The Wu Chronicles: Memories

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"Let this meeting be called to order." Several men, of several ages, sat around a large table, at the head of which sat a middle aged man, but he radiated wisdom, and importance.
For several hours they had discussed matters of grave importance to the nation. The meeting commenced one more post lunch. For a while things moved smoothly, about as smoothly as they could with the hot-headed General of the Imperial Army and the Minister of Finance at logger heads with each other. Still, to the mind of the Emperor, the wise man at the head of the table, as long as swords were not drawn, the gathering was a success.
"Emperor of China!"
The meeting was suddenly disrupted by a booming voice that seemed to be eminating from no where in particular.
For a while the men looked to the doors and around the room. Then came the voice once more.
"Emperor of China!"
The Emperor furrowed his eyebrows, "show yourself!" He demanded.
"I cannot." The voice boomed once more. "You would not be able to bear the sight of me."
A hushed silence descended upon the gathering.
"Wh-who are you?" Demanded the General, who looked slightly pale.
"I am your ancestor oh Emperor!" Boomed the disembodied voice.
"What you desire?" Asked the Emperor.
"For you to allow your son, the prince.... and oh, okay fine!!! His friend too, a chance to mount the royal horses." The men frowned. A mighty odd request to come from an ancient soul...
"And why is that, O' Old One?" Asked the Emperor skeptically.
"That is because..... I foresee greatness if you allow him to do so." Eyebrows were raised all around.
"Exactly how will that do anything?" Asked Lord Li, King of the Eastern provinces, a soft looking man, who was really firm as a rock.
"Do not question me!" The Voice said loudly. "I have plans- ouch! Hey! Your knee is in my side! What- ouch! You're hurting me-! What-! I am not fat!"
All the men around the table looked at each other, confused at whether the Voice was still talking to them, or not. But they didn't have long to wonder for long. There was a loud yelp, followed by another, and then two, small, figures tumbled onto the table, from a small loft above.
The reaction from the gathering was instant panic. The Minister of Finance latched onto the General in fright, while the other men hastily shifted backwards. Only Lord Li and the Emperor stayed as they were, with raised eyebrows, as the figures on the table groaned and sat up dusting themselves.
"Yifan, Chen, explain yourselves." Said the Emperor, highly displeased. The two young boys grinned disarmingly at the men.
"Sorry, Father," said Prince Yifan, to the Emperor, though not looking very sorry at all.
"What were you boys doing up there?" Asked Lord Li and then added, "Minister In, please detach yourself from General Li." The lanky minister sprung off of the shorter, but more built, General, both looking extremely embarrassed. The boys further grinned. Prince Chen, who was Lord Li's son smiled triumphantly and said,
"You see, we found this old vase," and Yifan proudly displayed the long ceramic vase, who's base had broken off, leaving it much like a hollow tube.
"And I realised that it made our voice louder and deeper," said Yifan, preening like a proud peacock.
"And I realised we could make you give us permission to ride the horses," grinned Chen.
"So, we came up with a plan to hide in the loft, when you were out to lunch-"
"But we didn't realize the space was so small..."
"And you know what happens after that." Finished Chen triumphantly. The Emperor sat rubbing his temples, while the King nearly slapped his own face out of frustration. 
"You boys mean to say you pulled this elaborate stunt just so you could ride a pair of horses?" Asked the emperor with disbelieving eyes. The two boys grinned and nodded. This time the King did slap his forehead in despair. But he was interrupted from going any further by a deep throated laugh from the shadows. The Minister of Finance edged closer to the General, who raised an eyebrow but did not protest.
"When did you arrive, Commander Cao?" Asked the King warily, looking into one of the darker corners of the room. A tall, slender male emerged, clad completely in black, which contrasted sharply with his pale whit skin. Commander Cao, leader of the spies, was a man highly respected in his good moods and mortally feared in his bad ones.
"I was always here your highnesses," he smiled congenially and then turned to the Emperor, "if I may, your Highness, I would like to take these boys under my wing. They have the makings of good strategists and spies. We could use some fresh minds." The Emperor waved his hands,
"Take them away then, just keep them out of trouble." Commander Cao nodded brightly.
"Of course, your highness. They remind me of myself, to be honest. Come on boys, let's get going."
"I almost dread the day my son turns into you," muttered King Li darkly, but the Commander heard it. He turned around, grinned cheekily at the King, which was nothing out of the usual, and said,
"I'm sure you'll love him even more for that," before adding a 'your majesty' at the end and leaving with the young boys.
…............

