Lu Wei
Junior Member
As long as you have character, you will have enemies.
Posts: 71
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Post by Lu Wei on Feb 3, 2011 21:01:25 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- It had been almost a month since Lu Wei departed from his refuge back at Luo Yang, his destination being set to be Xin Ye. He sought an audience with the lord of the region, Liu Bei, but that would come afterwards. For now, he had to get there. And due to bad luck and the presence of Yuan Shao's troops at the border gates, Lu Wei was forced to make a long roundabout, a decision that undeniably frustrated him. Nonetheless, it was his only choice, for the other direction involved going nearer to Yuan Shao's capital.
However, it had been quite a number of days since Lu Wei had actually made a pit stop. No villages in sight, no water sources to be heard either. He was basically just passing through a road on a seemingly vast plain. He was thirsty, the young man literally dragging his feet across the dirt of his path. His eyes were droopy, his mouth gaping open, as if half-expecting water to just suddenly be poured into his mouth any moment. As he slugged forward, his right hand reached down, tapping the water pouch that he carried.
The fact that it had been empty for almost a day slipped his mind. Once again. The man cursed under weak breathe, his eyes slowly closing. He had yet to actually reach Xin Ye, and he was already on the verge of death. This was only the second region that he had traveled across. He cursed once more. He himself could not believe his luck. Was he really going to die this way? He could hear Hei yelling at him at the back of his head, but exhaustion had drowned the sound down to just a muffle.
For once, he hated not being able to hear Hei's voice.
He opened his eyes, a soft breathe escaping his lips. His throat felt dry, his lips parched. He was slouching forward as he walked, his boots now completely covered in dirt. And then, from the distant view of his blurred vision, he noticed a small silhouette of an incoming individual. He was unsure of the distance between them, nor of his proper appearance, for all he saw was a black figure, concealed by the lack of energy in both Lu Wei's eyes and mind.
He raised his head a bit, a large ache appearing on all sides of it as he felt his balance gave way under him. He reached forward, as if trying to catch the incoming individual, but to no avail. The man had walked for too long, his legs finally giving way under him. He fell forward, his body crumpling to the ground, his eyes closed and his breathe almost insignificant. He was dying.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tagged: Ma YungLu Music: Silence Notes: There you go. Oh, this thread is set to be before Lu Wei actually reached Shu, so... Yeah, go figure. We already decided the outcome, so it would not mess with the role play time-space continuum much.
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Ma Yunlu
Junior Member
Happiness is not a reward--- it is a consequence. Suffering is not a punishment--- it is a result.
Posts: 68
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Post by Ma Yunlu on Feb 3, 2011 21:30:42 GMT
Ma Yunlu was not clear to her father. She had told him that she would return by night and was just going to make runs around their lands making sure there were no bandits attacking poor defenseless villagers. What Ma Yunlu hadn't told her father was that she would venture off of his lands just so she could get a good idea of the lands bordering Wu Wei.
There was not much difference between Wu Wei and An Ding, but something inside her told her not to turn back and so she continued forward scaling the edge of a village.
It was scorching hot, the sun burned leaving behind a buzzing sound that her ears had grown accustomed to. The headdress she wore casted a shadow upon her head leaving her cooler than she would normally be.
How long had it been? A mere hour or so and yet with every tick of time she knew her father would grow more worried. Would he take drastic actions and send her brothers to search for her? She prayed that would not be the case for Ma Yunlu knew how protective her father was, especially since she was his first born and only daughter.
While the village was not too far off, she knew it would be time to turn back, but something caught her interest in her peripheral and she turned to see what, or rather, who it was. Walking towards him, she paused trying to figure out if he would be harmful to her, but with the state that he was in she doubted it.
It was obvious the man had been travelling for days, his clothes were worn away and his lips thirsting for even a tiny drop of water. At first, she was going to walk towards him and have him lean on her, but the man instantly collapsed. With wide eyes, she immediately reacted, crouching to his side and pulling out the water she had. All she needed was for him to have enough energy to walk to the nearby village.
Pulling the mans head to her lap, she leaned his head forward and tilted the water into his lips. Balancing his head upward with her leg and using one hand to tip the water into his mouth, she undid her headress and used it to fan the poor man. Severly dehydrated and exhausted, she knew he needed to be taken care of.
"Please, do not die. The village is merely a few paces away, I can guide you there, but you must summon enough strength to help me."
