擰成一股繩
níngchéng yī gǔ shéng
Twist into a single rope.
Stick together; make joint efforts.

*~*~*~*~*~*

The shock of seeing Ao, wrapped in all the furs she could carry like a hunter headed to market, held the room frozen for a moment.

Then Kageyama realized what it meant. If she is here, they have no reason to keep us alive.

Commander Sha reacted first, gesturing to the guards. "Well that was simple. Throw the three of them back in the cells."

"Oh? Don't you want to hear who I am?" Ao said, calmly walking over and perching on a corner of the Commander's desk. As though it were her own. As though there was not a man being tortured on the floor feet from her.

Ao's eyes calmly swept over everything, seeming disinterested, but Kageyama saw her pause for a moment on Sanli's tear streaked face.

"You will tell me eventually. Either through your own torture or that of your prince," the commander waved once more and the soldiers from the door came forward.

"Oh, you are no fun," said Ao, sliding from the desk. She sauntered over to the wall of weapons, swinging her hips to emphasize them as best she could beneath the heavy furs. "How about we make a wager?"

As she passed the Daquan, still crouched by Sanli, she drew one finger lazily along the man's back. Captain Duan's eyes followed her hungrily.

"A wager," asked the commander, tilting his head. "I suppose you want me to free the fox and the prince in exchange for your information?"

No, do not fall for it girl. He has no intention to let us go.

"Oh no, that is a trade," said Ao calmly. "And I do not care what happens to the prince and his fox. Do as you please with them." Ao turned back to the wall of weapons, studying the metal items, hands on hips. "No, a wager. I will fight one of your men. If I win you will tell me who paid you to find me. If they win, I will give you whatever it is you want of me. Information... whatever you want."

Here she gave a sultry smile over her shoulder. Give it up. You cannot seduce men who lust only for death and gold, Kageyama thought.

"I like it!" exclaimed Captain Duan, standing from Sanli's prone form. The prince looked barely conscious. "I agree to this wager. I will fight you, little mouse."

"I do not agree to it," snapped the commander, gesturing to the waiting foot soldiers. "You, take her down to the cells. You do not need to be gentle."

But Captain Duan waved the soldiers back. "You'll get you money Sha. Sit down and don't interfere with my fun."

The commander's lip twisted, but he obeyed. Kageyama had suspected it, but it was clear now who held the real power in Changsha fortress. The dog keeps his master on a tight leash.

The commander sat, the soldiers obediently returned to the door, and Kageyama managed to crawl closer to Sanli.

"Sho Sensei, why is Ao here?" the prince asked, through the haze of pain. Kageyama inspected Sanli's fingers. They were bad breaks.

Behind his back, he felt his knife, pressed against his side.

Ignite, he thought. Immediately his nose burned with the smell of singeing rope. He prayed anyone else would assume it was simply the pitch of the torches.

Captain Duan was too intent on Ao to notice. He stopped behind her as she perused the wall of weapons, watching her every move as a cat watches prey. "Would you like me to help you choose, mouse? Something that would be easy for you to wield?"

Ao ignored him, fingers stroking over the weapons, lovingly lingering on blades and hilts alike... until they stopped on the leather bound handle attached to a black iron chain. After many links and loops the chain in turn was attached to a wicked spiked ball.

A falling star. Girl. Not the liu xing.

The weapon reminded Kageyama of a spiked flower, developed for death rather than beauty. The weapon was known to be notoriously difficult to wield and control, and designed for field combat, not a close quarters.

That is probably the most difficult weapon to wield on the wall. Don't choose-

Ao pulled the handle from it's brackets, holding the leather grip. The chain followed with a hissing clank. "This will do."

Captain Duan laughed. "A good strategy. You know you are no match for me at close quarters, so you choose a long range weapon. But I would not recommend it. It is a weapon for melee combat, not a duel, and it takes a long time to master."

"I like it," said Ao. Using all her strength, she lifted the iron ball from the hook it hung from.

She staggered to stand before the daquan. Captain Duan shrugged and took a fighting stance. "Make this interesting for me, mouse."

