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Post by Sze Kamlong on Oct 28, 2006 22:55:30 GMT -5
It was still dark, but it wasn't as if he had been able to fall asleep the night prior anyway, with a million things rushing through his head in uncertain chaos. Before he passed through the door, Kamlong looked over his shoulder at his tent in case he forgot anything. He had hardly taken anything with him, save for his weapons, some basic supplies, and the many, many letters accumulated over years of correspondence with his brother.
Yulin would be the one cleaning after him, sweeping his tracks away, and for that he was somewhat apologetic, but even so it was impossible to tell that there was a planned disappearance in the works. He found his horse and hushed it with a hand to the muzzle, leading it very carefully through the camp. He felt a little lighter around the shoulders, though whether it was from the lack of his usual ponytail or something else, he was unsure.
It hadn't meant just additional convenience, after all. He had cut more away than just strands of hair.
They would join Akihito and Naia at the edge of the camp, where Yulin was also waiting. Before anyone could wake up, they would be far enough away and their tracks would've long been cautiously covered. The fabricated story would be simple, built upon a rumor that Yulin informed them had been circulating around, especially since whisperings about a spy had surfaced:
The Japanese had infiltrated their army with a disguised spy, and upon being captured, he escaped last night with the imprisoned nobleman they had found earlier, and was consequently chased. In the following struggle, both General Sze and his Lieutenant General had unfortunately suffered fatal injuries - their bodies having been sent back to their hometowns for proper burials by the time the announcement was made.
Both Shen and Kamlong had made themselves sparse enough to support the lie, and the somewhat negative light it placed Naia and Akihito on would have to be a consequence they suffered. To those that knew the full story, it was nothing short of ridiculous, but hopefully none of the recruits would be nosy or mischevious enough to pry. They had more pressing matters to worry about - like a war.
"Coming in," he said quietly, so that his voice wouldn't carry, as he came to Shen's tent.
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Post by Shen Rui on Oct 28, 2006 23:25:48 GMT -5
If someone was watching Shen's back they could point out that he was anxious with his hand movements and sporadic paces. He wasn't worried about people grieving over his absence but he did place concern in his parent's assets. However, no one would notice and would assume he was still alive and well - while serving for their country. Scratching the worrisome thoughts from his mind he started to finish up packing the small essentials.
'Coming in.' caused him to turn and glance over his shoulder, setting the silver pendant in his hand down. Finding it bothersome to look over his shoulder he turned to face his friend while taking two small steps forward. Decreasing the distance between the two would allow them to speak quietly. Shen felt slightly tired but his motivation to get this over with kept him ticking. Besides, the travel would be long and allow free-time to relax. Even if he hated the thought of traveling over open-water.
"You ready?" he asked.
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Post by Sze Kamlong on Oct 28, 2006 23:42:11 GMT -5
"Yes," he nodded, looking past Shen's shoulder to catch a glimpse of his room. "Are you? We're due to meet the others soon."
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Post by Shen Rui on Oct 28, 2006 23:48:58 GMT -5
Shen watched Kamlong's eyes and slowly tilted his head to look back at his room before giving the other a wide smile. "Yeah, I am ready," he said it with a convincing tone before turning around to place the pendent back into the small pouch he was placing other items in. There was no reason to make Kamlong think he had doubts.
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Post by Sze Kamlong on Nov 2, 2006 21:41:26 GMT -5
He watched Shen for a moment, silent and expression searching, before withdrawing to wait for Shen to gather up his belongings. He knew that it'd be useless and only a waste of breath to ask trivial questions like, "Are you sure about this?" He couldn't help but wonder though, if Shen honestly wanted to go himself or if this was some delusional extension of the soldier's loyalty as a result of his...affections.
As soon as the Lieutenant General was ready, they both carefully treaded the final stretch of camp until they spotted Yulin's silhouette in the distance. It was a foggy early morning, and it only made their sight, already impaired from lack of sunlight, worse. She waved to them before they were within hearing range, and whispered when they were close. "Took you two long enough," she teased.
"Sorry," Kamlong replied with a laugh. The prince and Naia were already there. "Good morning," he said to both of them.
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Post by Shizukiri Naia on Nov 5, 2006 3:49:00 GMT -5
Naia nodded a silent reply to the general, wearing a neutral expression that probably hinted at apprehension. He was - he had been ever since the plan was decided - having plenty of second thoughts, and also a great number of mental images of the many possible ways they could all die during the course of this. At least things didn't seem to be starting out too badly. The fog and the dim light would cover their escape.