Her voice was low, soothing and maternal. Having younger siblings, she was used to having to take care of them and even now she would sometimes tend to her brothers wounds when they outdid themselves in training.
"Can you hear me? I am Ma Yunlu, what is your name?"
She needed him to be conscious, she needed to make sure he was alive and aware of her presence. She pulled the water away, giving his body time to absorb it and also not wanting to choke the poor man. Ma Yunlu was scared that perhaps she was too late, she prayed the heavens be kind on this man and give him enough strength to fight for his life.
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Lu Wei
Junior Member
As long as you have character, you will have enemies.
Posts: 71
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Post by Lu Wei on Feb 4, 2011 6:02:14 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- So, this was it, huh? Lu Wei's eyes opened slightly, the wanderer finding himself greeted by nothing but blue blurness. Was that... The sky? The voice at the back of his head escalated in volume, but sounded even more muffled than before. He closed his eyes. It did not seem like he had much of a choice anyway. With whatever breathe he had, he let out a soft sigh. This was certainly not the way Lu Wei wanted to go, but if this was how fate wanted it to be, then so be i-
His head moved. His eyes clamped tighter, the motion sending waves of nausea spreading through his head. He let out a soft groan, the man trying to open his eyes to see whatever had disturbed his attempt to drive to sleep. An eternal sleep. The exhaustion was getting to him, sleep had actually become a very tempting privilege.
Then, he felt it, the cool touch of water, the refreshing feel of liquid, as it poured into his mouth in small volumes. Lu Wei continued to attempt to open his eyes, but focused more now on enjoying the water. He had too little energy to actually drink it himself, but his saviour was smart enough to pour it in small volumes, as Lu Wei gulped it down with much effort.
"Please, do not die... Merely a few... -ere, but you... Strength to hel-..."
Lu Wei's senses were failing him, despite the refreshment he was being provided now. Even if his thirst had been cured, there was still the lingering symptoms of exhaustion. More than water was needed to cure that.
"Can you hea-... Ma Yunlu... -ur name?"
Was... She asking for his name? At that, Lu Wei usurped whatever strength he had to open his eyes, his dark brown hues finding himself looking up at the same shadowy figure from earlier. Only, it seemed more radiant than shadow. Whether or not this was a hallucination caused by exhaustion, or her truly being that radiant and beautiful, he himself was unsure. Bringing up his strength once more, he muttered out a reply.
"... Lu... Wei."
He let out another groan, as the volume came a bit too much now. He needed to breathe. A soft cough escaped his lips as soon as the pouch was moved away. And soon after that, his breathing returned. He felt a whole lot better now, but his legs still burned with the aches that stretched from his ankle to his waist. What now?
... But wait, it would be apparent then that the gods was watching over then, as a short distance from them, somewhere in the plains, emerged a black stallion, its front hooves kicking at the ground as it ate the grass. And the creature looked up, its head turned towards them, watching them in curiosity. Little did either of them now, that this would be the creature that was to be Lu Wei's steed, Hei Shi.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tagged: Ma Yunlu Music: Falling, by Mike Posner Notes: And thus, you become the only other human Hei Shi is comfortable with. xD
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Ma Yunlu
Junior Member
Happiness is not a reward--- it is a consequence. Suffering is not a punishment--- it is a result.
Posts: 68
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Post by Ma Yunlu on Feb 4, 2011 7:59:24 GMT
Ma Yunlu wanted to give up hope. Shutting her eyes, she began a prayer, that if the heavens wouldn't allow him to live, then they would guide him to the bliss provided in the heavens high above the sky.
What she didn't expect was a response from the man she thought dead. He uttered a name and she breathed a sigh of relief. Her lips set into a gentle smile, relieved that she would be able to help someone.
"You're are in safe hands Lu Wei."
What could she do? She doubted she could be able to carry him on her back to the village, even if his legs were to be dragging on the ground. She could try, and pray that villagers would come out and help, but what were the chances? Of course, she could always run to the village for help, but what if he was to die before she returned?
Ma Yunlu was met with brown eyes and she smiled warmly, trying to give the man as much comfort as she could. If this were to be the last moments, then she could at least make it as pleasant as possible; it would be the least she could do.
The predicament she was in made her look around, trying to find something that would be much help, but there was nothing of such nature.
"Heavens, please shine down upon this man."
