katiekitten
The Compromise
XD Yes, I know, another random oneshot from me. I was reading Kutie pie's story when I suddenly got inspiration to write this. ^.^
Based on the forging of the Qin Dynasty, around 220 BC. (I can't remember the precise dates. XD) Basic idea formed from Kutie Pie's, the plot and setting decided after watching Hero. (A bit odd at the beginning, but it got better.
)
I actually did some homework on this, and spent a while trying to find out what on earth the chinese wore in their spare time around then... Took a while, but I finally found it. I looked up about the death rights, just to be sure. =D
One last thing, the song is a traditional Chinese one. Found it after a while of searching. =D
This is most certainly not my best work, I am not too fond of the end. Ah well, Enjoy!
“Please come back to me…”
A small figure knelt in the bloodstained soil, sobbing quietly as she clung to a motionless form, her bowed head streaked with mud and grime.
“You promised that you’d never leave me…”
Crystal tears dripped off her petite chin, pattering onto the dusty sands as she drew the body closer to herself. Her armour dug painfully into her stomach, pressing the chain mail into her tender skin, but she ignored it, shaking slightly as she gazed at the lifeless figure.
Flickering memories flashed before her, of a well built man dressed in a golden p‘ao, his grey eyes twinkling as he walked towards her. Of the care in his once hard features, melting as he gently drew her in to a kiss.
How different he looked now, splayed across the dusty sands, his sightless eyes staring up endlessly at the cloudless sky. Blood dribbled from the corners of his open mouth, sliding down his pale skin. She ran a finger over his golden armour, once new, it was now scratched and dented, a crimson slash across his chest plate revealing the stroke that’d felled him.
He was long gone.
A small sob wracked through her small frame as she thought of the plans they had, the dreams they had forged together, their hopes for the future. Everything had been perfect, wonderful. Until this war had come and torn their lives apart. Her expression hardened, her tumulting thoughts running over the cause of her love’s untimely death. What are we fighting for? She challenged the sky, another tear running down her cheek.
Peace. A voice inside her answered. She shook her head, clenching her fists.
Is peace waging war on those who disagree with us? Is peace sending our men to die?
No. Peace is a united country, where there are no more wars, no more squabbles between regions. Peace is Our Land.
No!
She sat up angrily, dragging her eyes away from the steadily cooling corpse. He was not the only one, for thousands of bodies littered the fields. Blood oozed out from a cut above her eye, slowly dripping across her vision. She wiped it away, glancing up at the unforgiving sky. Already the carrion birds were clustering, sunlight glancing off their black feathered wings. Their mocking cries echoed throughout the small valley, fading into a sullen silence as the sun rode high. At nightfall they would descend to feed upon the dead, destroying what little resemblance remained of their true identities. She scowled at them, gripping the body protectively. They would not take him.
Lone warriors wandered the battleground, checking hopefully for survivors. She should be with them, and soon would be, but for now she stayed by her fiancé’s side. Nearby, one of her fellow soldiers pulled himself wearily to his feet, whimpering slightly as he put weight on his left leg. Glancing around, their eyes met briefly, the pain in the man’s dark eyes mirroring her own. He inclined his head in greeting, before dragging himself away. Heading towards the distant camp, heading towards home. She watched him go, and knew she had to follow. The battle may have been won, but the war was just beginning.
Her tears slowed to a halt as she looked down once more at the prone form. Getting shakily to her feet, she stood there a moment, allowing the breeze to whisper through her hair. Its calm touch soothed her, brushing away all her fears and doubts. She lifted a hand to the small pocket at her side, struggling briefly with the clasp. Her hands were shaking, she was shaking, the shock of the battle was starting to set in. Finally managing to open the pocket, she withdrew a small piece of flint, cupping the cool rock in her palm. His words whispered in her mind, warm and sweet as if he was standing beside her, reminding her of what she had to do.
“You cannot forget, no matter what happens. If I am to die today, you are to burn my body. For only then will I truly be free.” It was the night before the battle, when she was curled up in his arms for the brief couple of minutes before she was forced to return to her temporary quarters. The sounds of the camp filtered through the closely woven walls of tent, strangely soothing to her ears. At his words she looked up, startled, worry clear in her eyes.
“But-”
“It is not tradition?” He cut her off with a smile. “I know.”
She shook her head violently, pulling away from his grasp.
“But you’ll be in Limbo!”
He had smiled, gently running his fingers from her cheek to chin and kissing her softly on the lips.
