The Pair
"I have some business to do now, You Lin, bring Qiu Wei Gu Niang back to our home, I'll be back by nightfall." Before You Lin could protest, Chen Shi Fu had already run off. Qiu Wei sneaked a peek at You Lin, she didn't need any martial arts partner, she was good enough to make a name in the Central Plains already, her uncle just didn't see that...But if not for his kind hospitality, she would have never agreed to this..."Let's go." You Lin informed her in a gruff voice, picking up her sword and bag, she started off behind him.
They walked in silence, passing great mountains and boulders, but not one word was said. You Lin turned to look at Qiu Wei. It actually must be hard for her, to be seperated from her uncle like that, dragged all the way to a strange place, oh well, he might as well be nice to her. "Where do you come from?" He asked. "Guangdong Province." Was the simple reply. Couldn't she a little more sociable? You Lin thought angrily..."I don't belong here." Qiu Wei blurted out suddenly, but the proud look never left her face. "What do you mean?" You Lin grew curious...There was definitely more to this Qiu Wei Gu Niang. "I never wanted to come here. I never wanted to learn with you, I can do it by myself, its only because I am a woman, that they, including you despise me, am I right? I have no concern for useless men who look down on me..." You Lin stared at her, shocked by her courage. No woman had ever said that to him, why, they begged for his company! Qiu Wei stared blankly into the horizon, seemingly in deep thought...You Lin watched her in fascination, this woman, she carried herself with such a regal air, but had so much pride that it was almost getting on in nerves...Qiu Wei Gu Niang was definitely strange.
You Lin rubbed his eyes as he stumbled out of his bed, who was that person who was awake before dawn, cutting trees and bushes...He had to give that person a good lecture...He stared closer at the person in white who was in the midst of a circle of trees...Wasn't that...He was about to shout out, but decided against it, lets see what she is made off...He thought smugly. The figure swung her sword around herself skillfully, but not making a single move..."What is she waiting for?" You Lin thought, yawning to himself. Then, with a sudden burst of light, Qiu Wei flew up above the trees, then slicing one down the middle. Both havles of the tree fell down onto the forest floor, shaking the brown earth, causing a slight tremor. You Lin was stunned. Yet Qiu Wei behaved like nothing happened, flying down to the forest floor, brushing and blowing off the dust of her sword. She made her way back to the house, as she looked up her gaze met You Lin's. Her eyes seemed to bore into his very soul, scaring him, they seemed to be like daggers...Piercing anything in their way...You Lin quickly broke away from her steady gaze and darted behind the wall...
"Take these swords." Chen Shifu brought out a pair of swords, handing one of them each to Qiu Wei and You Lin. Qiu Wei eyed the delicate carvings on the sword handle...A superb sword, but how did Chen Shifu know that You Lin and her were meant to be the owners of this pair? She watched as You Lin drew his sword out, it was made of the purest black metal, while hers...Was just a clean-shaven sliver. "Shifu...Why..." You Lin seemed to have the same questions as her, why these swords? "You Lin, I know what you are thinking...It seems that you two were brought together by chance...Qiu Wei's uncle had this sword all along, the one Qiu Wei Gu Niang is holding, it had been a family heirloom, he had never suspected it was part of a pair until I brought out your sword. Yours...Was handed to me by your grandfather, who's grandfather handed to him in turn, it seemed that your grandfather never really trusted your late father..." You Lin listened intently to Chen Shifu, a sword like this was kept a secret from both him and his late father? "You can see, if you put the swords' handles together, a picture of a pheonix and a dragon is formed...You two were the only possible candidates for the swords." Chen Shifu finished, not taking his gaze of the swords, he had to hand them on...But the history could never be told...Or it would be replayed all over again...