Her voice low, eyes shut. She was praying for some ray of hope, refusing to allow someone to die when she could possibly be his only chance for help. The sun shined down on them, taunting them and it only made her desperate. While she wanted to believe that she could made it through this; she was beginning to lose hope.
Ma Yunlu wanted to apologize, but what could she apologize for? She glanced up briefly and returned to looking at Lu Wei; was there something there? Looking back up, she squinted and raised her headdress to block the sunlight. At first, the dark figure was too far and she thought that perhaps she could be hallucinating, but as it came closer she gasped in surprise mentally thanking the gods for the blessing it sent them.
The stallion had stopped not far beyond them, watching them carefully. Looking down at Lu Wei, her smile was larger and shh leaned down so he could hear her as she spoke.
"I shall return, you seem to have won the favor of the gods."
Placing his head gingerly on the ground, she hurriedly got up and carefully approached the stallion. At first, she thought she might scare it away, but with every step she took it just watched her, waiting for her to come to it.
"Aren't you a beauty."
She raised a hand carefully, placing her fingers just on the mane, the horse's body tensed under her touch at first, but as she caressed it gently it seemed to relax. Slowly, she began to guide it towards Lu Wei, the horse watching the man on the ground and she was curious if perhaps this was Lu Wei's steed.
Bringing the horse to a stop, she walked to Lu Wei and kneeled at his side. She placed a hand gingerly on his head, letting him know that she had returned.
"Lu Wei, please listen to me. I need you to help me so I can in turn help you. Please, muster enough strength to stand so I can help you onto this steed. The gods have answered my prayers, you are going to be taken care off, you just need to do one thing."
Her voice was low, and she spoke slowly so that he could absorb each and every word she said, she knew it would be a hard task to get him onto the horse, but once he was on it would be smooth sailing from there.
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Lu Wei
Junior Member
As long as you have character, you will have enemies.
Posts: 71
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Post by Lu Wei on Feb 4, 2011 10:27:24 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "You're are in safe hands Lu Wei."
He let out a soft sigh of relief, his eyes once more retreating behind his eyelids, the man's lips pulling slightly as he found himself smiling. Faint, but it was there nonetheless. He wondered who she was, and a lingering thought in his head labeled her to be a servant of Yuan Shao. Lu Wei found himself unable to care less at the moment, though. He was just glad that he was going to survive this day. And he would be forever grateful to the one that had saved him.
"I shall return, you seem to have won the favor of the gods."
The favor of the gods? Now, what could she have meant by that? Lu Wei tried to open his eyes once more, but as always, he saw nothing but fades and fades of colors. Hell, he could not even differentiate the ground from the sky now. All was a foggy image. Foggy beyond recognition. From there was a faint dark spot in his view, towards the direction Lu Wei managed to make out her footsteps to be heading towards.
Yes, Lu Wei had deduced by now that his savior was a female. The voice, the tone, it all spoke of feminism. Well, whoever it was, Lu Wei was grateful nonetheless. He had to wonder, though, how would this end. After all, he truly had no idea who she was, nor what her intentions were. Lu Wei was taking in too little information to deduce anything, as random uneducated ideas rushed into his mind.
Soon enough, he felt her warmth once more upon his forehead. He gently raised his head, a return gesture that he was still awake. What had happened? Had she found help? Lu Wei figured that since she was female, she probably would not be able to carry him along with his armor and weapon. She would need help. Then, she gave him instructions.
"Lu Wei, please listen to me. I need you to help me so I can in turn help you. Please, muster enough strength to stand so I can help you onto this steed. The gods have answered my prayers, you are going to be taken care off, you just need to do one thing."
Her speed made it a whole lot easier to understand her now, and that little taste of water was slowly bringing Lu Wei back to life. To stand up? That would be difficult. Lu Wei could not even feel his legs. He gritted his teeth together, unable to help but curse himself for this. If only he had allowed himself to rest a bit. If only. Ah, well, it could not be helped. He might as well try. He placed both hands on the ground, a grunt escaping his lips as he struggled to pull himself up on a sitting position, his head aching as he succeeded. He had only pulled himself up to a perpendicular position, before letting gravity take over and throwing him forward, now slouching forward as he sat.
He took deep breathes, his eyes still shut. How. How was he going to do this?
"Let me."
Lu Wei's head shot up a bit. He could hear it now. Not as loud as it usually was, but he heard it nonetheless. Lu Wei let out a soft sigh, before reaching for his savior with his right hand, placing it on her shoulder, turning to her, his eyes still closed.
