With Time (Open)

[Mei XiaXue]

We draw our strength from the very despair in which we have been forced to live. We shall endure.

The sun rose as the city awoke, quiet sounds rising up into the air. Words were whispered, people moved quickly amd quietly as if they were afraid to linger, to linger and wake others. Smells came out, burnt wood as fires were built for the days food. Many would smile and smell as the aroma of baked meat buns flooded the city. Most inhaled the smell, smiles playing across their faces. As Cheng Du started to bustle with activity, everything appeard fine. Well, almost everything.

A sharp breath hisses out from clenched white teeth. Guan YinPing sat on a padded mat as one of her handmaiden picked out a piece of wood from the back of her hand. And it hurt. More because it was a nuisance than anything else. "How do I explain this? You slept, no wounds. I come to help you get dressed, wounds!" The female exclaimed even as she took a cloth amd began to rinse the bruised and bloody knuckles.

Guan YinPing pulled her hand away before the female could bandage it. "I'm fine. I was training," she said even as she stood up to get herseld dressed. It wasn't her fault she couldn't sleep and would throw punches at a tree during the night. Everyone had their quirks. Ignoring her handmadien muttering about proper females, Guan YinPing changed into a a short strapless green dress. Then, she started to fasten a light weight decorative robe and sash over it. She debated pulling her hair away from her face, but she wasn't going to go to the training yard until later. Putting on knee length green and gold boots, she hid a throwing knife or two into her outfit. For a second, she debated even going out, she could run into one of her overprotective brothers or worse, uncles. Even running into a cousin or family friend would end well... but what was life without the thrill?

As the sun rose higher, Guan YinPing finally left to go into the heart of Cheng Du's marketplace. She had lines her eyes with kohl, added fresh cherry blossoms into her hair and wanted to stand out... as a female. Lines creased her foeehead as she remembered commenta about her being a tomboy come from those who watched her train.

"I help defend Shu... I have to be strong, to show no weakness," She muttered to herself even as she found herself engulfed into a sea of chaos... the open market.

[Jing Shi]

It was another day in the town of Cheng Du the sun was slowly making it's way into sight. He was getting dressed and cleaning his sword for the day ahead. After putting on his suit he burned some incense and meditated for a few minutes. It was good to begin the day with a little spiritual practice as well as physical. While many others were enjoying these few weeks he couldn't wait to be back on the battlefield. Shi was glad for the time of peace, but he was bored with what he was asked to do. He knew what his father would say 'just do what you're told,' but that didn't mean he had to like it did right? He just had to smile and accept what was given to him.

Shi was in charge of keeping order in the marketplace which was always annoying. He felt bad for the shopkeepers most of the time. They had to deal with difficult customers and as kind as many of them tried to be people were just so self entitled. He liked that he was being given different assignments. The more he was given meant he was getting noticed. The assignments themselves though weren't as exciting as his superiors tried to make them sound. They knew how to deal with him, oh yes he was going to be surrounded by new people to meet and of course the town girls loved soldiers. He was interested in flirting with just anyone who danced across his vision. He wasn't some hound looking for a girl to wag their tails at him. Meeting townsfolk though was always interesting and hearing an elderly person's stories was a good experience.

Placing his sword firmly on his side he began jogging to the marketplace. He could've just taken a horse, but he wanted to exercise a bit. He could smell the food and hear the hustle and bustle as he approached. Oh yeah it was going to be a fun day in the city especially if business was booming this early. He made it to the men he was in charge of and gave them their places to keep a lookout. The usual morning get together was good for a chat before work. It was nice to have a good laugh or talk about someone's weird dream, but they had to split up and keep order. He began walking through when a young girl caught his eye. He'd seen her before, but never really talked to her. He looked to his guys who were taking care of things and made his way over to her. "Good morning my lady," He said with a smile, "What brings you out here so early?"

