Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="barsoomcore" data-source="post: 1921125" data-attributes="member: 812">Wedding Bells -- Part OneTang Fei Liu smiled gratefully. Wei-yong tried not to compare the wealthy merchant's daughter's fine robes with her own threadbare, stained travel furs. The two women still looked a lot alike, but they were very, very different"The wedding is tomorrow, and of course my family has no house in Hsiao-pei-ho, so I and my ladies-in-waiting are staying at the Inn of the Fabled Stone. If you would be so terribly kind, ladies, to join us there, it would be a great honour."Shan spoke, her furrowed brow indicating intense thought."You want us to become ladies-in-waiting?""No, no," Fei Liu waved a delicately jeweled set of fingers, "For tonight, the night before the wedding. I would be terribly honoured if you would be my bridal guards for this night."Shan sighed in relief. Fa nodded."I see. This is one of those charming rustic customs where the bride sits secluded while everyone in town tries to get into her room. And we fight them off."Fei Liu laughed."I'm sure there won't be any need for fighting. The people of Hsiao-pei-ho are good, kind people. It's all in fun, of course, but I would be very honoured."Ming-Wa stepped forward and bowed stiffly."The honour is ours, Miss Tang. We will perform our duty as the Goddess commands.""Of course, ladies, we will be pleased to provide your food and drink and a room at the inn for yourselves as well."Shan and Wei-Yong brightened up considerably."As the Goddess commands."*****"This is the best job ever."Shan held up a cup of wine and shared a grin with Wei-Yong. They sat with Ming-Wa and Fa at the foot of a staircase leading up to the balcony that circled the main room of the Inn of the Fabled Stone. The inn was packed with merrymakers in advance of the big wedding, and loud singing and the pounding of drunken fists more or less in time gave the place a festive atmosphere.So far, nobody had troubled them or tried to get past them. The innkeeper grinned as he rolled another big ceramic jug of wine out from the storeroom. He'd been doing this steadily all night, and the sound of the paper seals breaking every time a table opened another came regularly through the din.The Inn of Fabled Stone was constructed of heavy beams and pillars, with a high ceiling lost in a haze of smoke and dangling banners. Rough chandeliers creaked from oily ropes, swaying in the drunken roar of the of the crowd.Wei-Yong stood up to stretch, leaning her lanky frame against the rough-hewn banister."You sure are tall."She turned and looked down at the fellow who'd spoken."You sure are small.""Ho Sien Ku. Hi. You wanna go somewhere?""What?""Somewhere. Anywhere.""No. Go away, small person.""I got songbirds.""I'm not hungry."Sien Ku stared at the tall woman in the rather wild furs and grinned."You're my kind of crazy, lady.""Go away.""I'll come back later."Wei-Yong growled as the jaunty little fellow strolled off. Shan watched him go, considering."He's not, you know, ugly."Wei-Yong gave her friend a glare."He doesn't even come up to my shoulder.""Well, when you're lying down -- ""Shan!"Both women chuckled. They looked up as two women approached, and heard Ming-Wa and Fa stand up behind them. These were big women, broad-shouldered and heavy-set. Both carried two big jugs of wine, still sealed with paper across the mouths. They grinned at Shan and Wei-Yong, set all the jugs down and then one of the women picked up one and, eyeing Wei-Yong with a challenging glower, punched the seal open. The bar went almost completely silent, except for one young fellow still singing the chorus of "The Prettiest Maid"."Where is my maid, my prettiest maid, where has my maid gone?"Wei-Yong lifted her chin."A drinking contest, huh?"She reached down and picked up a jug. It was heavy, sloshing with wine. She reached into the quiver that hung at her hip and yanked out an arrow. Flipping the shaft around in one hand, she stabbed it point-first through the seal and into the wine.Her mouth opened as she withdrew the shaft and she caught the wine dripping off the arrowhead on her tongue. She considered. She grinned at her challenger.And she passed the jug to Shan.The challenger's glower lost a lot of its challenge as Shan easily hefted the jug, tilting it up over her head. Wine cascaded down into her open mouth.Caught off guard, the other woman hurriedly followed Shan's example."I have no breakfast, my table's not laid, somebody tell me what's happened to my maid?"For a few seconds, everyone in the bar (except the soloist who moved on to the third verse) watched as the two big women gulped wine. Wei-Yong grinned. She'd won nearly as much money on Shan's drinking as Shan had won on Wei-Yong's archery. Ming-Wa watched in testy disapproval, and Fa kept her eyes on the crowd, ignoring the contest.The local woman put up a good fight, but Shan was still