A little girl, no older than eight, wandered along the Imperial Library. She could barely read even a fifth of the books that were in it. She wandered along till she came upon a little corner, almost hidden by the bookshelves, though brightly sunlit by two large windows. Then she frowned. Her frequented spot was taken by another, a young boy, to be precise, who was pouring over a large set of scrolls. He could possible not have been much older than her. She frowned at his bent shoulders for a while before he raised his head. Then panic set in the little girl's mind, torn between reclaiming her spot and rushing away from it. She did not do well with strangers. The boy obviously knew who she was because he instantly hastened out of his seat and bowed deeply.

“Your majesty,” he said to the little girl, because she was after all the emperor’s daughter and he was only a minister’s son. The princess shrunk back in fear and the boy looked at her in confusion.

“You-you won’t do anything…. mean?” She asked shakily. He looked at her in utter confusion.

“I-I don’t understand….” He said.

“You won’t put silkworms in my hair, or a frog in my bed, or leaves in my dress… or….” Her voice trailed away, excessively self-conscious and nervous. If the boy was confused before, he was absolutely taken aback now.

“I- of course not!” He said indignantly. The little princess relaxed her tensed shoulders. “Why on earth would I?”

“My brother and Chen do it… some… times…”

“Oh…” For a few moments there was awkward shuffling of feet on both sides.

The princess peaked at the scrolls on the table and asked, “Can you read all of that?”

“Mostly…” Replied the boy uncertainly. She looked at him with new-found wonder and respect.

“Would you… teach me?” She asked hesitantly. The boy nodded. This he could do. “I’m Meilin, please can you not call me princess....” said the princess with a shy smile.

“Alright, I'm Suho.”He smiled at her warmly.

For a long time the princess sat with her new companion, learning new characters from old scrolls, until a laugh and a babble of words distracted Suho. He looked out of the window with wide eyes. Outside, among the cherry blossoms, a petite girl, not older than the princess, chased after a cat, calling out to it, all the while, her eyes crinkling in laughter. The princess followed his gaze.

“Who is that?” Suho said, his voice barely above an awed whisper.

“That? Oh! She’s Yanlin, my friend,” said the princess proudly. “She’s really nice, you know… not like…”

“Oh.” Suho’s eyes never left the window. For all she was worth, Meilin was not a fool and she looked back and forth between the boy and her friend outside before calling out.

“Yanlin! Yanlin! Over here!” The petite girl stopped in her tracks and looked around wildly. Suho nearly fell out of his chair in shock. “Over here by the window!”  Yanlin, at last, located her friend sitting by the window in the library.
"Mei Mei!" She squealed happily and ran over to the window. Suho looked like he was about to faint.

Yanlin stopped at the window and pouted. Suho, at his very young age, nearly had a heart attack. Meilin laughed and held out her hand to the other girl. Yanlin grabbed it and tried to climb in, but Meilin was really not strong enough. Suho hastened out of his seat and held out his hand, which Yanlin took rather shyly and between the three of them, Yanlin managed to climb in through the window. 

"Thank you," she muttered softly. Meilin looked in wonder, never having seen her friend behave like this.

"It- it's nothing." said Suho hurriedly. He bowed to her, several degrees lower than he had bowed before, noted by Meilin, and said, "Suho, son of Minister Jin."

"Yan-Yanlin, daughter of Vizier Kang." She had clearly fallen prey to his angelic smile. Meilin looked back and forth between her new friend and her old one, both equally flushed and nervous, and giggled softly. Things were about to get very interesting.