"Please... Do not be alarmed as to what will happen next. All I ask is that when I am on that horse, remove the mask."
And without another word, he would reach for his right waist with his left hand, pulling out a white mask from one of his pouches. And then, he looked at it, taking one last deep breathe before placing it upon his face, his left hand reaching back to secure it upon him. And his whole body jolted.
"Finally, this bastard heard me."
His voice was the same, but the tone was different. It was darker. It spoke of violence and pain. And in the inflicting manner. He would let go of Ma Yunlu, placing both hands upon the ground as he tucked his legs in, the masked man grunting as he did. And soon enough, with a whole lot effort and shaking, he managed to get upon his feet. He staggered aside at first, and if ever Yunlu would help him the moment he was on his feet, he would shrug her off. Hei was too proud to accept help. He slugged, as he had earlier, towards the horse, a grin hidden behind his mask.
So, this was what she had found, huh? Looks like his luck was actually turning. With that, he placed both hands on the horse's back, before taking a deep breathe. And then, with one last push and a grunt, Hei threw the body over the horse, his other leg coming round as he mounted the steed, but he leaned forward after, exhaustion finally getting the better of him.
"I curse this weak body..."
And all Lu Wei could hope for then, as he watched through his own eyes Hei's struggle to get onto the horse, that Yunlu would remove the mask by unlatching the hook at the back.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tagged: Ma Yunlu Music: Falling, by Mike Posner Notes: Nyeh... Nothing to say.
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Ma Yunlu
Junior Member
Happiness is not a reward--- it is a consequence. Suffering is not a punishment--- it is a result.
Posts: 68
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Post by Ma Yunlu on Feb 5, 2011 2:25:55 GMT
At first, she was going to help him sit up, but as he pushed himself, she could do nothing but place her hand gently of his back. His breathing was shallow and she could tell by the expression on his face he was in great pain.
"Please... Do not be alarmed as to what will happen next. All I ask is that when I am on that horse, remove the mask."
His statement confused her and for a second she wanted to ask what it was that he meant. Following his hand with her eyes, she watched him take out the mask. She closely paid attention to the way he hooked it on.
His voice came as a shock, he sounded the same, he was the same person, but the voice was not of Lu Wei's moments ago. The tone made her flinch and she pulled back, eyes narrowed in confusion.
"Lu Wei, are you al----"
She immediately stopped talking, where had this strength come from? He had managed to push himself up, while his body swayed to the side, she was in too much of shock to do anything and so she watched the man pull himself up on the horse left dumbfounded crouched on the ground.
She slowly stood coming closer to the horse and Lu Wei, the body slumped over the horse, too exhausted to sit up. She wanted to unlatch the mask, but something about it had her standing there staring at the hidden face. In all her life, she had never seen a mask of such, it looked so foreign. Perhaps it was from other territories of Han, maybe she should ask where he was from so she could look for one, it was beautiful, but it unnerved her.
She walked to the horse, stroking it's forelock and downs its forehead. It neighed at her and she smiled surprised that the horse didn't run about with the added weight on it's back. Turning back to Lu Wei, she remembered his words.
"Let me help you with that."
She came to stand beside him and reached to the back of his head, meaning to unhook the mask. ------ Sorrythis post is shorter, temporary brain malfunction( ), the next one will be better, I promise!
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Lu Wei
Junior Member
As long as you have character, you will have enemies.
Posts: 71
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Post by Lu Wei on Feb 7, 2011 6:30:16 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- What a comfortable spot. Lu Wei let out a soft groan, his face still hidden by the mask, just as was his real personality. Hei, as his alter ego had named itself, still reigned, and he would always, as long as he wore the mask. It was a psychological trigger that Lu Wei had come to accept, and he found no need, nor no courage, to try and recover from it. It was just how he was. A man with two faces. Hei watched the girl as she calmed the steed down, a soft grumble escaping from his lips.
The body had been pushed beyond its normal capabilities now. Even Hei could not get it to move. He was frozen on the spot, his body no longer willing to obey him. Hei cursed under his breathe, having only enough energy now to speak, and watch, through the black eyes of the mask, the girl coming towards him.
"Let me help you with that."
And she reached for the mask. Once more, Hei let out a soft growl. He wanted to pull away. Of course, sharing the body with the original owner, Hei would love to spend as much time as he could in control. So, of course he would be reluctant with this idea. He growled as the girl touched the latch.
