Right now, I'm NOT the best person to all my readers. Heheee *dodging billions of poisoned and killer weapons* My excuse? School and freakin' tests alll over this week. I've already got a stupid math test tomorrow and yeah, I'm not the best math student out there *cough cough* set 4 *cough cough*. Well, you now see ANOTHER new story I've published and yeah, I'd probably never finish this but yes, I promise some way or another I freakin' will or else I will not listen to my ipod for an entire day! (okay, I don't really think I can survive that... 80) - Oh my god! It looks like a smilly! =D
Sorry, my attention span is quite short. Which is sorta sad for a writer... Anyways I really hope that you enjoy this VERY long chapter which by the way was 8 PAGES! Oh and I'd like to dedicate this to JBAL19 whom allowed me to do this! =D
Please Enjoy! =D
Destiny
It was a peaceful night at the Great Wall of China. The guards stood respectably walking back and forth across the large landscape, pausing to stare across the darkened forests that were located along there. One Chinese guard stood in the silenced night, staring at the dark beauty that was bestowed below him. But the silence didn't last long.
A hawk flew down and pecked the head of the soldier, he muttered and started to wave his hands about to chase the large bird away. The hawk then flew back and knocked his helmet off, the metal clashed onto the stone floor with a large metallic thud. He rubbed the back of his head, trying to soothe down the sore. The mammal flew to the top of the Chinese flagpole and screeched loudly. The heavily-armoured soldier stared in confusion at the hawk until…
Something was heard.
A quiet sound that resembled the shot of a quick arrow; through the night, so quiet the guard almost didn't hear it. He looked over the wall slightly with intensified confusion into the darkened depths below. He waited for something.
And suddenly, a hooked claw came out below, clutching the stone that was decorated like a giant's teeth across the enormous wall. The guard pulled his hands back and gasped as thousands of hooked metal claws flew from the earth and grasped onto the stone pillars.
He ran towards in the high pillar in panic. "We're under attack!" he yelled as he barrelled towards the pillar. "Light the signal!"
The guard was near the pillar but came to a hasty stop as two large over-buffed men walked out from behind the door. One was large and strong enough to rip apart a tree trunk, the other tall and paper-thin. The guard recognized them both easily.
The Huns.
He side-stepped the Huns and started to climb the wooden ladder, but almost fell abruptly since the Huns broke the ladder into pieces. The guard ran to the large empty signal lighter and threw the fire-held globe into the pit. The black pit instantly abrupt it piles of yellow bright flames. The guard felt the warmth and brightness of the fire as opposed into being outside in the cool, dark night.
In the distance, yells of soldiers and yellow flames appeared across the great wall; lighting as quick and fast along the way in patterned motion.
A large dark figure rose from the other side of the guard. When his face was shown in the yellow light of the flames, the guard's gaze hardened.
"Now all of China knows that you are here." He spat in brave disgust.
The figure smiled sadistically. "Perfect"
…
Far away from the Great Wall, a small town lay in between the bright green mountains. In the front of this peaceful city stood a grand palace decorated with gold, red and black. The enormous palace doors opened, showing the high palace walls. They were decorated with golden and red silk; the floor was polished marble without a speck of dust and decorated with detailed black. In the middle was a large grand staircase and on top was the Emperor.
Three armoured men walked in hurry towards the Emperor. The first was an old man; his hair was raven black with grey streaks breaking the pattern. His dark eyes held intelligence and thousands of experience with battle. He was flanked by two other men, younger but still hardcore soldiers to heart.
"You're Majesty! The Huns have crossed out the Northern border!" the raven-haired general spoke.
"Impossible. No one can make it through the Great Wall!" the Emperor spoke with surprise. He was a very old man; he had ruled the Chinese throne for many years and was reaching his age. But that did not stop him from staying active throughout attacks in China.
"Sunder is leading them," the General replied to his disgust of learning his old enemy was at large again. "We'll set up defences around your palace immediately."
"No," the Emperor rose from his throne. "Send your troops to protect my people! Pierce!" he called.
"Yes, your highness!" a tall, thin man covered with blue robes scurried in the grand room.
"Deliver conscription notices throughout all the provinces. Call up reserves, and as many new recruits as possible." He ordered in a strict tone.
The General looked hesitant, plucking up some courage he said, "Forgive me, your Majesty, but I believe my troops can take them." His dark eyes showed serious confidence.