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"This is General Li's daughter, she is going to stay with you for now," said the Empress, smiling kindly between her on daughter and the young girl, not much older, who's shoulders she gently patted. Then she turned away to attend to other chores since the empress was never really idle. Left alone, the two girls eyed each other with open curiosity.

"Do I have to call you 'your highness'," asked the older one, still gauging the other.

"I'd rather you didn't," said the princess with a grimace. Eleven years old, and she knew how easily it alienated people. The older girl blinked in surprise.

"Really? Then... what do I call you?"

"Meilin. What's your name?"

"Meixiang and oh! We have 'mei' in common!" Meilin smiled shyly at the older.

"I know you're older, so I'll just call you Xiang jie, is that alright..?" Meixiang nodded happily. For hours to follow, the two girls talked and laughed as if they'd known each other for years, and Meixiang learnt that behind her shy facade, Meilin was a bright bundle of energy waiting to be released. She realised this even more when Meilin dragged her to the gardens declaring that the older just had to see her swing.

"It's my favourite place in the palace, even more than the library!" Said Meilin, bouncing along the garden path. It was a small area cordoned off by cherry trees. There was a swing hanging from one of them.  Meilin displayed this proudly. Soft breezes danced around the trees. Leaves fell to the green ground.  It was truly a beautiful place- a befitting place for an elfin creature like Meilin.  

“Hello Mei-Mei, how did you like your little gift.” Meilin pivoted sharply. Then an angry scowl overtook her features. A think boy stepped out from behind the trees.

“Chen.” She said, almost spitting out the name.

“Why yes, that is what I’m called, it’s a wonder you can keep it in that small head of yours.” Meilin’s scowl turned darker. Meixiang looked confused.

“What gift?”

“The lovely amphibian we left in her bed this morning.” Meixiang noted the other boy for the first time. His features were chiseled and handsome, he looked very regal, almost like a dragon but he couldn’t have been much older than he. His eyes were glinting with mischief.

“That was not very nice…,”Whispered Meilin, looking very close to tears at the memory.

“You will forever be a crybaby,” laughed Chen and the other one laughed too. His laugh made Meixiang strangely attracted to him. But then she realized that Chen was leaving. He walked past them with his tounge sticking out at Meilin. A foot shot out. Chen fell flat on his face. The other boy burst out in laughter.

“Oh shut it Yifan!” Scowled Chen.

“Next time pick on someone your own size please.” Said Meixiang with mock politeness and led Meilin away by the elbow. Yifan’s deep laugh filled the summer air…. which changed into high pitched shrieks next morning when he found a frog on his torso upon opening his eyes. No, then, it had been Meilin and Meixiang, hidden outside his door, giggling into the sleeves of their dress, at their masterpiece.

