| Fan Fiction |
by Melanie
IN THE DESERT
Lightning blazes across the dark sky, sending currents of electricity hissing through the silent night. A lone rider, astride his mighty black stallion, gallops across the desert terrain, the horse's hooves beating the rhythm of a thousand drums. The tall man on horseback, robed in an impressive long yellow garment embroidered with the imperial symbol of the dragon, scans the horizon, his eyes darting back and forth urgently, hoping to catch a glimpse of his target.
Finally from afar, he spies two figures, a man in black and a woman in white, racing through the evening sky using their lightness kung fu. The man on horseback urges his horse along, and with a hand placed on the stallion's back for leverage, he pushes himself into the air, executing several flips to pursue the couple ahead of him. As he nears them, he reaches out with his hand and attempts to palm the man in black.
Sensing another's presence, the man in black twirls in the air, avoiding the man on horseback's attack and at the same time pulling the woman with him so that they both land safely on the ground. The three people now face each other, both men with menacing expressions on their faces and the woman with a contrite look on hers.
The man wearing the yellow gown with the embroidered dragon points at the man in black, a ferocious expression on his face. "How dare you try to elope with Concubine Chan! I shall have you beheaded for this outrageous behavior!"
The woman, with a terrified expression, runs to stand in front of the man in black, as if trying to protect him from the man in yellow's wrath. "No! Please, Your Majesty! Spare my senior martial brother's life! If you need to blame someone, then blame me."
She kneels down in front of the Emperor and holds his hand beseechingly. In the background, thunder rumbles and lightning flashes, giving the night sky an eerie brightness and accentuating the woman's delicate and breathtakingly beautiful features.
The Emperor stares despairingly at the woman. "Why, Sui Yuk? I love you so much. In the past year since you have entered the palace, I have not even looked at other women. I have even neglected Concubine Cheung in order to spend more time with you. Why do you betray me with this man?"
Tears stream down her cheeks as Yin Yuk pleads. "Your Majesty, I know I have abused your kindness by eloping with Big Brother Siu Tin, but we truly love each other. Even though I have tried my hardest to put him out of my mind after I entered the palace, I cannot bring myself to forget him. My senior martial brother will always be my one and only true love. Your Highness, you control the world in your fist. Why not let an insignificant woman like me go? I do not deserve your love and kindness!"
The Emperor looks at his beloved concubine for a painful moment, then suddenly turns to his love rival, Lam Siu Tin. "This is all his fault! If he had not shown up at the palace, enticing you to leave with him, then you would still be at the palace now and we would still be happy together! I am going to kill him for this!"
Concubine Chan tightens her hold on the emperor's hand. "No, Your Highness! Execute me, instead!"
Lam Siu Tin drops down to the ground to hug Yin Yuk tightly. "Sui Yuk, do not beg him. I am not afraid to die. I will die without regrets, knowing that you still love me." He tenderly kisses her on the forehead and then stands up facing the Emperor. "Your Highness, I challenge you to a sword fight. If I win, then I want you to let us leave. If I lose, then my life is yours to take."
Yin Yuk, horrified at the prospect of a sword fight between these two men with powerful kung fu, bursts out, "No, please!"
The Emperor looks at his precious concubine for a long time with a tortured expression. "Just leave, both of you. I do not want to see you again."
He turns his back on the couple, who looks at each other with surprised relief. Lam Siu Tin helps his junior martial sister stand up, and they both slowly walk away.
Suddenly, the Emperor turns to look back at the couple. "Wait! Take my stallion with you, Sui Yuk. You are not accustomed to prolonged travel by foot. My stallion is strong, and he will take you safely to your destination."
Yin Yuk gnaws at her bottom lip and gives the Emperor a remorseful look. "Thank you, Your Highness. I will always remember your kindness."
The couple takes the reins of the stallion from the Emperor. Siu Tin leaps up onto the stallion and bends from the waist to help Yin Yuk onto the horse. They gallop away, the sound of hoof beats fading into the darkness, as the Emperor stares at their retreating backs with tears streaming down his face. As if the heavens pity the Emperor his misfortune of losing his most beloved concubine, the sky releases a torrent of heavy rain.
THE NEXT MORNING, ON A SMALL BOAT
Yin Yuk, with her head snuggled on Siu Tin's shoulder, looks at her senior martial brother uncertainly. "Big Brother Siu Tin, do you regret running away with me?"
Siu Tin glances down at her, surprised at her question. "Of course, not! I love you, Sui Yuk!"
Yin Yuk gnaws at her bottom lip anxiously. "But I am carrying the Emperor's child…"
Siu Tin lifts her chin with his index finger and thumb. "Don't be silly, love. The Emperor does not know that you are carrying his child. Besides, I will treat your child as my own. He will receive the best of care, the best schooling, and I will personally teach him the Lam Family Sword Fighting Style."
Yin Yuk glances at him teasingly. "Him? How do you know the baby will be a boy? Are you a physician?"
Siu Tin looks insulted. "I do not have to be a doctor to know! I can just feel your abdomen here…" He reaches forward to caress her flat belly.
Yin Yuk giggles and playfully pushes his hand away. "There are other passengers on the boat!"
An elderly couple looks on the younger couple's playful antics with a smile. How loving and compatible they appear, the elderly man and woman think to themselves. As the boat sails off into the horizon, Yin Yuk snuggles closer to Siu Tin, feeling like the luckiest person in the world.
NINE MONTHS LATER
CITY OF LAM ON
AT LAM MANSION
Siu Tin paces back and forth in front of the birthing room. "What is taking so long?! It has been hours!"
Inside the room, Yin Yuk lets out an ear-piercing scream. Upon hearing her scream, he jolts to a halt. "Oh, no! Sui Yuk!"
He dashes into the room in time to see the midwife wrap a squalling, red-faced infant boy in a red blanket. The midwife turns to the new father with a jubuliant grin. "Congratulations, Young Master Lam! You have a son!"
The midwife hands the baby over to Siu Tin, and he stares at the little wrinkled face with awe. He brings the baby over to his wife's bedside to share his joy with her.
Siu Tin shows the baby off to Yin Yuk proudly, as if he single-handedly brought the child into this world. "Sui Yuk, we have a beautiful son! Look how handsome he is!"
Yin Yuk peeks at her son with a tired but serene expression. "He is kind of cute. Look at his tiny hands and feet!" Pausing, she ponders, "What shall we name him?"
Siu Tin pauses in deep thought. "Let's name him Yik Lun."
Yin Yuk strokes her son's cheek tenderly as the baby punches the air vigorously with his miniature fists as his tiny rosebud mouth searches for his mother's breast. "Yik Lun…"
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If you enjoy this story, please also read my other story, Legendary Book of Sun-Moon Swordplay - The Prequel. Thank you.
http://www.winglin.net/fanfic/legendprequel/