“Don’t worry, my little lamb,” He had whispered, looking deep into her eyes, “I will not. Just please, heed my words…”
She paused for a second, looking down at his shattered body that lay so cold, so lifeless in the hard packed soil. It was hard to let go. Taking a deep breath she knelt down, removing her sword and lying the hilt on his chest. She paused again, unwilling. She couldn’t bear condemning him to an eternity in pain, residing in the half world of Limbo. She bowed her head, pushing her doubts away with a firm: ‘for him’. Preparing the flint, she began to softly sing.
“Cold blows the wind over my true love
Cold blows the drops of rain
I never had but one true love
And in Camville he was slain.
I'll do as much for my true love as any young girl may
I'll sit and weep down by his grave for twelve month and one day… ”
Gathering her strength, she struck the flint. A few sparks rose up, leaving scorch marks on the fabric, but not quite catching. She blinked away tears, drawing the flint back again.
“But when twelve months were come and gone
This young man he arose
What makes you weep down by my grave
I can't take my repose
One kiss, one kiss of your lily white lips -- one kiss is all I crave
One kiss, one kiss of your lily white lips and return back to your grave…”
Strike! More sparks, but not enough. She bit her lip, face hard with determination as she drew it back to try again.
“My lips they are as cold as my clay
My breath is heavy and strong
If thou was to kiss my lily white lips
Thy days would not be long
Oh don't you remember the garden grove where we used to walk
Pluck the finest flower of them all, twill wither to a stalk…”
Strike!
“Go fetch me a nun from the dungeon deep
And water from a stone
And white milk from a maiden's breast,
That babe ere never known
Go dig me a grave both long, wide and deep as quickly as you may
I'll lie down in it and take one sleep for twelve month and one day…”
Strike!
The clothes caught, flame licking greedily at the finely woven cloth. She stood up and took a step back, watching as the fire grew larger, sending a plume of smoke high into the sky. Tears to her eyes once more, and slipped freely down her face, but she gave them no heed, watching as the one she loved succumbed to the raging element. Closing her eyes, she whispered the final verses of the song.
“Cold blows the wind over my true love
Cold blows the drops of rain
I never had but one true love
And in Camville he was slain
I'll do as much for my true love as any young girl may
I'll sit and weep down by his grave for twelve month and one day…”
XD
Based on the forging of the Qin Dynasty, around 220 BC. (I can't remember the precise dates. XD) Basic idea formed from Kutie Pie's, the plot and setting decided after watching Hero. (A bit odd at the beginning, but it got better.
)I actually did some homework on this, and spent a while trying to find out what on earth the chinese wore in their spare time around then... Took a while, but I finally found it.
I looked up about the death rights, just to be sure. =DOne last thing, the song is a traditional Chinese one. Found it after a while of searching. =D
This is most certainly not my best work, I am not too fond of the end. Ah well, Enjoy!
“Please come back to me…”
A small figure knelt in the bloodstained soil, sobbing quietly as she clung to a motionless form, her bowed head streaked with mud and grime.
“You promised that you’d never leave me…”
Crystal tears dripped off her petite chin, pattering onto the dusty sands as she drew the body closer to herself. Her armour dug painfully into her stomach, pressing the chain mail into her tender skin, but she ignored it, shaking slightly as she gazed at the lifeless figure.
Flickering memories flashed before her, of a well built man dressed in a golden p‘ao, his grey eyes twinkling as he walked towards her. Of the care in his once hard features, melting as he gently drew her in to a kiss.
How different he looked now, splayed across the dusty sands, his sightless eyes staring up endlessly at the cloudless sky. Blood dribbled from the corners of his open mouth, sliding down his pale skin. She ran a finger over his golden armour, once new, it was now scratched and dented, a crimson slash across his chest plate revealing the stroke that’d felled him.
He was long gone.
A small sob wracked through her small frame as she thought of the plans they had, the dreams they had forged together, their hopes for the future. Everything had been perfect, wonderful. Until this war had come and torn their lives apart. Her expression hardened, her tumulting thoughts running over the cause of her love’s untimely death. What are we fighting for? She challenged the sky, another tear running down her cheek.
Peace. A voice inside her answered. She shook her head, clenching her fists.
Is peace waging war on those who disagree with us? Is peace sending our men to die?
No. Peace is a united country, where there are no more wars, no more squabbles between regions. Peace is Our Land.
No!