"No." the Emperor turned to the General, "we can't take any chances. A single grain of rice can tip the scale. One man can make the difference between victory, and defeat." He gestured with his frail aged hands.
…
"Quiet…Demur…Graceful…" Gwen Tennyson murmured as she painted the Chinese words onto her left elbow. She tucked her paintbrush under her right ear and picked a rice ball with her chopsticks. She plopped it into her mouth as chewed as she spoke, "Polite…delicate…poised…refined and punctual!" she said in triumph.
A rooster cry can from out side. Gwen scrambled carelessly off her bed, running around the house, blowing her left hand and yelling, "Little Brother! Little…" she skidded to a stop to see her white and grey spotted dog asleep at her feet.
"There you are!" she smiled at her pet. He woke as soon as she picked him and barked excitingly. "Can you help me with my chores today?" asked Gwen.
She pulled out a stick with a bone attached to it, hanging from a piece of string. She tied a bag of chicken feed to Little Brother's collar with a hole in the bottom. As soon as she attached the stick to his collar, Little Brother barked in great enthusiasm and chased the dangling bone in front of him.
He ran in crazed motion to get the flying bone, spreading chicken feed everywhere. Little Brother ran outside, spreading the chicken feed across the farm, unknowingly spreading the chicken feed to the hens. He ran all across the gardens were Frank Tennyson was praying to the ancestors in small temples in the farther point of the gardens.
"Honourable ancestors," he calmly prayed, "Please help Gwen impress the matchmaker today."
Little Brother came barking through. He ran right around Frank Tennyson, spreading chicken feed and attracting the chicken in the temple.
"Please, please help her." He practically begged the ancestors.
Gwen walked towards the temple with a tray of tea. Frank bumped into her and she dropped the metal tray in surprise. Frank saved the teapot with his walking staff, but the cup fell onto the floor crashing into a million pieces.
"I brought a spare!" Gwen announced cheerily as she pulled out another cup from her clothes. She poured the tea into the cup.
"Gwen…" Frank said sternly.
"Remember, the doctor said three cups of tea in the morning and three at night."
"Gwen, you should already be in town," Frank sighed, "We are counting on you to-"
"Uphold the family honour" Gwen recited dully cutting off her father. "Don't worry father, I won't let you down!"
Gwen ran towards the horse stables, and pulled her white horse out. Climbing onto her horse she called out to her father, "Wish me luck!" she galloped towards the town, her red hair flaring behind her.
"Hurry!" her father called behind her. He watched her gallop off and said to nobody, "I'm going to pray some more…" he started to walk back to the temple.
…
In the hustle and bustle of the city, one women dressed in purple was worriedly looking across the roads.
"Tennyson Lily, is your daughter here yet?" a plump women pulling out the curtains said to the agitated women. "The matchmaker is not a very patient woman." She went back inside.
"Of all the days to be late!" Lily sighed frustratingly; "I should have prayed to the ancestors for luck!" she kept pacing back and forth, waiting for any sign of red startling hair.
An elder woman walked outside, her eyes a pure sky blue and her grey hair falling beautifully onto her shoulders, "What good would they do?" she asked, "They're dead!" she stared at the sky above in a distasteful motion. "Besides, we've got all the luck we need!" she showed her daughter-in-law a small cage. Inside this cage was held a terrified small cricket.
"This is the chance to prove yourself!" Verdona said cheerily to the cricket. She put a hand over her eyes and walked blindly across the busy road.
"Mother, no!" Lily yelled.
Drivers pulled their horses hurriedly, crashing into each other as animals and people cried out in frustration of their broken carts. Verdona reached the other side of the road safely, unlike the other unlucky drivers whom were now on the road surrounded by splinters and parts of broken and crashed carts. Lily sighed in relief that Verdona was safe.
"Yup!" she shouted across the road, "This cricket's a lucky one!" she held up the cage, the cricket fainted in such fear it held.
Gwen appeared from the debris of the road. She jumped off her white stallion and announced, "I'm here!"
Lily glared at her.
"What?" asked Gwen, "Mother I had to-"
"None of your excuses!" Lily exclaimed cutting her daughter off. "Now let's get you cleaned up!" Lily pushed her daughter inside the salon.
The plump make-up artist women inspected Gwen. She plucked a red strand out of her hair that was covered with twigs and hay and started to sing.
This is what you give me to work with?