"Wait!" Commander Sha stood, realizing the fight was about to commence. "You cannot fight in here! Go down to the training yard-"

Too late.

With surprising speed and strength, Ao whipped the handle, followed by the chain. She used the twist of her body to add momentum, and the chain clanked through the air.

The spiked metal ball attached to it followed. The swish as it soared through the air could be heard, right toward Captain Duan's head-

-Captain Duan sidestepped smoothly, and the liu xing sailed past him, into one of the large windows of the north facing wall.

With a shattering crash the black ball of steel destroyed the window. Small though it was, the impact sent glass and splinters of wooden frame scattering across the commander's room.

Kageyama threw himself forward to shield Sanli's face. "STOP RIGHT NOW!" The commander screamed, also throwing himself to the ground beneath his desk, arms shielding his head.

But no one paid the commander any mind. Captain Duan, sword drawn, was leaning forward, hands on knees to support himself as he laughed madly. "Oh, little mouse! Not bad for power, but your technique is terrible!"

Then he raised his sword straight in front of him and went for Ao.

Ao had been trying to reel in her foolish weapon, but the chain had become entangled on the destroyed window frame. Abandoning it, she dodged Captain Duan's sword, clumsily stumbling out of the way.

Why is she moving like that? Kageyama wondered. He had seen Ao fight Zhangyu, he knew she could move much more gracefully, even in a dress. Was she trying to feign inability, in an attempt to catch the men off guard?

Captain Duan lunged again and Ao ducked, the daquans sword swinging just over her head.

No, that was not it. Kageyama could tell by her awkward footsteps and frantic dodges she really was having trouble keeping her balance. Why then? Had she been injured? Or perhaps she was unbalanced by the huge amount of furs she wore?

Kageyama's eyes narrowed.

Why was she wearing all those extra furs? Her body ballooned outward at the middle, almost like Kageyama's own, beneath all the ropes-

Oh.

Ao's avoidance of Captain Duan's sword had taken her close to the window, where she was trying to tug the end of the liu xing free using both hands. Wind whipped through the destroyed window, throwing her hair around her face.

"You should have chosen another weapon," Captain Duan said, expertly swinging his short sword in one hand. "This is too easy."

He drew his arm back and then drove the sword into Ao's middle.

Ao gasped and staggered, looking at the sword sticking from her front. The gaping hole of what had once been the window loomed behind her, and she tipped dangerously toward it.

Then, with a grin, Ao reached forward and wrapped her hands around Captain Duan's wrist.

Captain Duan had a moment to look down before the hiss of the arrow could be heard over the sound of the wind. And suddenly it was in his neck, piercing right through to the other side.

Shhhhlllrppp.

The Daquan let go of his sword and reached to his neck, confused. He opened his mouth, tried to speak the red blood that was on his tongue, then fell to his knees.

Pulling the sword from her middle with a grunt, Ao drew it back, lifting it awkwardly with both hands, and brought it down on Captain Duan's unprotected head.

With a splatter of red the man fell to the ground sideways. Ao dropped the sword point to the ground with a metallic clatter.

The two soldiers near the door had stood stunned, but now they moved, drawing their swords and rushing towards Ao, and the two outside threw open the door and joined.

Just four?

Kageyama could feel his ropes loosening, parting as he strained, and he rolled to his feet, throwing himself at the nearest soldier.

His weight threw the soldier off balance and sent him careening into the wall with a clash of armor. The soldier recovered and rounded, sword slashing-

-and succeed in cutting the loosening ropes around Kageyama free.

The weight of the ropes fell away with a final strain of his arms, and Kageyama's sword was in his hands before they touched the ground.

At last.

With a flash of the blade and a spray of red the soldier who had just inadvertently freed him collapsed to the ground like a toppling tower. Another slash caught the other soldier in the back. The man twisted in pain and cried out as his back was laid open, flesh and armor both.

Before Kageyama could take out the third soldier Ao did it, with a quick jab where arm met armor with Captain Duan's sword. The sword slid neatly between the man's ribs and out again.

The fourth solider hesitated, sword drawn... then the blade fell with a clatter as he turned to run back to the door to summon help.