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It was a rainy afternoon. The flurry of water kept the three girls inside (by then, Yanlin had been included too). Meixiang giggled.
"Fourteen and you're married!! Yanlin!! Fourteen and married!!" Yanlin ducked her head in embarrassment.
"I suppose loads of people get married at this age..." she mumbled shyly.
"Meilin is fourteen and she isn't!" Meixiang giggled a little more. Meilin looked over her book and raised an eyebrow.
"Why would I be married?" She asked.
"Stop losing yourself in that book, silly!" Said Meixiang, a little too loud for a library. Meilin furrowed her eyebrows.
"It's a book. I'm supposed to." she said, matter-of-factly. Then she smiled at Yanlin."Ignore Xiang jie, I'm sure loads of people get married at fourteen," she said kindly. Yanlin returned the smile gratefully but Meixiang wan't finished.
"You're a wife! A wife!" She paused for a while and asked, "what's that like?" Yanlin's eyes widened for a moment before finding their way to the back of the library, where a familiar figure sat, burried deep in books and scrolls. her gaze softened and her eyes glazed over.
"It's nice...." she offered, for the want of anything better. Meilin looked at her friend out of the corner of her eyes and then followed her gaze to where scholarly Suho sat, oblivious to the world, pouring over his materials like there would be no tomorrow. But Meilin saw just that, Yanlin saw more. She saw the small furrow of his brows as he concentrated on the matter before him, she saw the hair flutter against his cheek because of the blowing wind, she saw the focused eyes and pursed lips, but most of all she saw Suho, just Suho, for who he was, for all of who he was. Yanlin's eyes glazed over for a second time. Meilin smiled into the pages of her book. Meixiang waved her hand infront of the dazed Yanlin, who started out of her reverie and dropped a book off of the table. The sudden sound disturbed the quiest of the library. Suho looked up with a jerk and blinked wildly as he tried to locate the source of the noise.
Yanlin hurriedly swept the book of of the floor and placed it on the table. Her eyes met Suho's as she raised her head. He bit his lower lip, in an obvious attempt to hide the laughter that was bubbling inside. She bowed her head rapidly a few times before mouthing a shy apology.
'I don't mind.' He mouthed. And then smiled widely at her.
 For a moment Yanlin forgot to breathe. For a moment the other two ceased to exist. For a moment it seemed she could stare at that smile forever with wide eyes. A warm flush spread over her pale face, which did not go unnoticed by Meixiang.
"Good heavens! Look at her face! Meilin look at her face! She's red! Our Yanlin is in love!" Said Meixiang in an attempted whisper,that should have been enough to carry to the back of the hall, that caused Yanlin to wave wildly in a a failed attempt to subdue the elder girl. Meiling smiled at her friends. She glanced over at the back of the library and caught Suho's eye before he bent down to read again. Had Yanlin not been so embarassed, she too, thought Meilin, would have noticed the quiet laugh and the distinct redness of Suho's face as he looked at Yanlin flapping her arms about to stop Meixiang from speaking any further. So love it was.