"No, don't touch me! Don't you dare! I will kill y-"
And it was removed, his voice suddenly getting cut off, as Lu Wei suddenly let out a loud gasp, as if he was just drowning. He coughed, groaning as he did, his body aching with every jerk. And finally, he let out a soft sigh, his body and head aching, as he looked up at Yunlu with his brown eyes, the original personality now back on the surface.
"Thank you. And I'm sorry you had to see that..."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tagged: Ma Yunlu Music: Otherworld, by Rammstein Notes: Dead here too.
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Ma Yunlu
Junior Member
Happiness is not a reward--- it is a consequence. Suffering is not a punishment--- it is a result.
Posts: 68
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Post by Ma Yunlu on Feb 8, 2011 21:46:44 GMT
His words had startled her, what was going on? She was confused and somewhat taken a back, but she still unhooked his mask and placed it back to where he had initially retrieved it. As he spoke again, she was fully expecting the harsh cold voice, but it was replaced with the first one she heard and she was once again left confused.
"It's quite alright."
For now she would let it go, the man was in no state to answer her questions and so she pretended to be unfazed by the whole situation, but deep down inside there were so many questions burning in the back of her mind.
"I'll try to pull the horse by gently, just rest you will be fine."
It would be best if he stayed conscious, that way she would be able to ask him minor things to make sure he was still alive. Walking to the horse, she placed her hand on it's neck and stroked the side of it's face.
"Are you ready?"
The horse just watched her and she could tell that it was a yes. Gently patting it's sides, it began to slowly move, her hand still on it's neck guiding it, but she felt like the horse knew exactly where it was going.
It would be a while before they would arrive at the village, and so she would continue to look back at Lu Wei to make sure he was fine, every once in a while whispering encouraging words for him to stay strong. They were so close to getting him back to the village, it would be a matter of time before he would be healed.
"Almost there."
She could see the village in the distance and she subconsciously began walking faster, the horse picking up pace as well. It wasn't much of a difference, but with the village so close she was tempted to jump onto the horse and have it gallop to the village, but she knew it could harm Lu Wei and so she took her time.
As they arrived to the village, she searched for a healer, asking villagers to point her to the right way. Walking to a tiny house, she knocked they horse standing just behind her with Lu Wei on it's back.
The door swung open, and she quickly explained the situation, the old man nodded his head in understanding and called out for two young men to come help, she watched as them men made their way to Lu Wei their intentions to bring him down from the horse and take him inside and away from the blazing sun.
"Will he be fine?"
The old man nodded and assured her that by mid-day tomorrow, he will be fully healed. Breathing a sigh of relief, she was happy that she was able to save at least one life, but still the mask incident from earlier was etched into her mind and it was all she could think about.
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Lu Wei
Junior Member
As long as you have character, you will have enemies.
Posts: 71
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Post by Lu Wei on Feb 10, 2011 8:33:39 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "It's quite alright."
Hah, the faint hint of hesitation in her voice. Lu Wei could already tell that she was bothered by it. Who wouldn't be, after all? Cases like Lu Wei were rather rare, that multiple personality disorder that he suffered from. An effect of Lu Wei mentally snapping after seeing his father die to save his life, and then having the tip of a blade pressed against his throat. An effect that probably would be permanent.
And she inquired if he was ready or not, the fugitive merely nodded his head, unable to mutter anything in fear of falling asleep due to exhaustion. He knew that he just needed to stay awake until they had reached the village. And he tried not to think about how far the village would probably be. Such thoughts were unnecessary. All he thought about then was getting to Xin Ye. His father's dying wish.
He felt the black stallion move, his body swaying with its movements. He struggled to keep himself onto the creature, using his knees and shoulders to maintain his position and balance. His body felt light with every second that passed, the man falling into the temptation of slumber. However, with every word that she spoke, Lu Wei dragged himself back to consciousness, not wanting to fail the angel that had saved his life.
She was doing a lot for him here. It would only be fair that he repaid the favour by making it easier on her. He gritted his teeth, trying to use light pain to jolt his eyes open, but they stayed closed. He let out a soft groan, a verbal reminder to himself.
"Almost there."
And suddenly, everything lit up. His heart raced. They were almost there. Lu Wei was going to survive the day, after all. Thank the gods. Looks like he really had something more to do before he passed. At that moment, he did not care what. He just wanted to make it out alive. And at that moment, a soft smile came upon his face.