[Sima Yi]

The marketplace was the lifeblood of the city. Whenever Zhuge Liang would visit a city, who would immediately take notice of their markets, and from there he could easily deduce the governance of the city as a whole. On this particular morning, Zhuge Liang decided to walk amongst the common people. It was a rare sight to see him outside his quarters where he often spent hours pouring over figures concerning matters from finance to land allocation. It was only at the behest of Liu Bei did Zhuge Liang at last take a break.

Dressed in white robes and a silk cap, with feather fan in hand, Zhuge Liang moved like a ghost amongst the merchants and shopkeepers who were opening up for business. The intoxicating aromas of food being cooked over there, mixed with the enchanting scent of incense from another not too far down the way.

"Master Zhuge Liang, Master Zhuge Liang!" cried an older man with a youthful face. He rushed over to Zhuge Liang and payed his respects to him, offering him a gentle bow which Kongming returned in kind. "I hope you will return later today, for I have more of that soup of which you are so fond!"

Zhuge Liang smiled gently. "You are very kind to think of me, Master Wang. I will certainly make time to visit you again this afternoon."

Leaving Master Wang, Zhuge Liang stopped to listen to a blind street musician who played the erhu masterfully. Kongming closed his eyes a listened intently, for he could hear and feel every note of the man's song.

[Mei XiaXue]

(((I doubt Jing Shi is coming back)))

We draw our strength from the very despair in which we have been forced to live. We shall endure.

Most females would have come to pick out new fabric, perhaps a trinket or two. She didn't see the value in any of it. Sure, the colors on display were pretty... but she didn't need anything new. The most appealing smell was probably the food.  Maybe she should have went to the training grounds instead of out in the marketplace. 

If she went to train, she'd run into at least one person talking about her father's accomplishments. They'd expect her to either be the same, or more likely, go home and be a proper female.  Even if thay didn't happen, she knew judgment for those young like her came quick without a second thought. For one of her brothers it may be diffrrent but...

She was nudged out of her inner musings by hearing a name she was familiar with. Zhuge Liang. She knew of him, everyone in Shu did. But she had never met him. Her eyes scanned the crowd before seeing him. He was as described... and more. He seemed to be enthralled with a street musician. Realizing that she might be overstepping boundaries, she hesitated before moving her way toward him, standing a decent amount of spaces away as she waited for the musician to finish. She wouldn't interrupt Zhuge Liang,

[Sima Yi]

As the man's music finished its last melodic notes, Kongming reached within his robes and took out his coin pursue. He dropped two gold coins into the blind man's cup, to which the man returned a wide grin of missing teeth.

"It is an honor to meet you at last, Lady Guan Yinping," Zhuge Liang said unto the young woman, striding over to her, and greeting her with a polite bow. Although they had never met in person, her reputation preceded her and it did not take Zhuge Liang very long to determine that this was the daughter of Guan Yu. Although Zhuge Liang often conflicted with Guan Yu over external affairs, he did hold respect for him.

"It was Kong Zi who said that music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without. After hearing that man play, do you agree with such an appraisal?"

[Mei XiaXue]

We draw our strength from the very despair in which we have been forced to live. We shall endure.

She hadn't realized Zhuge Liang had noticed her so she was quiet shocked. Without thinking, she found herself bowing to him. He was so well known... the Sleeping Dragon... "The pleasure is mine, Lord Zhuge Liang. How do you fare this morning?" Her manners, she knew, were on point. She was the perfect mix of manners and warrior. Even in the midst of the market,

as he mentioned the musician, she frowned slightly because she hadn't been paying all her attention to him, she found herself nodding her head to sgree wirh him. What else was she to do? Lie? Unlikely, she was raised better than that. A lie of omission..., it wouldn't kill her .

[Sima Yi]

"Just fine," Zhuge Liang responded politely, with a nod of his head. He raised his fan to shielded his eyes from the sun, which has since come into full view in the morning sky, having before been shrouded by the fog of early morning. "Where are you off to at this time, my lady? Perhaps I shall accompany you."

