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Post by Sze Kamlong on Aug 13, 2006 22:52:46 GMT -5
Without a word, Kamlong folded the letter into neat rectangular thirds, following the creases that had already been bent into the message before he received it. He set it down on his lap and frowned, smoothing his hands over the smooth back of the paper as if the action alone would help him understand the contents better.
The scrawl of his brother's handwriting was growing more jittery and weak with every successive note. What had begun as an elegant and practiced hand was now reduced to hardly-legible scratching of ink onto parchment. That was not the only thing that had degraded - Kamying's letters were shorter now. He only had so much energy for writing. They were short, formal, to the point and somewhat desperate. He no longer asked Kamlong pleasant inquiries for well-being, exciting stories of the world outside the palace walls, or entertaining anecdotes.
He opened the letter again and peered down at it unhappily. It seemed as though every word was slaved over. There were smudges and slips of the brush everywhere. If he hadn't been already accustomed to it, he might've not been able to read it at all. If the emperor was this sick, how was the capital holding up at all? Was his brother this ill? He rarely had any desire to return home, but he wished he could see Kamying now.
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Post by Shen Rui on Aug 13, 2006 23:08:01 GMT -5
Almost everyone had been on a search for General Sze, although they never bothered to check the most obvious place. Shen knowingly reached the General's tent, opening the flap with the back of his left hand. He was about to announce his presence but he noted Sze's head was down. For a moment he thought the other was sleeping, and he approached quietly. Slightly bending down he tried to look at Sze's face, until he noticed that his eyes were open. Shen noticed the long stare, one of deep thought - it even held troubles.
Respectfully he stood back up and averted his eyes to the letter and back to the General. "I apologize.. I didn't mean to come in so abruptly, though it was my mistake," Shen didn't want to tell Sze he thought he was sleeping. Surely Sze noticed him in the first place. He didn't like seeing Sze upset so he slowly averted his eyes to the left. "If you're busy I can come back another time, it's.. not that important."
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Post by Sze Kamlong on Aug 13, 2006 23:16:48 GMT -5
In fact, he had been much too preoccupied with looking over the letter in his hands to have noticed Shen's entrance. The Lieutenant General's presence was such a familiar one, that he didn't quite register it until the other spoke. "Ah, Shen. No, it's nothing important," Kamlong said, recovering from his slight surprise before slipping the paper back into his bedside pack.
He stood up, smiling apologetically. "Sorry, I'm not tidy today," he murmured, looking through his belongings until he found the thread to tie his loose hair back with. There was no time to be caught up over personal matters now. Before he began analyzing the handwriting, he should pay more attention to what it told him. There were orders in that message, urgent and important ones that held the fate of hundreds in its hands. "Did you need something?"
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Post by Shen Rui on Aug 13, 2006 23:25:50 GMT -5
When Sze stood up his eyes went back to watch the other's movements. He enjoyed letting his eyes linger with Sze's postures and movements, sometimes he couldn't help but stare. Yet this time he gave the other a negative look, his mouth curved into a slight frown. He ignored Sze's question and shook his head, "There is something wrong, right?" It was rare to see Sze like this and no matter how hard he thought up reasons to make the other feel better, none of them would be appropriate. Catching his mistake: not answering the General's question could upset him more.
"Uh.. well everyone's looking for you, and there's so many rumors roaming around - even soldiers are making a request of your appearance," he smiled to lighten up the mood, taking a slight step forward.
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Post by Sze Kamlong on Aug 13, 2006 23:39:52 GMT -5
"Rumors?" Kamlong echoed, intentionally dodging the first question. It wasn't that he didn't trust Shen enough to tell him, but he didn't want to burden anyone else with such selfish worries. Additionally, the Lieutenant General was as sharp a soldier as any. Normal soldiers didn't fret quite so much about the emperor's well being. Kamlong still wanted to keep his family background to himself - he would hate it if even his friends began to treat him differently because of it.
He laughed a little, straightening. "What kind of rumors? Are they asking, 'Oh, I wonder what unrespectable things General Sze is doing right now?' or something of the sort?" He paused, looking past Shen and at the exit to the tent. "Although...I suppose it is my wrong. I shouldn't have made myself so sparse. But at least we have definite orders now. We're going to be going south, towards Songjiang."
It was the edge of China, and the most advantageous point to be stationed if word was given to attack Japan.
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Post by Shen Rui on Aug 13, 2006 23:51:17 GMT -5
Shen's smile turned sad and he watched the General's eyes stare past him. He knew there was something wrong, but his friend was so mysterious - all he could do was wonder. By mutual respect, he didn't ask anymore of those questions. He was about to laugh with the other, but he held it back. Is that what Sze really thought the soldiers thought of him? "No, no - they don't think lowly of you at all," he said, trying to make his voice sound slightly cheerful.