Well honey, I've seen worse
She pulled Gwen into the curtain and pulled all her clothes off. Gwen was handled with such hustle she fell backwards into the bathtub.
We're going to turn this sow's ear into a silk purse
"It's freezing!" exclaimed Gwen, rubbing her shoulders together for warmth.
"It would've been warm if you were here on time" Lily mused.
Wait and see; when we're through
Boys will gladly go to war for you
With great fortune and a great hairdo
You'll bring honour to us all
The two women sang and harshly pulled Gwen's red mane into a tight bun. In hurry, Lily and the artists led Gwen into the dressing room and fitted her for her dress.
A girl can bring her family, great honour in one way
By striking one good match
And this could be the day
They walked past a small courtyard with children playing and adults talking. A little boy stole another girl's doll. Gwen felt sympathy and took the doll from him and gave it back to the little girl. As they walked by, two men played chess and Gwen inspected the situation. She picked up a piece and check-mated the man on the left.
One stared in happy amazement, the other in shock. Gwen, feeling satisfied with herself was pulled away from her mother into another building.
Men want girls with good taste
Calm, obedient, who work fast-paced, with good-breeding,
And a tiny waist
You'll bring honour to us all
The two women fitted Gwen tightly in her dress so much she didn't have room to breathe. They then put on her bright make-up. They painted her face and brightened her green eyes and covered her lips in red.
When we're through, you can't fail
Like a lotus blossom: soft and palm
How could any fellow say "No sale"
You'll bring honour to us all
Gwen was now beautifully dressed in robes of pink, blue, red and white. It brought out her peachy skin perfectly. Her make-up brought attention to her purple eye-shadow, red lips and mascara-covered eyes that popped her emerald green eyes out. Her flame-coloured hair was piled up into a bun high above her head. Gwen licked her finger and pulled a strand of hair out onto her forehead, completing her look.
"There – you're ready" Lily smiled proudly at her daughter.
"Not quite…" Verdona said. "An apple for serenity…" she stuck an apple into Gwen's mouth,"A pendant for balance…" she dropped it down her dress.
Beads of jade for beauty
She tied the necklace around Gwen's slender neck.
You must proudly show it
Verdona pulled Gwen's chin up high. Gwen smiled at her Grandmother's enthusiastic words.
Now add a cricket
Just for luck
She attached the cage under Gwen's dress so it was hidden from view.
Now even you can't blow it
Gwen looked at her Grandma Verdona strangely. She wasn't that bad…was she? Gwen walked outside towards the other girls whom were to be at the matchmaker's temple.
Gwen started to pray in song.
Ancestors, hear my plea
Help me not to make a fool of me,
And to not uproot my family tree,
Keep my father standing tall
Gwen grabbed her umbrella from her mother and ran towards the other girls that were walking in line with each other.
Scarier than the undertaker,
We are meeting our matchmaker
The gathering crowd of parents of the other girls started to join in, praying for their daughters.
Destiny, guard our girls,
And our future as it fast unfurls,
Please look kindly on these cultured pearls
Each a perfect porcelain doll
Please bring honour to us,
Please bring honour to us
Please bring honour to us
Please bring honour to us
Please bring honour to us all
The beautified girls opened their brightly coloured umbrellas in the air, their actions matching perfectly with each other; Gwen having no clue what to do followed them, but in a much slower pace. All the girls then fell to their knees, patiently awaiting the grand entrance of the matchmaker.
In a second, the double doors flew open, banging from the impact. A large and rather ugliest type of women came out with black beady eyes and a triple chin larger than anyone in the entire village. She wore purple and held a clipboard.
"Tennyson, Gwen" the fat lady called out with her sharp-nasal masculine voice.
"Present!" Gwen jumped from behind her umbrella eagerly and waved her hand in the air.
"Speaking without permission" the fat lady jotted down musingly on her clipboard.
"Oops" Gwen smacked her forehead lightly.
"Who spit in her bean curd?" Verdona whispered to Lily harshly.
Gwen made her way towards the matchmaker's temple, still agonizing over her silly mistake. The fat lady brought her fat-layered arms towards the door handles and closed them loudly, shielding them from prying eyes.
She turned around to Gwen and started to inspect her. She went around the redhead once and muttered to herself loudly, "Too skinny…not fit for bearing sons…"
Unnoticed to Gwen, Crickee, who had been tampering with the lock ever since he woke from his faint; had opened the cage. He jumped off and was about to land when at the last minute when Gwen had seen him and trapped Crickee with her hands. But Crickee was fast and kept jumping onto her shoulder to any part of the body he could escape to. The matchmaker turned and Gwen quickly shoved Crickee into her mouth having no other option.