Kageyama pulled a knife from the air, a slim straight blade with a bone handle. With a flick of his wrist it buried itself in the soldiers neck and he fell against the door frame.

"What is that one called, Lord Kageyama?" Ao inquired casually as she finally pulled the tangled liu xing free from the window frame.

Kageyama thought to reprimand her as he bent to retrieve the bone handled knife, but instead just answered. "Makotomaru. He always flies straight-"

Before he could finish the metal collar about his neck constricted. Kageyama clawed at it, desperately trying to slip a finger underneath.

"BIND," hissed the commander, from under his large table, where he had crawled when all this had started. "CONSTRICT. BREA-"

His last command was lost in the sickening crunch of Ao's liu xing sinking into his face.

"Oh my. I was hoping to get information from him. Too late now."

The collar loosened and Kageyama gasped breath greedily. He hurried to the commander's body, quickly unwrapping the pendant from the man's limp wrist, then to Sanli.

Kageyama placed the pendant in the prince's unbroken hand. Sanli realized Kageyama's intention and his hand closed around the metal pendant. He murmured a few words, and the hateful metal around Kageyama's neck fell away.

Finally.

Kageyama cut away at the ropes binding Sanli, then sheathed his sword and let it go. It vanished into the air.

He pulled Sanli up, one of the prince's arms over his shoulders, then turned to Ao, who was pulling the body of the fallen soldier from the door to close it. "I hope you have a better plan than fighting our way out of here."

"Of course I do," said Ao, attempting to look hurt. She shut the heavy wooden door, throwing the latch. It was thick iron, but would not hold against a fortress of soldiers for long.

Ao stepped over fallen bodies and went to the destroyed window. She raised her hand in a fist. A symbol for victory.

"Zakhar is waiting with horses behind that hillock to give us cover. We will go out the window."

Here she lifted her furs, and Kageyama realized the reason for her rotund shape and awkward movements. Her middle was wrapped with rope, much as his had been, but her arms were not bound to her sides with it.

Kageyama realized the rope had also served to protect Ao from Captain Duan's sword. This lucky fool.

Ao wriggled, slipping off the coil like a girl slips off a silk skirt. Then she tied one end about an iron wall sconce and began to feed the rest out the window.

"Had I realized you would have so much rope on you already Lord Kageyama, I wouldn't have bothered to bring my own," Ao said, laughing and nodding to the heaps of rope that had fallen away from Kageyama.

Then she frowned as Kageyama came toward the window, supporting a limping Sanli against him. "What happened?"

"The dog broke his fingers," Kageyama snarled.

Ao's face twisted like Kageyama's own. "I killed him too quick."

"Ao, I am sorry I got you involved in this," said Sanli faintly, struggling to stand.

"It is no fault of yours, little prince. I am sorry I did not get here sooner, and that I was not there for you in the first place," Ao replied, her gentle words at odds with the bloody battle star that hung from her hands. Kageyama felt Sanli ease against him, and thought the prince had relaxed at the woman's words, but when he looked to Sanli's face he realized the boy had simply fainted.

Running came from the hallway, followed by pounding on the door.

"Their commander and their captain are both dead. We could attempt to take control." Ao said, glancing at the shaking bolt.

"No," said Kageyama, pulling Sanli onto his back. Using scrap of spare rope he had kept Kageyama rebound Sanli's arms at the wrists about his neck, then tied the prince's body to his own waist. "They know they are all guilty of treason. They will try and kill us here." Kageyama nodded to the rope. "Quickly, the door will not hold long."

Ao shook her head. "Go first. Zakhar will give cover." She stepped toward the door, the liu xing dangling at the ready.

Kageyama opened his mouth to argue. Which made no sense. Sanli was on his back, and getting him to safety was his chief objective.

Kageyama shook his head. "Do not dwaddle," he said, then started down the rope. On his back the prince whimpered Ao's name, but was too trapped in his pain to protest more.

Outside the fortress walls were whipped by the wind. It was late in the afternoon, and Kageyama could just see a halo of the sun where it was starting to sink in the west, behind the clouds.