going strong when her rival coughed, spluttered, and put the half-empty jug down, shaking her head. The bar erupted in cheers and yells of outrage, and coins changed hands all around.Shan paid no notice. She kept going until she'd finished the first jug, set it down, picked up the other and turned to the second woman."You ready?"Wei-Yong, seeing Ming-Wa's disapproval, leaned over and spoke quietly."We all serve the Goddess in our ways, Ming-Wa."The soloist finished his warbling tune."And your maid will never come home...."After the second woman had also stumbled backwards, unable to keep up with Shan's spectacular capacity, the big swordswoman grinned. She passed the half-empty jugs to Wei-Yong, who did her best. Soon they were singing "The Prettiest Maid" themselves."This is the best job ever.""Couple of ladies like you two shouldn't be working at all."Shan and Wei-Yong turned at the smooth, cultured voice. And raised their eyebrows in unison at the two well-dressed young men smiling at them. Shan nudged Wei-Yong."You can have the tall one."Both women grinned with such excited glee that the young men stepped back a bit."So," drawled Wei-Yong, "We shouldn't be working? Couple of--" she bowed elaborately to Shan, "ladies like us?"Shan attempted to bow back. Given her size, her armour and her intoxication, it was spectacular, if not entirely successful.The men looked at each other, gathering their courage."Why don't you come with us? We've got cash. Enough for a good time."Wei-Yong waved a finger at them."No. No sir. We're guarding. What's 'er name, looks like me. Tang. Miss Tang. Little Miss Merchant Tang. Wee Little -- Ouch."Wei-Yong frowned as Ming-Wa cracked her one across the skull."Hey. Shan. Ming-Wa's hitting me.""That's because you're drunk, Wei-Yong.""M'not.""Sir, does she look drunk to you?"The young men drew themselves up as though it were time for them to assert some control over the situation."We are prepared to offer you ladies a sizeable sum of money if you will vacate the stairs temporarily."Shan crossed her arms as Wei-Yong slumped against the railing."Not happening, handsome. But you can sit right here next to me, if you like.""Gems?""Nope.""Gold cloth?""Nothing doing.""An estate in the valley?""Pass on by, buddy.""Is there anything you'd like?"Wei-Yong perked up."How about a dance, cutie?""What?"The startled young man found himself with nearly six feet of drunk Wei-Yong in his arms before he'd registered the question. Shan watched with approval."Hey, look at them go. She's got moves, that girl."Fa chuckled at the sight. Wei-Yong was all arms and legs, stumbling and laughing but somehow managing to keep circling to the music. Seeing her example, patrons all across the jug-room leapt to their feet and in seconds the place was a madhouse of sudden clattering dance steps as the band raised their volume and their tempo, and soon everyone was whirling and stomping around the room.Shan grabbed the other fellow and swept him into the crowd, keeping close to the stairs but otherwise enjoying herself. Fa grinned to notice the young man's feet seemingly suspended above the floorboards as Shan whirled him around. Ming-Wa tapped one slippered foot, her face as serious and composed as ever.That dance finished and another one started, and another, and eventually Wei-Yong and Shan returned to the steps, laughing and heaving with their exertions."Ming-Wa, you ought to dance sometime. You could use it."Ming-Wa sniffed."I do as the Goddess commands. Bless her always."The others mumbled, "Bless her always," in response."For servants of the Goddess, you are very shabbily dressed. But then I suppose you really are little more than peasant girls with aspirations, aren't you?"The four women looked up from where they sat on the steps to see a heavy-set woman in fine silk robes sneering down at them."Pao Hsien, tailor. I can have fine new clothes ready for you all tomorrow morning if you will stand aside."Ming-Wa stood up."The Goddess abhors vanity.""Does she really? Funny how everyone makes such a big point about how beautiful she is, then."The other three stood up, anger darkening their features. Ming-Wa raised an accusing finger."Do not dare to speak ill of the Goddess.""No, no, of course not. Now, about these new clothes. You cannot deny you require new clothes." The woman sneered. "Rather desperately, I'd say."Ming-Wa glowered. Fa shook her head with a smile."Our apologies, Madam Tailor, but our duty demands we stay here. Thank you for your offer."The tailor sniffed and returned to the crowd. The four grinned at each other."Fools!"Fa turned in time to see six black-clad figures plunging through the crowd towards them. Pao Hsien stood across the room, pointing at them."You serve evil incarnate, you twisted fools! You will burn with your foul mistress in the fires of hell when we are done with you!"Shan's grin broadened."This is the best job ever."</blockquote>

Verification