"Recite the final admonition" the matchmaker said painfully slowly.
Gwen in a flash; whipped out her fan and spit Crickee out of her mouth, trying not to show she was disgusted how he tasted. "Fulfil your duties calmly…" Gwen glanced at her wrist but the writing was now smudged so it was difficult to read. "Res – pectfully…um…reflect before you snack – uh – act! This will bring you honour and glory!" she finished off quickly before she messed up even further.
The matchmaker grabbed Gwen's fan and flipped it back and forth for cheat notes. Being somewhat satisfied that Gwen wasn't cheating; the fat lady grabbed Gwen's left elbow and pulled her towards the table.
"Now, pour the tea. To please your future in-laws you must demonstrate a sign of dignity." She circled her mouth with her two right fingers, giving her a black beard.
Gwen poured the tea but what too shocked at seeing the lady randomly have a beard on her face and suddenly realized that the elbow that the matchmaker grabbed smudged the writing even further. Gwen checked to see the cup and saw she was so busy staring the cup overflowed with tea and pulled it back quickly. The redhead then saw something even more terrifying.
Crickee was lying in the cup. And the matchmaker was about to drink him.
Before Gwen even had the chance to react, the matchmaker scooped the cup away and brought it to her lips. She inhaled the smell and her face relaxed into the smell.
Gwen at first was hesitant, but she knew if she let the matchmaker swallow the cricket, she would be done for. She started to say, "Um…pardon me" she asked quietly.
"And silence!" the fat lady retorted.
"Can I just – can I just have that back for a moment?" Gwen asked a little louder.
Gwen grabbed onto the cup and started to pull it away gently, but the purple covered lady wasn't giving up and they ended up in a tug of tea cup war. Gwen pulled harder and so did the fat lady.
God does that fat women have some grip! Gwen remarked in her thoughts.
Finally, Gwen's grip loosened and the cup was out of her grasp, but unfortunately the matchmaker's grip was lost as well. Resulting – a cup of tea being split onto her purple dress.
"Why you clumsy little –" the matchmaker started but immediately froze. Suddenly she started to hop about calling out 'ooh's' and 'aahs'. Gwen realized what was going on.
Crickee was in her dress.
She was so ticklish; the fat lady fell onto the hot charcoals in the fireplace, causing her butt to catch on fire. She started to scream and wave her hand onto her butt, trying to put the fire out but her attempts were poor. Gwen, trying to be helpful, waved her fan on the fire; but that only made things worse. The fire grew larger and the matchmaker was hell-out on screaming her lungs out.
Outside the chaotic mess Gwen had to deal with, the crowd outside was listening to the crashing on pots and tumbles that came from inside the matchmaker's temple. More sounds of shattering glass and the matchmaker's screams flew outside.
Lily cringed and knew that this wasn't going to end well.
This was however unnoticed to Verdona, whom was folding her arms behind her back and smiling, "I think it's going well, don't you?"
In a few seconds, the fat lady burst out from the double doors, trying to put the fire out on her bottom. She screamed and hopped about yelling, "Put it out! Put it out!"
Gwen, in a sudden rush of adrenaline, grabbed the teapot and threw the hot liquid on the fat lady. It dowsed the fire, but left the fat women standing in silence, her make-up running down her face in streaks. Her hair was wet and fell limply onto her face and she looked very annoyed. Gwen quietly handed the teapot to the fat lady and walked back towards Lily and Verdona.
As soon as she turned back to the matchmaker, a cup was thrown towards her feet. It crashed into a millions pieces scattering in tiny fragile of ceramic.
The fat women roared in anger. "You are a disgrace! You may look like a bride but you will never bring your family honour!"
With that she turned around and stormed back to her destroyed temple. Gwen hung her head shamefully as the spectators silently walked away without a word. The sadness in the air was thick and no one stopped by, so see the three women standing there like life-less dolls. Shame and dread hanging on their faces.
Please tell me what you guys thought of it! Anyways, yeah I probably already know you guys are gonna review this and then say that I should better finish my OTHER stories BEFORE going onto this one but sorry my mind's just like this and I can't really finish something quick. It's soooo damn annoying when this happens when I'm doing my homework! Anyways please review! :D
Luvs Twikadevra