Chen Shifu watched as the two figures stood in the river, practising their meditation, each trying to resist the cold. The currents swept past, Chen Shifu could see that each was resisting the cold just to prove that he or she was better than the other. Both would have done so well if each one wasn't so hot headed and headstrong...Although he didn't really know where Qiu Wei was from, he trusted Kang Ren, she did prove to be a capable and potential swordswoman, and she was serious too, unlike his playful disciple. You Lin, he had the talent...But he just didn't have the drive and eagerness to perform, always out to town for a drink and to meet a pretty Gu Niang, but since Qiu Wei was here...Maybe You Lin would just change for the better. He looked at the two again, and turned to stroll back down the riverbank...
Chapter 3
"I cannot....Cannot lose to that woman..." You Lin gritted his teeth
and resisted the cold that was pounding at him...Tian, why did Shifu have to
choose this place? And winter has only just passed!
He thought desperately to himself...Xue Wei Gu Niang seemed to be taking it
well, there were barely signs of cold feet on her face..."Tian, why does
that woman seem to be so good in everything?" He muttered to himself,
shutting his eyes again...You Lin, you have to persevere, persevere on...
Xue Wei smiled wryly as she thought of You Lin. She could sense the enstranged
feelings that came out of him, even though he stood rock still. "Good thing
I trained for this." She thought to herself, what could this pathetic
training compare to? She could have done much better on herself, especially with
all those martial arts manuals she had at home...If not for..."Qiu Wei!
Stop thinking! Concentrate!" She mumbled to herself...Tian, it was true,
she missed home so much, but after what she had told her Ah Ma, she couldn't go
back...
"Here, take it." Xue Wei looked up at You Lin. Strange, why was he
offering her a cup of hot tea now? And she thought he disliked
her..."Quick, are you taking it or not? If not, I'm drinking it
myself..." Xue Wei nodded and took the cup from You Lin. She sipped it, not
taking her eye off You Lin, and adjusted the blanket around her. Was he sick
from all that cold water? She thought that he wouldn't even bother to look her
in the eye, taking her as a thorn in his flesh..."Are you finished?"
You Lin asked in a gruff voice. Xue Wei nodded and handed the cup back to You
Lin to wash. "She looks so fragile all of a sudden.." You Lin thought
to himself, as he looked at that petite figure in that huge blanket, her once
flushed cheeks all pale...Tian ah, why does such a pretty girl have to be my
partner? He mumbled to himself as he gathered all the dirty plates and cups from
the table. "I'm going out to practise." Xue Wei announced as she
pulled the blanket off and picked up her sword, it was better than idleing here
all night when she still had enough strength...You Lin watched as she sauntered
out of the hut, and after thinking for a minute, suddenly grabbed her hand,
stopping her from walking any further. "Where do you think you're going?
You're my martial arts partner,you can't train without me..." You Lin
grinned at her and grabbed his sword, tian, how could he be so attracted to her?
She's good. You Lin thought silently as he flew up in the air, engaging in a
battle of swords with her. The strength of her blade rivalled his own,
threatening to force him down to the ground without mercy. The look on her face
was set, daring herself to let You Lin defeat her, as she pressed forward with
careful, but strong thrusts of her sword, not taking notice of the amused look
that twinkled in You Lin's eyes.
"Look up there, you see, that star far up north? I used to sit up here when
I was young, gazing at that one star..." You Lin pointed out towards a
bright star that outshone the others, Xue Wei peered up at the cloudless
sky, her eyes finally setting on the object of his attention. "Tian, I've
never been in a place like this..." She whispered, gazing at the sky which
was covered with millions of stars, each one was more beautiful than the
other..."Its different from where I...Oh never mind.." Vicki cut short
in mid-sentance, unwilling to let out anymore infomation about herself. Tian,
she didn't even know why she was sitting here alone with You Lin instead of
going to bed to rest..."Actually, I never really wanted this." Xue Wei
blurted out suddenly. You Lin turned to face Xue Wei. He knew, but to hear it
from her own lips..."I know, my Shifu has high hopes for us, he wants us to
make it big in the Central Plains..." You Lin shrugged nochantantly, why
should he bother if Xue Wei cared? He was after all only doing it for Chen Shifu...Xue
Wei nodded and pulled out her sword, watching intently as the sliver metal
glimmered as it basked in the soft moonlight. The sword was...Beautiful. But why
didn't her uncle give the sword to her father? She had alot of capable brothers
who deserved the sword more than her, and if he gave it to them, she wouldn't
have landed up here, in this desolute area.