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It was a clear autumn day. Meilin sat on the lower branches of the sakura tree, while Meixang and Yanlin sat at it's roots, under it's nearly bare branches. Yanlin's clear laugh rang out in the secluded garden. "This is what happens when you tease someone so much!" Peals of laughter followed and Meixiang pouted angrily.
 "I'm three years older!" Yanlin laughed. 
"You were laughing at me three months ago... so now, what's it like to be a wife?" She asked, her voice overflowing with frivolous teasing. 
"It's an arrangement. I had no choice!" 
"It isn't as if you mind the arrangement much, do you?" Yanlin asked with a light wink. Meixiang opened her mouth to ramble on about exactly how much she minded- only to stop. There was a rustle of foliage, as someone pushed past the trees and bushes that kept the area secluded from the rest of the garden. Meilin stopped reading and looked curiously at the intruder. Then the tall, broad chested figure came into view and she broke into a wide smile.
 "Yifan ge!" She called out with a lazy wave of her hand. He looked up in surprise and broke into a smile. Meixiang's eyes widened. 
"Climbing trees again?" He asked. Meilin let out a short laugh and stuck out her tongue childish-ly. Yifan laughed at his sister, looking so much in her element among the near-bare branches. She went back to her book with another disarming smile and a nod of the head. Yifan laughed again at the elfin frame in the branches, devouring every word on the page, with cheeks slightly puffed in concentration. Meixiang stared at the frame of the Crown Prince with the same fascination that she had on the first day. To her he radiated some sort of warmth that made her feel safe and protected in his presence. Though she was close to his sister, not as much to him yet, she could hardly stop the warmth that spread through her as she looked at him- her husband now. He turned and caught her stare. Mortified, she bowed and ducked her head downwards, refusing to take her eyes off her lap. Yanlin did better, greeting him, then asking after his health and small matters. Meixiang trained her eyes on the grass and tried to calm her eratic breathing. Suddenly the grass disappeared and was replaced by two legs and something thrust under her nose. Meixiang lifted her head in surprise. Yifan crouched on his haunches before her, holding a bunch of orchids, tied together neatly with a strip of cloth. She blinked at them in surprise and lifted her head to meet his face. His face was softened into a smile that Meilin, years later, would call his Xiang-jie-smile, as he held out the orchids before her face. There was something so hesitant in his look that she instantly took the flowers with both her hands, turning slightly pink from the contact. 
"Th-thank you," she mumbled, " these are my favourite..." her voice became a whisper, while her fingers played with the delicate petals. Yanlin smiled at them from a distance. Meilin looked down from her perch with equal interest. 
"Mother said you would like them," said the Crown Prince slowly, almost as if he was thinking over each syllable before he uttered them. 
"Well, thank her.... they're- they're lovely." Her face broke into a shy smile. 
"I'll remember to thank her..." His smile mirrored her. 
"Do you find something strange in that?" Meilin did not have to look to know it was Chen that sat one branch below hers, the crook of his elbow almost brushing against her knees. She grinned at the two figures beneath the tree, lost in their own world.
 "Yes, I do, the fact that my mother has been away for days." 
"He's such an obvious liar." There was laughter in Chen's voice. 
"I think it's a nice thing to do for someone." Meilin hear a twig snap and a sprig of leaves was pushed before her face. 
"Here." 
"Thank- why are you giving me leaves...?" 
"Well my mother told me, goats like leaves." 
 "So what does that-? Wait!" Realization set in and Chen's grin almost reached his ears. Meilin glared at him and slapped his shoulders with her book. "Why you insufferable-" Chen lept out of the branches. Meilin followed, disturbing Yifan and Meixiang in the process, who laughed at the two childish figures and then caught each other's eyes, only to break off and smile shyly. Yanlin wandered off to the library. Meilin chased after Chen, yelling for murder and more when she heard the sound of laughter. She stopped and turned to her little grove. Through the trees she saw Meixiang laughing, at something her brother had said. She smiled at the image. "Wait!" She called out to Chen, who'd raced ahead of her. "Stop!" He paused and turned. She held up her hands in a truce and smiled at him, before sitting on the grass. "Promise me something?" She called out. 
"What?" He asked, coming closer. 
"That we'll be friends even if you get married off to some random lady." Chen came to stand in front of her, before grinning widely at her face. 
"That's an easy one." He sat down next to her. "I'll be the very best. You're stuck with me till we have grey hair and wrinkled skin." Meilin stuck her tongue out at him. 
"If you say it like that, I might have to reconsider." Chen lay back on the ground with his hands behind his heads. 
"Sorry too late to do that." For a while they sat in a pleasant silence before Chen said, "you know.. if you were a goat, you'd be the prettiest." Meilin blinked at him before bursting out into a fit of giggles. The corners of his mouth tugged upwards. 
"Have you ever seen a pretty goat?" She asked incredulously. He closed his eyes and said, "I see you, don't I?" Meilin shook her head at that half compliment and allowed herself to fall back upon the soft grass. The soft autumn breezes danced through her hair and the warm glow of the sun spread through her entire being. She peeked sideways at the peaceful features of Chen and smiled to herself, before closing her eyes and allowing nature to lull her to peace. 
………………

"Meilin?"
"Yifan gege!"
"What are you doing here alone Mei?" Meilin swung back and forth gently. The spring air meant the cherry blossoms were in full bloom and Meilin looked almost unreal amongst them. Yifan smiled at his sister. Meilin at eighteen was slowly becoming a lady, though part of her charm he supposed was her wildness.
"I'm.... thinking...." She smiled at his face. Yifan sat under the shade of the tree.
"Oh? About what?"
"Umm... about how time flies...." Her eyes became glassy and Yifan let her continue. "It seemed only yesterday I met Yanlin and Suho ge and Xiang jie.... and now they're married... I mean Suho ge and Yanlin and you and Xiang jie.... and it seems like yesterday when I think of all those tricks you and Chen played on me and how I hated you back then... except..." Her voice trailed off as she stared at her feet.
"Except?" Encouraged her brother.
"Except now I wish you would do that again..." Her eyes sparkled and Yifan wasn't too sure of whether it was all the sun's doing or some of her own tears.
"We're not children anymore..." 
"I know... and I'm happy and proud... except I wish we never had to grow up..." Yifan stayed pensive for a while, unsure of what to tell her. There were no words of comfort or suggestions he could offer to such an irrational want.
"Did it hurt?" Piped up her small voice a while later. He furrowed his eyebrows together and asked in confusion,
"Did what hurt?"
"When I said 'I'm thinking', you were supposed to say 'did it hurt'," she said, a small cloud of nostalgia raining torrents over her. Her brother smiled at the old joke.
"So did it hurt?" He asked. Meilin laughed.
"When you become emperor, what will you do?" She asked him suddenly. His eyes widened a beat before he looked down at the ground seriously considering the question. All his life he'd been told what to do when he ascended the throne. no one had bothered asking him what he, Yifan, wanted to do.
"I... don't know.." He looked at her face, searching for disappointment only to find her smile aimed at him.
"Don't worry gege, I'm sure you'll be the best." It was said with such conviction, that Yifan was almost inclined to believe it. 
................................