His eyes went between the two Chinese men, their features blurred by the fog; he was assessing them, trying to see how they were reacting to the situation, if at all. Of course, Sze wouldn't be showing much of anything - he was as easy to read as mud. Shen, on the other hand, did look nervous. That was to be expected - honestly, I'm amazed that they're going through with this at all. Going with the prince and me should register as suicidal.
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Post by Koyada Akihito on Nov 5, 2006 19:05:47 GMT -5
When the General gave a greeting, he waited to see if Naia would reply first but found that his companion was eerily silent. His eyes shifted for a moment, taking in Naia's profile. Akihito was positive Naia was fluid with his acting skills, detecting no concern - yet he had seen the other cave in and show concern several times before. All in the short time he had known Naia, hopefully this would give him the chance to read his character a bit more.
"Good morning," Akihito replied, letting his lingering gaze slip to the one who spoke up first. There was something out of the picture. Guessing it was from the mental set of having Kamlong come alone, he noted the Lieutenant General. The last time he was around Shen he had seemed quite disturbed by his emotional outburst - as well as Kamlong's snapping anger. Sure, Akihito wanted to speak up and ask more questions but he decided it was in his favor to let Kamlong commence everything. It was difficult to be patient.
Suddenly the lids of his eyes raised and he took a great observation in the General. There was something different, no, it was obvious. "I see you've changed your appearance a bit, General Sze.." perhaps he shouldn't have teased out such a serious situation, and a smile slid past his lips.
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Kwok Yulin
Full Member
General
Manlier Than You [China]
Posts: 148
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Post by Kwok Yulin on Nov 5, 2006 19:23:39 GMT -5
"Well," said Yulin in summation, looking at each of their faces in turn. It might've been the impaired visiblity, but they were shockingly calm considering the size of the task they were about to undertake. Despite her fleeting doubts about who should've been the one to go, she didn't know if she could take such stress in stride. "Now that we're all here, we can get things moving."
She turned to her own horse and relieved it of some wrapped items, which she handed to Naia and Akihito in turn. "I am returning your weapons, and some additional provisions we thought you might need," she said quietly, letting the weight of them fall from her hands into theirs. "I can't say I know either of you well, but I fully expect you to be victorious regardless." She smirked, and added as an afterthought, "Get your country off our backs."
Turning to Kamlong and Shen now, she was empty-handed, but her face was grave. "I don't want to risk sounding like an old hag, but you two watch yourselves, alright." She bit her lip, frowning, before pulling Kamlong into a fierce and wordless hug. He was one of her dearest, if not most dear, friends, the only one that had stood beside her when she had been dismissed as a mere girl years ago, and they hadn't been parted since.
"You also take care of yourself," Kamlong said, drawing apart with a reserved smile.
She figured the last thing Shen wanted was a hug from her, but she did it anyway. She never really had let his annoyance deter her after all. "You too, Shen-shen," she said with a nod, before mischieviously casting him a wink. "Don't pounce until after you're out of hearing range, alright?"
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Post by Sze Kamlong on Nov 5, 2006 19:25:21 GMT -5
As Yulin said her goodbyes to Shen, he crossed to where there were two steeds tagging behind the female general's mare, and untied them. He handed the reigns to Naia and the prince with a smile, before mounting his own horse. "If we're ready, then."
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Post by Shizukiri Naia on Nov 7, 2006 19:40:40 GMT -5
Naia glanced back at Akihito as he spoke, then returned his eyes to Sze when the prince pointed out the change in the general's appearance. Yes, his hair was shorter - and likely because of the change in weight, his posture was different, though the change was miniscule.
He gratefully took the small bundle from Yulin. 'Get your country off our backs,' she says. A half-grin worked its way into his distanced expression. "We'll do our best," he replied, finally breaking his silence. Especially seeing as if we fail, it won't be just your boys who end up dead.
The half-grin remained as he took the reins from Sze, and he nodded. Before he mounted, he looked over to Akihito again with his eyebrows raised just a little in an inquisitive fashion. "Ready to go?"