You Lin watched as Xue Wei ran her fingers over the cool metal. She was right,
they couldn't work together. It didn't mean since they had the swords meant that
they were meant to become strong fighters, working together! Seeing her solemn
face, he put his hand on her shoulder, which immediately caused her to flinch
and draw back, "What do you want?" She asked, grabbing her sword in
self-defence. "I...I...I only wanted to say good night." You Lin
stammered, shocked by Xue Wei's reaction. Picking up his sword, he stood up and
left, turning back only once to gaze at the woman who puzzled him so much...
Chapter 4
"Focus all your energy into one intense spot! You have to work
together...No! You Lin!" Chen Shifu sighed in disappointment as You Lin
crashed straight into Xue Wei, causing the both of them to fall down to the
floor. "How many times must I repeat myself? You have to synchronise your
movements, how are you two going to ever master this sword pattern? Next time, I
don't know how you two will fare with more complicated ones..." Clumsy oaf,
Xue Wei thought, staring angrily at You Lin. Everything had almost been perfect,
but he had to try to do it his way...If the two of them only managed to finish
what they were there for, she could go back to her uncle, and go back to study
the martial arts mannuals...You Lin could sense Xue Wei's intense gaze on him.
Stuck up peacock, fine, so what if he had done it wrong? No one was perfect...He
must have been crazy to bring her to the fields to watch the stars yesterday...
Chen Shifu had gone back to the hut, to pack up his belongnings for a trip to
the city, leaving You Lin and Xue Wei all alone. Xue Wei jumped up into the air,
and thrust her sword forward, she could practise without him..."What is
wrong with you?!" You Lin burst out, tian, this woman frustrated him...Her
arrogance, her pride...Xue Wei dropped gently on the grass and put her sword
back into her belt, silently staring at You Lin. You Lin clenched his fist, jaw
set, never, never had he met a woman like this...It was crazy, he would rather
practise with a dog than practise with someone like her..."I hate you, You
Lin Gong Zi." She said, voice as soft as a whisper, but You Lin still
heard. "You hate me? How about me? You have been putting me down in
everyway, though not voicing it out! Fine! Tell Chen Shifu, I'll be happier
without you here!" Xue Wei kept her steady stare on You Lin. What did he
know? He was just another ignorant man, unaware of the things around him, if
only she was a man..."I cannot do that." She answered again, tian, why
couldn't this endless argument cease? She tensed up, bracing herself for another
shout from You Lin..."You cannot do that? To think a woman like you
wouldn't do that...I'm suprised." You Lin cocked one eyebrow at Xue Wei
scarstically, ha! Like he would believe her lies..."You have the
opportunities, the chances to make it big, everything. Of course, that's because
you are a man! I am a woman, expected to stay at home, marry a rich young man
and bear him children...True, I never wished to come here, I could be using my
time more usefully than trying to master skills with you. But I would be sent
back if I don't stay here, I am not doing anything wrong. I only want to do what
I feel that I'm meant to do, if you think otherwise, I do not care for
that..." The cold voice made You Lin take a step back. Such strong
words...Did he actually feel pity for her? She showed no signs of any feelings
she might have had, but walked away, a stony look upon her perfect face...
"She's right." You Lin thought about the happenings that afternoon
again...True, woman were almost never given a chance to learn martial arts in
the Central Plains, unless they came from a background that specialised in a
certain martial art...Who knew what went on beneath that cold, chilly look of
that swordswoman? "I'll have to make peace with her." He decided
firmly, he should help her, even as much as he disliked her...Pulling his
blanket over himself, he patted his pillow softly and rested his head back on
the pillow...Tian, he had to think of ways to talk to that Gu Niang...But how?