(Two years later)

Fanfare and horns played on all around and a soft nudge to Meilin's side brought her back to the present, a long way from memories heard and experienced .
"Can you try to act awake at least," whispered Chen with a smirk. She glared at him, her eyes narrowing dangerously behind the ceremonial fan.
"Look it's them!" Whispered Yanlin excitedly. Chen and Meilin followed her gaze where the ceremonial procession walked- her brother leading it. "Xiang jie looks so nervous! Her hands are trembling...." She added. The procession stopped a short distance away from them.
"I'd say they were trembling from excitement," mumbled Chen wisely. "If I was becoming the Empress, mine would too."
"Are you saying you'd marry my brother? That's the only way, you know..." Said Meilin, taking her turn to smirk, lifting her fan slightly away from to allow Chen to glimpse it. His lips twitched in laughter despite not wanting to. Meilin's eyes trailed over to her brother ans sister-in-law, dressed in ceremonial robes, listening to the speeches by various vassal kings who pledged their loyalty to him. Though, she reckoned, the ones most loyal to him, never had the need to make speeches.
"He's going to be a prat, you know," said Chen conspiratorially.
"Be careful, we might have you executed for treason," said Suho, unable to keep the smile out of his voice, as he kept a protective arm around his wife, who smiled up at his face.
"Oh well, he'll be a royal prat, happy?" Meilin swatted the back of Chen's hand with her's.
"I will execute you here and now, if you don't keep quiet," she hissed, but Chen noticed her eyes, nervously flicking between her brother and Meixiang. He remembered a promise made made on a distant summer and gave her hand a gentle squeeze, before attempting to remove it, but Meilin held on, and Chen realised her hands were cold and nervously shaking too. He offered her a comforting smile and the pressure against his hand grew.
"He'll be fine," whispered Chen so no one but Meilin could hear. She nodded in jerks.
"I know he will be," the same conviction was back in her voice coloured by uncertain fears an her brother met her eyes. She gave him what she hoped was an encouraging smile and he blinks slowly in acceptance, he really could do no more. She saw the fear and uncertainty in his eyes as he bowed before their father, who placed the crown upon his head. She saw the hesitation as he rose to face the crowd of people, his subjects. But beyond all of that, she saw her brother and that made her heart swell with pride as her father rose to the words,
"All hail the Emperor."
She felt the sting of tears in her eyes, the choking lump in her throat, and the comfort of Chen's hand against her's as the crowd responded with and up-roaring,
"Long live the Emperor."
..................................................................................................................................................................

Thanks to Qiuyue jie, in who's words- she sowed the seeds while I nurtured the plant. It was her idea to make Kris ge an emperor!
Also to the real life Meixiang jie and Yanlin who listened to my stories patiently.
And last, but never the least, kris ge, although he doesn't know it, I do respect him a lot.

{For those who did not pick up the Suju members in the first memory,
-Minister In is Eunhyuk/ his chinese name In He
-General Li is Lee Donghae
-King Li is Lee Sungmin
-Commander Cao is Cho Kyuhyun/ his Chinese name is Cao Kui Xian
-I imagine the emperor to be Han Geng for the most part...}

Read well and leave your reviews~
ElfinJoy