Soon enough, the muffled sound of civilisation came upon his ears. That smile stayed plastered upon his face, but his eyes remained closed. The horse stopped every now and then, Lu Wei's body almost sliding off from the creature as it did, but he kept his knees buckled. And soon enough, he felt a hand upon his waist. He groaned. Another pair of hands grabbed upon his body, their position obvious to their intention. With that, Lu Wei let his body go, as he slid to the side, into the two men's arms. The weight of his armor burdened them for a moment, but soon enough, he was dragged into the healer's home.
The rest was pretty much procedure, as they proceeded to remove his weaponry and armor, and the clothes that wore underneath. They let him keep his pants on, but otherwise, he was bare. He was then rested upon a sub-standard bed, the old healer placing clean fresh water upon his lips, which he welcomed willingly. And soon enough, he was left alone to rest. However, it was not his wish to be left alone, as he called for Yunlu.
And as they conversed outside the room Lu Wei was provided, the man would convey his wish to Yunlu. He opened his eyes slightly, the wanderer looking up at the ceiling for a brief moment, before turning towards the make-shift curtain made out of hay that covered the entrance as it shifted aside, making way for Yunlu if she chose to comply his request.
And as soon as she was of hearing distance, Lu Wei gave her a smile.
"Thank you, Yunlu. I owe you my life."
And boy, did he wish that she could stay a bit longer.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tagged: Ma Yunlu Music: Don't Let Me Fall, by B.o.B. Notes: This is becoming an interesting thread, isn't it?
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Ma Yunlu
Junior Member
Happiness is not a reward--- it is a consequence. Suffering is not a punishment--- it is a result.
Posts: 68
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Post by Ma Yunlu on Feb 10, 2011 22:51:17 GMT
Time was ticking so slow and she was so tempted to storm in and demand to know if Lu Wei was alright. This man she had only known for a few minutes and yet his well being had overtaken her thoughts. She stood outside, stroking the horse casually as if she was comforting it, but it was the other way around.
Ma Yunlu was about to leave, to wander the village and kill time and when she returned she prayed that she would return to good news. Before she left, she could hear footsteps approaching the door and soon enough it slid open and the old man stood there.
"He will be alright my dear."
Bowing downing in and thanking him, she was about to turn and leave ready to tie the horse for it was his steed now. However, before she could the man spoke once more and she turned back to look at him.
"He requests your presence."
Nodding silently, she followed the old man into the tiny house, making sure to be as quiet and as careful as possible. As she came to where Lu Wei was, the healer immediately left. She slid the door open looking in to see Lu Wei. As she walked inside, he spoke and she wasn't sure what to say back.
"I did what any person would do, there is no need to thank me."
She smiled warmly and sat down by his bedside, her eyes trailing around the room. There it sat, the mask with all his armor and his weapon. The pasty white mask looked back at her and there was a chill that went down her spine. Ma Yunlu could defend herself, but the fact that a mask could make a man change his personality scared her. Once second a friend the next an enemy.
"How are you feeling?"
Her voice was soft, afraid that if she spoke any louder she would disturb the peaceful aura that was in this place. Folding her hands on her lap, she was happy that after all the lives that had been taken, she was able to save one; her brother and father would be proud.
It then dawned on her that she was not home and there was no means to allowing her father and brother know she was safe, but it didn't matter. This was important and as long as she explained the situation, she was sure they would forgive her.... although they wouldn't be pleased with how far she wandered off.
Shaking those thoughts she focused on Lu Wei, color had returned to his skin and she could tell that he was doing a lot better, but it would probably take another day before he was fully healed. Maybe then she could ask about his mask.
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Lu Wei
Junior Member
As long as you have character, you will have enemies.
Posts: 71
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Post by Lu Wei on Feb 11, 2011 6:38:28 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I did what any person would do, there is no need to thank me."
Lu Wei shook his head. China, in terms of living standards, was actually going to a downfall. Wrecked by war and plagued by death, it was becoming a more dangerous country. And with that in mind, Lu Wei had actually half-expected himself to be mugged down to his flesh if he were to collapse halfway in his journey. Instead, the female had taken a large effort just to keep him alive, and for that he was truly grateful. He smiled.
"How are you feeling?"
His eyes were open now, and more clearer than before. He looked upon her. She was indeed a beauty, but for some reason, she held upon herself a different grace than other females would usually carry. Instead, she carried an aura of authority, of power. Unusual for a female, but not impossible. Who was she, he wondered, though.
