." She barks in a sharp voice

"Then go to the imperial palace and get the prince. He is the only one who can help us now."

"Why bother the prince?" You ask

"Isn't the issue already solved?"

She gives you a look that could tear down mountains.

"Do you know whose banner this is?" You shake your head

"GET THE PRINCE HERE!!! And you best be quick about it."

"But even if I can, how will I be able to get into the imperial palace?" You ask defensively

She hands you a sealed scroll and gently push you towards her horse.

"Go!!!"

You mount the black stallion at breakneck speed and within minutes you were standing before the gates of the imperial palace.

"I wish to speak with the imperial prince."

You say to the two guards guarding the gate and hand them the sealed scroll to one of them.

The guard reads the scroll and then turns towards you

"What is this message the younger prince has to know?"

"Apologies soldier but my message is for the young prince only." You answer

"Well then apologies as well fellow soldier, for we can not let you in without knowing what you bear." The guard says with finality

Due to the finality in the man's voice, you can not stop the vicious smile that crawls its way to your lips.

"Pardon me my brothers." You say as you dismount

"Did you think I was asking?"

A few moments later you enter the imperial throne room amidst a sea of beaten guards and fearful generals while dragging the two idiots from the gate on each hand.

Seeing the divine emperor, all your mother's etiquette lessons, lessons you have not thought about since she left came flooding back. You quickly take off your helmet and Kow-tow to the emperor

"Forgive my intrusion o son of heaven." You say gently

"I wish to speak with prince Liu Xie."