| Fan Fiction |
by Melanie
THAT EVENING
IN THE KITCHEN OF LAM MANSION
Yee San rushes to the kitchen after returning from the marketplace, her bottle of love potion nestled safely in her pocket. She causally saunters over to the shelves holding several jugs of wine. One of the kitchen servants removes one of the jugs and places it on a tray.
Yee San quickly intercepts the kitchen servant and asks nonchalantly, "Are you bringing that jug of wine to Second Young Master?"
The kitchen servant nods. "Yes, Second Young Master requested that I bring some wine to his room."
Yee San takes the tray from the servant, the eagerness building up inside her. "Actually, I can bring that to him. You are busy enough here with your kitchen duties."
The servant looks at Yee San gratefully. "Thanks, Yee San. I am especially busy tonight, especially with several servants still sick with a head cold."
Yee San smiles cheekily. "I am glad that I am able to help out!"
The moment she walks out with the tray, she quickly takes out her bottle of love potion and sprinkles a few drops into the jug of wine.
With a satisfied smile on her lips, Yee San exclaims softly to herself, "There! That should do the job!" She brings the jug of wine to Wah's room and knocks on his door.
OUTSIDE LAM YIK WAH'S CHAMBER
Yik Wah sits at his table, reading a kung-fu manuscript. "Who is it?" He asks when he hears the knock on his door.
Yee San calls out from the other side of the door. "Second Young Master, I brought you the wine you requested!"
Wah sighs to himself, wishing Yee San would just leave him alone. "Why don't you leave it by the door? I will come get it in a moment."
Yee San pouts but reluctantly agrees. "Sure. I'll leave the tray by the door. Remember to come get it soon." She places the tray down and walks away. However, instead of leaving, she hides behind a pillar near his room.
Wah, upon hearing no movement outside his room, walks to the door to pick up his wine. Outside his room, a crow perches near the edge of the rooftop overlooking his room, its beady eyes glowing dangerously in the moonlight as it squawks loudly, as if announcing impending doom. An ominous shiver runs down Wah's spine. Uneasy, he walks back to the table with his wine. As he sips his wine, he senses something terribly wrong but could not place his finger on it.
Outside Wah's room, Yee San giggles with glee as she observes Wah drink the love potion that is mixed in with his wine…
MEANWHILE…
IN THE COURTYARD OUTSIDE THE SERVANTS' QUARTERS
Lun paces back and forth, wringing his hands. He wants to ask Sui Han why she is mad at him, but he is afraid that she will rebuff him again as she did this afternoon. Finally, drawing in a deep breath, he marches over to the door leading to the servants' rooms and raises his hand, getting ready to knock. However, his breath whooshes out of him at the last minute, and he loses his resolve. He shakes his head at his lack of courage when it comes to Sui Han. How ironic that he can face an opponent without breaking a sweat and can kill without a backward glance, and yet his heart thumps wildly when he is within shouting distance of Sui Han. Discouraged, he dispiritedly shuffles back to his room.
INSIDE LAM YIK LUN'S CHAMBER
As Lun enters his chamber, he notices a note on his table. Quickly, he scans its contents, becoming more excited as he reads.
First Young Master,
I am sorry about the way I treated you this afternoon. Please let me make it up to you. Meet me in the forest five miles from here. I have a surprise for you. I'll be waiting for you and won't leave until you show up.
Sui Han
As he finishes reading the letter, Lun's eyes sparkle happily. All thoughts of caution vanish from his mind as he thinks only of Sui Han. He picks up his sword, more out of habit than necessity, and hurries out into the dark night.
IN THE GARDENS OF LAM MANSION
Suk Yu and Chi Chi, who are both in the garden enjoying the cool, balmy night, notice their eldest brother rush by them.
Chi Chi runs up to Lun. "Eldest Brother, where are you going so late at night?"
Suk Yu approaches her oldest brother at a slower pace, her expression just as confused as Chi Chi's.
Lun looks at his sisters. "Uhhh…I have some business to take care of."
Chi Chi enthusiastically asks, "What business? May we come with you?!"
Lun, his face reddening, stammers, "Uhhh…" Unsure of how to refuse Chi Chi's request to tag along without rousing her susupicions, he pats Chi Chi on the head awkwardly. "Next time, okay? Eldest Brother must go now, or else I'll be late."
He quickly walks away. Suk Yu and Chi Chi watch his disappearing figure in confusion.
Chi Chi worriedly looks over at Suk Yu. "Third Sister, where do think Eldest Brother is going at this time of night? He is never this closed-mouthed and mysterious."
Suk Yu shrugs but a frown remains on her forehead. "I don't know, but we should not be too concerned. Eldest Brother can take care of himself."