[Mei XiaXue]

QUOTE    tags: @ name   song title -- artist  outfit: --- words: 000 ❥ DID YOU COME& He was above her league. It was obvious. He was nothing like a common soldier. And it wasn't like she expected him yo be like them, but he radiated this air... it made her realize how smaller she was on a political scale.., and height wise. When he offered to walk with her, accompany her she felt a moment of panic. What was she going to say. Hey, just casually strolling. No. She would find something to do. "Perhaps a cup of tea this morning?".

[Liu Shan]

"Ah..." Liu Shan breathed out as he sipped his tea, closing his eyes and tilting his head back as he did so. He was almost done, but he dreaded to go back to the castle. He'd get chased by Xing Cai for skipping training... again... Of course, he felt slightly guilty, but training with her was downright scary! She could be so harsh at times! So... he decided to stay. Just for a little while. Then he'd go back, to the garden again, where he would practice by himself.

Lazily, he opened his eyes, a soft smile on his lips as he stared up at the clouds from his table near the entrance of the tea shop, a hand reaching for the teacup again. What a nice day it was...

((Hopefully it wasn't too bad...?))

[Sima Yi]

Zhuge Liang nodded his head in agreement to Guan Yinping's proposition. Despite having been in the city for quite some time, he had not yet had a chance to try anything local, something that did not set well with some of the Yizhou officials who served under him. To some, Zhuge Liang was perceived as haughty and detached, when the matter was he simply placed his duties to the state before himself.

Zhuge Liang motioned with his arm for Guan Yinping to take the lead, and Zhuge Liang strode alongside her. It was not before too long, that they then arrived at the tea house a comfortable place tucked away within the hustle and bustle of Chengdu's busy side streets. Zhuge Liang took notice of several curious figures who sat at the various tables, some of whom seemed to have made frequenting the establishment a regular part of their lives.

It came as no surprise to Kongming to find Liu Shan sitting at one of the tables near the entrance. Zhuge Liang laughed amusedly to himself; Liu Shan was still hiding his true light under a bushel.

[Mei XiaXue]

amoung us all    tags: Liu Shan   song title -- artist  outfit: --- words: 000 ❥ DID YOU COME& She pauses inside the tea house, she had a feeling that she knee the male sitting alone... and he wasn't where he shoukd be. It took a moment to process it was Liu Shan, Lord Liu Bei's son... and somewhat her cousin. She didn't want to think about that. What she wanted to think about was why was Cai not with him? There was only one plausible answer. Cai didn't know where he was. She grinned at that thought. Her cousin was charged with training, protecting and probably tracking Liu Shan. She wouldn't be too happy about this. But it wasn't YinPing's concern. She motioned to one of the workers for a fresh pot, even as she moved to where Liu Shan. She did a brief, ahort bow, not even going on her knee. More of a nod of her head. "I see you are alone, my lord."

[Liu Shan]

He jumped. Liu Shan hadn't expected to hear that voice here. He had been sure none of the Shu officers would find him. Calming himself, he stood, turning around to see Guan YinPing - as he suspected - and surprisingly, Zhuge Liang. He dipped his head to both of them. "Ah... I didn't expect to see either of you here..." He admitted, before gesturing to the other empty seats of the table. "Please take a seat."

While still smiling, it slightly unnerved him that they were here. Had Xing Cai already found him? He hoped not. He wanted to spend a little more away from her; He still dreaded training with her. Though, he would go back soon. Even he didn't want to slack off all the time. He just hoped he wouldn't get an earful from her.

To: Mei XiaXue Sima Yi

[Sima Yi]

Zhuge Liang politely rejects Liu Shan invitation, excusing himself by saying he has other duties which require his attention. He tells Guan Yinping that they must meet for tea at the Golden Goose Pavilion, for he is sorry that he cannot join her this time. All this having been said, Kongming turns on his heel and leaves the tea house.