Post by Ma Chao on Jul 30, 2008 0:06:38 GMT -5
Four horsemen were approaching from the east making much haste and kicking up clouds of dust in their wake. Golden banners of the Horde waved as the group continued on to the main gates. There, an envoy dismounted his horse and spoke out to the guards.
"Your king has been expecting me" said the messenger, a man known as Fu Lan. He had been sent out multiple times recently to speak with other kingdoms and had much success. Therefore, he was chosen to go as the representative of the Horde.
"My name is Fu Lan and I am an envoy for the noble and just Ma Chao, ruler and protector of Xi Liang."
The guards growled, thinking of the bitter rivalry between the two forces. Still, they had orders to allow entrance of an envoy from Xi Liang.
"We have been waiting for you" one of the guards said, stepping forward. "However, the men with you will have to wait outside the palace."
Fu Lan took a deep breath, thinking of how easily he would be slain for saying the wrong thing. The Qiang King was known to be quite hot-headed and countless envoys had met their demise at his hands. The cost of failure was high and most likely death, but the rewards for success made it worth the attempt.
The gates opened and all four men were allowed entrance. With Fu Lan were three elite guards, all of whom had hoods covering their identities. They were not considered a threat as the king's entire army was available if required. Still, it was curious why they would remain hidden after being allowed into the city.
The small group was lead to the audience hall to meet with the king and when they arrived the escort was ordered to stay outside. The doors opened and Fu Lan looked back, quite shaken, before entering within. Immediately after, the doors slammed shut.
It was a long time before the doors opened again, revealing a ghostly looking Fu Lan. Something bad had obviously happened, but if it were that bad the envoy would have been dead already.
He walked over to the three elites and informed them of what went down inside the hall.
"He.....he.....the king.....had a dagger to my throat" Lan stuttered, still recovering from his near-death experience.
"What of the terms?" an elite questioned, quite odd considering a soldier would have been out of line asking such sensitive information of an envoy sent by their lord. Whatever was said to Fu Lan was for Ma Chao's ears only. However, a quick smack across the messenger's face, with a backhand, would pry the information free.
"The king demanded weekly tribute to his kingdom for a ceasefire!" he said, clearly not accomplishing his goal.
"He threatened to kill me!"
The elite, who had smacked Lan, was infuriated but started to laugh a bit only a moment later.
"You fear the wrong person you pathetic weakling!"
The Qiang King was still enjoying himself after ordering the cleaning of Fu Lan's bodily fluids. The envoy had pissed himself, in fear. However, just as the leader was about to get up and leave, to eat some food, the two doors to his audience hall blasted open!!
One of the doors was ripped right off the hinges and crashed onto the floor from a thunderous set of kicks.
"What is the meaning of this!?" the king yelled out! Before he could recognize who was before him or what exactly was going on, a spear was flying toward his head!
The intruder had broken into the hall and sent a spear toward the leader like a javelin. Moving just in time, the Qiang King avoided a most gruesome death. He looked with his mouth hanging open, wondering why a Qiang spear was almost his killer.
The king looked forward to see his assailant and immediately after the enemy removed his hood. It was Ma Chao the Spendid!
"It seems you have my undivided attention."
Ma Chao smirked as his two elites wrestled down the palace guards, one of which was missing a spear. Fu Lan just cowered on the top stair, cursing his lord who treated him like a useless sack of nothingness.
"Your king has been expecting me" said the messenger, a man known as Fu Lan. He had been sent out multiple times recently to speak with other kingdoms and had much success. Therefore, he was chosen to go as the representative of the Horde.
"My name is Fu Lan and I am an envoy for the noble and just Ma Chao, ruler and protector of Xi Liang."
The guards growled, thinking of the bitter rivalry between the two forces. Still, they had orders to allow entrance of an envoy from Xi Liang.
"We have been waiting for you" one of the guards said, stepping forward. "However, the men with you will have to wait outside the palace."
Fu Lan took a deep breath, thinking of how easily he would be slain for saying the wrong thing. The Qiang King was known to be quite hot-headed and countless envoys had met their demise at his hands. The cost of failure was high and most likely death, but the rewards for success made it worth the attempt.
The gates opened and all four men were allowed entrance. With Fu Lan were three elite guards, all of whom had hoods covering their identities. They were not considered a threat as the king's entire army was available if required. Still, it was curious why they would remain hidden after being allowed into the city.
The small group was lead to the audience hall to meet with the king and when they arrived the escort was ordered to stay outside. The doors opened and Fu Lan looked back, quite shaken, before entering within. Immediately after, the doors slammed shut.
It was a long time before the doors opened again, revealing a ghostly looking Fu Lan. Something bad had obviously happened, but if it were that bad the envoy would have been dead already.
He walked over to the three elites and informed them of what went down inside the hall.
"He.....he.....the king.....had a dagger to my throat" Lan stuttered, still recovering from his near-death experience.
"What of the terms?" an elite questioned, quite odd considering a soldier would have been out of line asking such sensitive information of an envoy sent by their lord. Whatever was said to Fu Lan was for Ma Chao's ears only. However, a quick smack across the messenger's face, with a backhand, would pry the information free.
"The king demanded weekly tribute to his kingdom for a ceasefire!" he said, clearly not accomplishing his goal.
"He threatened to kill me!"
The elite, who had smacked Lan, was infuriated but started to laugh a bit only a moment later.
"You fear the wrong person you pathetic weakling!"
The Qiang King was still enjoying himself after ordering the cleaning of Fu Lan's bodily fluids. The envoy had pissed himself, in fear. However, just as the leader was about to get up and leave, to eat some food, the two doors to his audience hall blasted open!!
One of the doors was ripped right off the hinges and crashed onto the floor from a thunderous set of kicks.
"What is the meaning of this!?" the king yelled out! Before he could recognize who was before him or what exactly was going on, a spear was flying toward his head!
The intruder had broken into the hall and sent a spear toward the leader like a javelin. Moving just in time, the Qiang King avoided a most gruesome death. He looked with his mouth hanging open, wondering why a Qiang spear was almost his killer.
The king looked forward to see his assailant and immediately after the enemy removed his hood. It was Ma Chao the Spendid!
"It seems you have my undivided attention."
Ma Chao smirked as his two elites wrestled down the palace guards, one of which was missing a spear. Fu Lan just cowered on the top stair, cursing his lord who treated him like a useless sack of nothingness.