"Mostly rumors about the prisoner, and movin -- " Shen stopped abruptly, giving the General a slightly surprised stare. So they were moving? And perhaps close to danger. He assumed the other's troubled expression was because of the new order. "When do we leave?" he asked.
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Post by Sze Kamlong on Aug 14, 2006 0:04:01 GMT -5
He shot Shen a grateful look, knowing that his friend was doing his best to keep his spirits up. "Is that so?" he responded, chuckling, reaching out a hand and letting it rest on the top of Lieutenant General's head. It was an action grown out of habit - at times the surly boy was still that unfriendly teammate he had haphazardly met on a training exercise years ago. When he realized what he was doing, he withdrew sheepishly. "Sorry about that."
"Well," he said, reverting back to the more formal role of general, "it's much too late in the day now to get moving. I gave warning a few days ago, so the men should be mostly packed by now. We'll move out first thing in the morning. There's no time to waste, after all."
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Post by Shen Rui on Aug 14, 2006 0:13:47 GMT -5
Shen's head went down with the touch and his eyes lowered, although a genuine smile appeared on his face. He would never grew tired of those meaningless actions, considering he took them to heart. When Sze's hand left the top of his head, he raised his chin to chuckle quietly. "Oh well, you're just taking advantage of your height," yes he made it a habit to always let his friend know he wasn't bothered by it.
Right on queue did Sze switch back to his more reserved self. Shen nodded his head, agreeing. If they took things slowly that would leave an opening. "And what about the prisoner?"
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Post by Sze Kamlong on Aug 14, 2006 0:20:03 GMT -5
"Ah, about that," said Kamlong, while walking to the canvas flap at the front of his tent. He lifted it, and stopped halfway while exitting to turn back and wave a hand at Shen, signalling for the other to come along. A few soldiers passing by nodded their heads in greeting as they emerged, and he returned the favor in kind. "We will take him with us, of course. He hasn't been hurt has he, since he's been here? Has there been any problems with him?"
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Post by Shen Rui on Aug 14, 2006 0:25:27 GMT -5
Giving a blink to the empty space before him, he turned to catch Sze's gesture. Obediently, he followed after the General, always glowering at the passing soldiers. He didn't mean to be so negative around them, but if he gave one of them the benefit of the doubt he would have to treat his group the same. And he really didn't want to. Once he was in stride with Sze, he glanced to the rows of tents. "No, you can barely tell he's with us."
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Post by Sze Kamlong on Aug 14, 2006 0:33:25 GMT -5
"It's probably best that way," he said, changing his path in the direction of the prisoner's tent. "Although all his best behavior is making me a little nervous," he admitted, creasing his brow as he lowered his eyes to the ground as he tended to do when anxious. "It's a tough story to believe, but he's really not sparing any lack of detail in the acting."
He sighed, shaking his head to clear it. "Nevermind that though," he added. He, of all people, should not be doubting the choice they made. "Let's go check on him," he suggested, nodding at the distance, where the camp the Japanese 'prince' was kept.
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Post by Shen Rui on Aug 14, 2006 0:40:28 GMT -5
"I am not too well with my current events, so I really don't know. Guess it's a chance for everyone," Shen said this somewhat quietly, his thoughts reaching his mouth. It was a tough story, and a very confusing one at that. He also wasn't around when Yulin had apprehended the prince, so this would be his first time near the tent. Finally, his eyes settled to the tent surrounded with guards.
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Post by Sze Kamlong on Aug 14, 2006 0:44:04 GMT -5
Kamlong raised a hand, the equivalent of an 'at ease' for the soldiers standing guard. They were a little more tense than usual, probably for their failure earlier at protecting the camp when faced with a skirt and a pretty face. Thankfully no one had informed the higher-ups of the mishap, or they would've been in bigger trouble than just their own conscious making them sweat. The general stopped before entering, turning to Shen. "It's mostly the same old, same old. Relationships are still tense, and as far as I know, unless the prisoner's testimony is legitimate, no effort has been made to compromise or negotiate. It seems like there's really no escape."
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Post by Shen Rui on Aug 14, 2006 0:52:58 GMT -5
Shen gave the General a dumbfounded expression, until he nodded his head when he finally caught on. "Even so, that doesn't explain why he was found alone," he was pretty sure those of higher stature had large amounts of bodyguards and such. And with a status like that, it would be a mistake to .. Shen let his thoughts cease, he was over-thinking it.
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Post by Sze Kamlong on Aug 14, 2006 1:12:32 GMT -5
"I'm not saying that he's telling the truth," Kamlong conceded, "But looking at the larger picture, it seems like that detail has no weight on what's going to happen at this very moment in time." With that, he stooped down and pulled open the flap that served as a door into the tent, stepping in slowly. "Excuse us for intruding," he said, out of habit, though the circumstances certainly didn't require such customs.
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