Part 1

Crane's POV

"Post's here" Po announced, through a mouthful of spring rolls and he passed around four, fat envelopes on yellowish parchment.

The letters were for Monkey, Mantis, Viper and me.

I was very surprised by this, as I usually only got one letter a month from mum and this would be my second. I took the scroll gingerly, the writing a scrawl of shinny Black. Then a horrible thought hit me, as they often do when one feels uneasy. What if something had happened to mother?

I ripped the envelope off in an instant, and unfolded the yellow letter. The words written in tiny, cramped sentences.

"hey, look at that!" Monkey let out a cry. "someone in my village was asking after me" he continued to read the letter and his face fell. "to ask about my bank details" he finished in a mumble and quickly deposited of the letter.

The others chortled into their noodle soup.

"Crane? Are you ok?" Po wondered. He had just noticed how stiff the Bird had become while reading his post.

I quickly folded up the letter, returned it to its ripped envelope and picked up my chopsticks. Though i didn't feel remotely hungry.

"Crane?"

The others were all staring at me now.

"what? Oh yeah I'm fine"

"you don't look it" observed tigress sceptically.

"I just got some news" i replied, talking predominantly to my soup bowl.

"bad news?" questioned Viper quietly.

"no, well, I have to get married"

Monkey and Mantis both fell about laughing, banging their fists on the table, splashing soup into Tigresses' eyes.

"to who?" Viper pressed.

"honestly, I don't know. Apparently, me marrying this lady will mean our two families will stop feuding"

"ah feuding families, always trouble" Po shook his head, tutting loudly. "and an arranged marriage"

I sighed loudly.

"well, I hope she's nice" Viper soothed, smiling at me sweetly.

"me too"

I headed into my room, walking slowly, carefully. Mother said this would be best. It would protect the family and our honour.

I don't feel full of honour now.

I began to pack. In my woven case I placed; some extra pairs of shorts and pants, my back up hat, books, paper and some calligraphy things.

I sighed again. It didn't help, it didn't make me feel better either, it just made me sound sorry for myself.

I closed the latch on my case and left my room, starring longingly back into it as I headed down the hallway.

"just what do you think you're doing?"

I looked up, startled by the voice and the tone too, which was defiant and tough.

"going home, what does it look like?"

"oh no you don't"

Viper pushed me back into my room, despite my struggling efforts I was unable to evade her.

She starred at me, the tip of her tail scratching her head absent-mindedly. She was thinking, hard.

"um Viper? I really need to go"

"do you want to go?" she asked as if she already knew the answer.

"well, no"

"it's settled then" she replied, nodding.

I stared at her blankly. "excuse me?"

"I'm coming with you."

"what?"

"I'm coming with you. We'll just say you're already married and they'll be none the wiser"

"I don't know- "

"well I do. If you want to go through with the arranged marriage then fine, but if you do this at least you won't be married to a complete stranger"

I nodded. Thinking the argument over in my head. Viper? Pretending to be my wife?

"Crane? I can't tell if you've fallen asleep with your eyes closed or your just really shocked."

"what? Oh yeah I'll do it"

Viper gave me a warm, sweet smile and left the room.

I groaned. Monkey and Mantis were going to have a field day.

"ready?" Viper questioned, tightening the strap on her case.

We were standing on the top tier of the jade Palace steps, waiting for Master Shifu to appear so we could have permission to leave.

"yep, ready" I replied. My mind was blurring like crazy.

She's only pretending to be your wife.

You're friends.

Only friends.

"hey, what's going on here?"

It was the other warriors, on their way to the training hall after breakfast.

"Viper? Why are you going?" Po quizzed; eyebrows raised.

Viper opened her mouth, closed it and then replied; "I'm accompanying Crane to his village. So I can pretend to be his wife so he doesn't have to marry a stranger" she added quietly.

The others blinked at us.

"what?"

"you're not serious?"

I turned and glanced at Viper, who was nodding at Tigress' shocked expression. She smiled at me. "we'd better get going soon, where is Master Shifu?"

"Good morning students. I presume you have a Good reason for being late to training and leaving?" he finished, shocked at the bags piled by the door. "there must be a reasonable explanation"

"there is master" Viper Responded. "you see Master Crane has been called away on urgent family business"

"and why are you accompanying him? he is more than capable of attending his mother's wishes on his own"

"yes, I know" Viper faltered, biting her lip, she glared at the others for help around the red panda's large ears.

"but it's more than family business!" Po blurted out, unable to contain himself.

The red panda, turned around and starred expectedly up at him. "then what business is it?"

"err his mother died" Po lied. Everyone stared at him. The large panda was covered in sweat from starring into the Shifu's cold blue eyes for so long.

"she is?" the red panda questioned, now turning to face me. "I'm extremely sorry for your loss, I understand why Viper is attending too"

"you do?" Tigress called, clearly not knowing herself, from her scrunched-up face of confusion.

"yes. When one's family dies it is always nice to have a good friend to lean on." Master Shifu smiled at Viper, who gave a weak grimace for a smile, shaken by the lie. "you may return next week"

Master Shifu began heading towards the training hall. "the last one to enter the trading hall will have to run up the jade Palace steps you know?" his retreating figure called and the other warriors immediately raced after him.