Kageyama climbed swiftly, Sanli's weight dragging him down the rope. An arrow from above clattered off the stones nearby. A moment later the archer who had shot it met his end with a scream, an arrow from below buried in his neck.

"Nice shooting, Zakhar," said Kageyama to the stones in front of him.

Kageyama's boots at last touched solid ground. He raised his head to call out. "Girl! Hurry-!"

The rope, cut, coiled into a pile at his feet with a hiss like a snake.

Kageyama looked up, shocked. Why had the girl cut the rope? Did she mean to attempt some foolish act of heroism? To hold off a whole fortress on her own?

But it was not Ao's blood streaked face that looked down at him from the broken window.

Captain Duan grinned, waved, and then disappeared from view.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Moments later Kageyama sprinted across the low hillocks of the open plain toward the town of Changsha, Sanli moaning on his back.

Sanli, awakened by the pain jolting from his hands, regained consciousness.

"Sho Sensei? Where is Ao?"

Kageyama did not answer.

He rounded at last the hillock Ao had indicated. Zakhar crouched there, a quiver of arrows on his back and another on the ground beside him. Dunya and In'yii were tethered nearby, and two more horses that Ao and Zakhar must have acquired from the town.

When he saw them, the first thing he did was repeat Sanli's question. "Where is Ao?! Why didn't she come with you?"

The blonde man let loose an arrow from the bow in his hands, and Kageyama heard a distant shriek.

"You didn't see?" Kageyama asked, lifting Sanli from his back and helping the prince toward the waiting horses.

"I was watching the walls, to make sure you didn't get shot," Zakhar threw his bow and the extra quiver over his shoulders and ran toward the horses beside them. "Why did she cut the rope? What did she say?"

"She didn't cut the rope," said Kageyama grimly, all but throwing Sanli into the saddle of the closest horse. "The dog did."

Zakhar's frantic movement stilled, and then he roared his frustration, punching at the air, causing the new farm horses to buck. "I shot the mad son of a bitch through the fucking neck! How is he still alive?! Why did you leave her with him?!"

"What was I supposed to do?! Scale back up twenty lengths of smooth wall?!" Kageyama snapped.

Zakhar held his mouth with a shaking hand. "She is strong, Ao is strong, and he is already badly injured, she can hold him off..."

"Zakhar, she cannot hold off a whole fortress of soldiers." Kageyama mounted as well, reaching over to loop Sanli's still bound hands around the saddle horn to hold the swaying prince upright. He turned both their horses north, toward the town. They could try and lose the soldiers there. It was better than striking out across the open plains, and waiting for the soldiers from the fortress to run them down.

Zakhar read Kageyama's intention.

"You are leaving without her." He swung up onto Dunya's broad back. "Fuck you." He turned Dunya south, toward the fortress.

"Zakhar wait! We need to retreat to the town for now. Tonight I will return and try and find a way in—"

"Tonight! Who knows what they will do to her before then!" With a kick, Zakhar sent Dunya cantering toward the black hunk of fortress, ignoring the arrows wizzing trough the air around him. He drew something from his saddle and swung it once in his hands, and Kageyama realized it was the woodcutting axe, from the cabin.

"This bloody idiot," cursed Kageyama to himself. "Fine, get yourself killed!" Kageyama yelled to the wind. He grabbed the reins of Sanli's horse.

Kageyama brought his feet up, to bring his heels to his horses' sides and send her north toward the town.

Then he saw In'yii. The piebald stood calmly, cropping grass as though no one was living and dying around her. Kageyama's eyes lingered on the indifferent horse's empty saddle.

"Oh fuck. Fuck fuck fuck."

He sat, frozen, unable to bring himself to kick the dumb farm horse beneath him and ride away.

He felt a tug and looked back. Sanli was trying to pull the reins from his hand.

"I am not leaving without her, Sho Sensei," the prince said. He sat shakily in the saddle. His face was pale, but determined. "We have come this far together. I am not leaving her now."

Kageyama sighed. "I suppose today is as good a day to die as any."

*~*~*~*~*~*