He noticed her eyes glancing towards the pile where his armor, cloak, clothes, sword and mask was placed neatly, the mask on the top, facing up. And he remembered that she had to witness first hand the transformation that came upon Lu Wei cladding the mask. She seemed troubled too.
As to how he was feeling, he could definitely not deny that he was a whole lot better now. With his body refreshed with liquid, and resting upon a more comfortable surface, he could slowly feel his body regain his strength. It was, of course, not enough to actually move around just yet. But it was just enough to allow him to stay awake for this conversation.
"I feel a whole lot better now, thank you."
He smiled, then looked away for a moment. Might as well tackle the trouble now instead of letting it haunt her, right.
"You're curious, aren't you? About the mask?"
He asked, turning back to her once he had. He had a worried look on his face. No, he was not worried that he would have to reveal the answers. He was worried that she would somehow dislike his mental situation and depart, in fear of him.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tagged: Liu Bei Music: One Wish, by Ray J Notes: Time to get the relationship formed~
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Ma Yunlu
Junior Member
Happiness is not a reward--- it is a consequence. Suffering is not a punishment--- it is a result.
Posts: 68
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Post by Ma Yunlu on Feb 14, 2011 5:55:14 GMT
The fact that he was able to talk now was such a relief, for once she did something right. With her legs tucked beneath her, she looked down and away from his stuff. Had he noticed? She hoped not, she didn't want to pressure him into explaining things, there could be time for that later.
"I'm glad. The healer said it wont be long before you can get up."
Which was good, she wasn't sure where he came from or how long he had been travelling, but it was evident that he was out in the heat for quite some time. She was surprised she found him alive, anyone outside in this heat would have died, and yet here was weak, but still living and breathing.
It had seemed Lu Wei did in fact catch her look at his mask and she averted her gaze from him, looking down at her hands folded on her lap. Should she ask? Since he noticed there would be no point in acting like she wasn't fazed by the mask. She wasn't scared, but it was baffling and had confused her.
"I will not lie to you, but yes I am curious."
She glanced briefly to the mask and looked back at Lu Wei; how could a mask make someones whole persona change? She had never seen it happen before. Yes there were people whose moods changed frequently, but never had ones whole persona flip into something more menacing. The confusion was obvious in her eyes, but she would ask no more. Whatever explanation he gave her, she would accept it.
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Lu Wei
Junior Member
As long as you have character, you will have enemies.
Posts: 71
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Post by Lu Wei on Feb 16, 2011 3:38:51 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I'm glad. The healer said it wont be long before you can get up."
Lu Wei nodded his head in relief. It was certainly good to hear that he would not have to stay here for long. He despised being a burden for too long a period to anyone, especially complete strangers. Also, he did not have the gold required to pay off a pro-longed service. Besides, he already owed the lady that sat by his side more than he could ever pay at the present.
"I will not lie to you, but yes I am curious."
Lu Wei sighed. Who would not be? Lu Wei never figured that he would have to tell others his story, for he did not have much company in his past few years after the Ten Attendants incident. Just himself, the mask and nature. And those were not great companies to begin with. Not like he could get rid of them, though. They were as permanent as his own existence was.
He closed his eyes for a moment, contemplating on his choices here. He was still unsure of who she was. What if she was linked to Yuan Shao somehow, and the knowledge of his true identity would prompt her to surrender him to the warlord? What if, though she was otherwise, and could actually offer him some help? He sighed once more, before opening his eyes, his blue hues rolling to lock with hers.
"Tell me, Yunlu, where do you hail from?"
Of course, she would mention her father's name, and the country that he prefected over. The names would come familiar to the young Lu Wei, and of course, he would then feel a tad bit more comfortable in telling her, for their kingdom was far from allies with Yuan Shao. He kept his eyes on her.
"Very well. You deserve to know about the life you just saved. The mask that I carry is one of the many known designs that represents the Faceless, or more commonly known as the Eunuchs. I am the adopted son of Lu Cheng, a military commander under the Han Empire and the Ten Attendants, and an eunuch. Though I myself am not an eunuch, I was raised with the skills expected of a eunuch, both in politics and warfare."
He paused for a while, a soft sigh escaping his lips as he glanced up at the ceiling for a brief moment, giving her time to absorb all that he had said. The eunuchs were now fugitives, especially those that were under the Ten Attendants.