At that moment, Sui Han wanders out of the servants' quarters, unable to sleep as Yee San's words circle in her mind. Upon seeing Suk Yu and Chi Chi at the far side of the garden, she breaks into a happy smile and runs over to the sisters, looking forward to gossiping with them to take her mind off of the rumors circulating about her and First Young Master.
Sui Han greets the sisters, a bit breathless from the jog. "Third Young Mistress, Fourth Young Mistress."
Chi Chi turns to Sui Han delightedly. "Sui Han! Isn't this just so funny? It's already pretty late, but no one seems to be asleep yet tonight!"
Sui Han, confused by Chi Chi's comment, looks at her questioningly. "What do you mean?"
Suk Yu explains. "We just saw Eldest Brother rush off somewhere a few minutes ago. We wanted to come along, but he refused. He said he has some 'business to take care of.'" Suk Yu sighs to herself. "We are just worried because he was acting strangely."
Sui Han mulls over this new information to herself. "Hmmm… That's strange. He doesn't seem to be the type to leave without letting people know where he is going. Unless…" Sui Han's eyes widen as a new thought occurs to her. "I have to leave!" She rushes off, her heart pounding with dread.
Chi Chi and Suk Yu call out in unison. "Wait! Sui Han, where are you going?!" They exchange confused looks as Sui Han rushes off.
MEANWHILE…
IN LAM YIK WAH'S CHAMBER
The empty jug of wine sits by the candle on the table. At the opposite end of the room near the wash basin, Lam Yik Wah prepares for bed. For some odd reason, the image of the crow that was perched outside his room earlier this evening refuses to leave his mind. Its continuous squawking echoes through his head, like a death cry. With his brow wrinkled in worry, he walks over to the table, about to blow out the candle. Suddenly, from the corner of his eyes, Wah sees a human shadow dash by.
Wah shouts in alarm. "Who is it?"
He listens carefully for an answer. Seconds tick by as the candle flame dances wildly, sending ghostly shadows bouncing off the walls. Complete silence, save for Wah's heavy breathing, descends on the room. All of a sudden, a shadowed figure flickers by outside his room, and several small knives shoot through his window. Wah executes several back flips to avoid the rain of knives. Determined to find out who the intruder is, Wah picks up his sword and flies out through his window, giving chase.
Nearby, Yee San, who has been lurking near Wah's room all evening, curious about the effects of the love potion, stealthily follows him.
MEANWHILE…
BACK IN THE GARDENS OF LAM MANSION
Meanwhile, back in the garden, Suk Yu and Chi Chi stare at Sui Han's rapidly retreating figure, baffled by the turn of events.
Chi Chi shakes her head. "Everyone is acting so strangely this evening. Third Sister, what do you think…?" She stops mid-sentence as Suk Yu raises a hand to signal to Chi Chi to be silent.
Suk Yu twirls her flute as her eyes scan the surrounding area carefully. "Friends, you have been hiding for quite some time now. Don't you think that it is time you reveal yourself?"
Chi Chi comes to stand beside Suk Yu, her eyes also surveying her surroundings. Out of nowhere, a fireball shoots out in their direction. Quickly, Suk Yu and Chi Chi leap apart, avoiding the fireball's licking flames.
Four figures, dressed in black, flip over the walls of Lam Mansion and land on the garden grounds, surrounding the sisters. However, instead of charging at Suk Yu and Chi Chi, they throw small hand bombs at the young women and then immediately flip back over the walls of Lam Mansion. The sisters somersault through the air, dodging the bombs, which shortly explode, enveloping the garden in a cloud of smoke and dust. The impact sends Suk Yu and Chi Chi crashing into the hard surface of the huge well in the garden.
Chi Chi leans against the side of the well in a daze. "Ouch!!!"
Suk Yu winces from the pain but crawls over to Chi Chi. "Are you all right?"
Chi Chi nods. "Yes, I am just a little shocked. Who are those people?"
Suk Yu helps Chi Chi to stand up. "I don't know, but we'll find out very shortly."
Suk Yu grabs Chi Chi's arm, and together they flip over the walls, flying after the intruders.
MEANWHILE…
FIVE MILES FROM LAM MANSION
IN THE FOREST
Lun reaches the edge of the forest, his heart pounding furiously as he anxiously searches for Sui Han. Slivers of moonlight peak through the small cracks in the thick canopy of leaves, illuminating the forest ground with a lacy pattern of white light. Other than the sound of his footsteps and the crackle of dry leaves, silence reigns throughout the forest, almost like the calm before a storm. From the depths of the woodland, Lun spies a small figure with her back turned to him. The iridescent shimmer of precious stones from her hairpin winks at him in the moonlight, almost like a beacon beckoning to him.
Lun approaches her, giddy with love and yet strangely uneasy. "Sui Han…"
**********
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/