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Post by Koyada Akihito on Nov 7, 2006 22:28:20 GMT -5
Akihito turned his head away when Yulin gave gave her farewells - he did this to avoid any sinking feelings he had about a certain person. About to sigh he noticed one of the bundles was shoved into his arms. Glancing down and then back up he recognized the weapon and gave a short nod. Naia's answer would do for the best of them. With his freehand he took the reigns from Kamlong only to slide his weapons up first.
Being this close to a horse dumbfounded him for a moment, finding himself lost in jumbled thoughts. Akihito shook his head in disregard and slowly mounted the horse. It took him awhile to answer Naia's question. With a smirk, head tilted for emphasis, "Yes, now that I am not alone." He didn't have to look behind him to see the anxious or distressed expressions. Without warning he tugged on his reigns and his horse started off forward at a steady pace, not too quick though - it might've been assumed he was trying to run away.
There was something about riding a horse that kept him at peace or perhaps it was the fact they were no longer in the camp. Minutes were passing by far too quickly and Akihito felt thankful. It was easy to make out the two Chinese men from the corner of his eyes and he slowly turned his head to stare at Kamlong. A slight smile was on his face, finding it difficult to hide.
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Post by Sze Kamlong on Nov 7, 2006 23:10:36 GMT -5
"Ah, we better go catch up then," he chuckled, as he spotted the prince making the initiative. He hopped on to the saddle, making a split-second, last-minute check. The temporary supplies they had packed were tied to their steeds, and their weapons at arm's length. He waited until Shen was mounted before he smiled at Yulin, patting her shoulder gently. "Goodbye, then."
She smiled in return and did not wave when they went forward, but she stood there until they were out of sight, and returned to camp only when the sound of beating hooves died out.
Kamlong's horse caught up to their other two travelling companions quickly, since they hadn't been moving fast, and the first few minutes were quiet and uneventful. It was still a little difficult to grasp the entirety of the situation, but he supposed the reality of it would settle upon them soon enough. They certainly weren't familiar with each other to strike up any sort of smalltalk, but when Kamlong looked up and noticed Akihito smirking, he blinked and asked, "Is something on my face?"
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Post by Shizukiri Naia on Nov 8, 2006 22:11:08 GMT -5
Naia climbed up into the saddle and nudged the horse's flanks with his heels. The animal broke into an obliging trot, its ears angled towards Akihito's horse, and its stride soon elongated to catch up until it was about a length behind. Naia could hear the two Chinese men coming behind them, the steady drumming of horse hooves growing louder as they approached.
He'd never been all that steady on horseback, though he did know how to ride - it was probably that element of unpredictability that came with trying to control a living thing that was significantly bigger than you. The horse looked balefully back at him from the corner of one eye whenever he was too coarse with the reins.
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Post by Koyada Akihito on Nov 9, 2006 11:14:02 GMT -5
The smile that was on his face slowly turned into a thin line and he just stared at one spot of Kamlong's face. Directly at the cheek. Perhaps he wanted to get a little scare out of the General and after his interval of silence he let out a soft laugh. "Not at all!" he mused, turning his head to look forward, the smirk back at its rightful place. Akihito could already tell there would be a lot of tension between everyone.
As he stared forward in the direction they were heading, his head turned to glance over his shoulder at Naia. And by looking at his horse he could tell that the other had doubts in the animal. Horses could detect emotions, after all. An ability he wished he had.
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Post by Shen Rui on Nov 9, 2006 22:09:08 GMT -5
Shen had been quiet the entire time, pondering the farewells and the inevitable events. Even if he was with Kamlong and could look over his safety to make sure the two Japanese men didn't break their words - there was still the weight of how easy the spy had gotten off for hurting someone. On the other hand, he didn't know why the Japanese prince seemed at ease. He took a deep breath in to try and calm the tide within.
Knowing his sporadic actions would be irrational, he left it as that.
Without warning Shen suddenly pulled back on his reigns to make the horse turn into a circle. He did this quickly, making sure there would be no time for anyone to react. By fast strides he was following Naia's horse on the left side. Shen was uncomfortably close for a reason, and that purpose was to do something rash. With his left hand he tangled the reigns around his wrist, leaning over to the right to grab Naia's uniform firmly - the uniform under the Chinese army now worn by deceit - only to let go, pushing the other male off to the right. Chances were that he would lose balance and fall.
At least that was what Shen was hoping for. If lucky, perhaps his own horse would trample him to death.
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