"I'm sure you are aware of what happened to the Ten Attendants a few years back. As Yuan Shao invaded the palace to eradicate the Ten Attendants and all the other eunuchs in the palace, my father fled with me out of Luo Yang, but we were pursued by a dozen soldiers. When we were finally cornered, my father died fighting to protect me, bringing down with him 8 of the soldiers. And when it was my turn to die..."
He stopped for a brief moment, once more taking a deep breathe, his eyes this time moving towards the mask. And then, he continued.
"He appeared. He appeared in my head, offering to save me from the soldiers. And I let him. After that, he just took over my body, cladding the mask that belonged to my father. I am sick, Yunlu, and even I am unsure of what is wrong with me. I despise fighting, and so I wear the mask to let him do the fighting for me. He enjoys it. And I enjoy living."
He turned to her, somewhat worried as to what her reaction would be. An average individual would label Lu Wei to be insane. In a way, he was, but other than the multi-personality disorder that he suffered from, Lu Wei was far from retarded. He was a strategic prodigy, and a political smooth-talker. Too bad Hei existed. Otherwise, he would be able to make it far as an advisor.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tagged: Ma Yunlu Music: No Mercy, by T. I. Notes: Sorry I took so long.
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Ma Yunlu
Junior Member
Happiness is not a reward--- it is a consequence. Suffering is not a punishment--- it is a result.
Posts: 68
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Post by Ma Yunlu on Feb 20, 2011 7:02:24 GMT
At first, she was hesitant to tell him of herself. For all she knew, he could be an enemy. But even so, what would he be able to do? He was weak and he would be unable to harm her. Even if he managed to contact men that could, she would be long gone home and they wouldn't be able to do anything about it.
Ma Yunlu sat up straight and told him who her father was, it was obvious she was quite proud of her father... who wouldn't. Once she was done, she listened intently to Lu Wei. She was morbidly curious and yet she dreaded the truth that would leave his lips. Still, she waited with a hint of a smile on her face, it would hopefully make him feel more comfortable.
Ma Yunlu listened, she could not react even when he explained the hardships of him losing his home and essentially his father. Her eyes saddened and she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, making it gentle so he would not feel pain.
As he continued she searched his eyes, he was waiting for her to respond. At first she had no idea how to react. Was she supposed to pity him? Be afraid of him? No, all she could feel was a deep respect because of his strength to admit such a thing.
"And it doesn't make you any less of a human. Your strength to harness the power in your mind is a blessing."
He may not be able to see it, but she did and her smile brightened. She could not hold against him such a thing and Ma Yunlu already felt herself grow fond of Lu Wei, he was a mentally powerful man.
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Lu Wei
Junior Member
As long as you have character, you will have enemies.
Posts: 71
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Post by Lu Wei on Feb 20, 2011 13:27:36 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- She was a child of Ma Teng? That was interesting. The daughter of a Prefect. And a well-known one at that. Supposedly one of the greater lords among the many that governed the states of China. What an honor, to be saved by someone like her. However, for some reason, Lu Wei felt uneasy. What was a girl like her doing in a place like this, especially since this state was not even under her father's jurisdiction?
Well, he continued nonetheless, knowing that he had already offered to tell her, so there was no backing away now. Especially since he still owed her as much. Her reaction was not how he expected it to be, though. Despite her kindness, Lu Wei had feared that she would somewhat feel uncomfortable due to his mental state. He could flip anytime and actually kill her, and yet she stayed.
She was either extremely brave, crazy or just plain kind. Either way, Lu Wei was indescribably grateful for her trust and respect for him.
"And it doesn't make you any less of a human. Your strength to harness the power in your mind is a blessing."
Lu Wei's eyes widened, his heart racing upon her words. Did she really think that way? He turned his head slowly, his eyes finding hers, her warm smile sending a warm sensation running down his spine. She... Was a great woman.
He smiled, his eyes closing for a moment as he allowed himself to enjoy her company. And then, he opened his eyes once more, looking at her.
"I thank you, mi'lady, for your words and company. You have certainly owned this man's admiration. And forgive me, I never knew of your status."
Of course, by admiration, he meant it in words as a term of respect, not in that lovely-dovey way. At least, in words and tone.
"I have to ask, though. What are you doing so far from home?"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tagged: Ma Yunlu Music: Make It Work, by Ne-Yo Notes: Here you go.
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