She sat up angrily, dragging her eyes away from the steadily cooling corpse. He was not the only one, for thousands of bodies littered the fields. Blood oozed out from a cut above her eye, slowly dripping across her vision. She wiped it away, glancing up at the unforgiving sky. Already the carrion birds were clustering, sunlight glancing off their black feathered wings. Their mocking cries echoed throughout the small valley, fading into a sullen silence as the sun rode high. At nightfall they would descend to feed upon the dead, destroying what little resemblance remained of their true identities. She scowled at them, gripping the body protectively. They would not take him.
Lone warriors wandered the battleground, checking hopefully for survivors. She should be with them, and soon would be, but for now she stayed by her fiancé’s side. Nearby, one of her fellow soldiers pulled himself wearily to his feet, whimpering slightly as he put weight on his left leg. Glancing around, their eyes met briefly, the pain in the man’s dark eyes mirroring her own. He inclined his head in greeting, before dragging himself away. Heading towards the distant camp, heading towards home. She watched him go, and knew she had to follow. The battle may have been won, but the war was just beginning.
Her tears slowed to a halt as she looked down once more at the prone form. Getting shakily to her feet, she stood there a moment, allowing the breeze to whisper through her hair. Its calm touch soothed her, brushing away all her fears and doubts. She lifted a hand to the small pocket at her side, struggling briefly with the clasp. Her hands were shaking, she was shaking, the shock of the battle was starting to set in. Finally managing to open the pocket, she withdrew a small piece of flint, cupping the cool rock in her palm. His words whispered in her mind, warm and sweet as if he was standing beside her, reminding her of what she had to do.
“You cannot forget, no matter what happens. If I am to die today, you are to burn my body. For only then will I truly be free.” It was the night before the battle, when she was curled up in his arms for the brief couple of minutes before she was forced to return to her temporary quarters. The sounds of the camp filtered through the closely woven walls of tent, strangely soothing to her ears. At his words she looked up, startled, worry clear in her eyes.
“But-”
“It is not tradition?” He cut her off with a smile. “I know.”
She shook her head violently, pulling away from his grasp.
“But you’ll be in Limbo!”
He had smiled, gently running his fingers from her cheek to chin and kissing her softly on the lips.
“Don’t worry, my little lamb,” He had whispered, looking deep into her eyes, “I will not. Just please, heed my words…”
She paused for a second, looking down at his shattered body that lay so cold, so lifeless in the hard packed soil. It was hard to let go. Taking a deep breath she knelt down, removing her sword and lying the hilt on his chest. She paused again, unwilling. She couldn’t bear condemning him to an eternity in pain, residing in the half world of Limbo. She bowed her head, pushing her doubts away with a firm: ‘for him’. Preparing the flint, she began to softly sing.
“Cold blows the wind over my true love
Cold blows the drops of rain
I never had but one true love
And in Camville he was slain.
I'll do as much for my true love as any young girl may
I'll sit and weep down by his grave for twelve month and one day… ”
Gathering her strength, she struck the flint. A few sparks rose up, leaving scorch marks on the fabric, but not quite catching. She blinked away tears, drawing the flint back again.
“But when twelve months were come and gone
This young man he arose
What makes you weep down by my grave
I can't take my repose
One kiss, one kiss of your lily white lips -- one kiss is all I crave
One kiss, one kiss of your lily white lips and return back to your grave…”
Strike! More sparks, but not enough. She bit her lip, face hard with determination as she drew it back to try again.
“My lips they are as cold as my clay
My breath is heavy and strong
If thou was to kiss my lily white lips
Thy days would not be long
Oh don't you remember the garden grove where we used to walk
Pluck the finest flower of them all, twill wither to a stalk…”
Strike!
“Go fetch me a nun from the dungeon deep
And water from a stone
And white milk from a maiden's breast,
That babe ere never known
Go dig me a grave both long, wide and deep as quickly as you may
I'll lie down in it and take one sleep for twelve month and one day…”
Strike!
The clothes caught, flame licking greedily at the finely woven cloth. She stood up and took a step back, watching as the fire grew larger, sending a plume of smoke high into the sky. Tears to her eyes once more, and slipped freely down her face, but she gave them no heed, watching as the one she loved succumbed to the raging element. Closing her eyes, she whispered the final verses of the song.
“Cold blows the wind over my true love
Cold blows the drops of rain
I never had but one true love
And in Camville he was slain
I'll do as much for my true love as any young girl may
I'll sit and weep down by his grave for twelve month and one day…”
THE END
XD
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