Date: Thu, 9 Feb 1995 14:42:30 -0600 Reply-To: Joshua A Reyer Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Joshua A Reyer Subject: Dragon's Luck, Part Ten X-cc: Neesan Dragon's Luck Part Ten By Joshua A. Reyer This story uses the rules of Immortality as shown in the first movie, but has no movie or series characters in it. ************************************************************************ China, Shandong Province 1610 A.D. Daniel sat on the small stump, his eyes moist. He looked at the letter, then back to Ying. "I can't believe he is dead. I wrote to him just three months ago." "Wei Xiansheng was old, Daniel. It is good to grieve, but not to dwell unnecessarily on his death. It is his Way." "Ying lao shi, please, let me go for three months. I wish to see his family." Ying nodded. "You must go, whether I want you to or not. Undoubtedly, Wei has bequeathed something to you." "How do you know?" "The letter bids me to tell you of his passing. It is likely that Wei left something for you, but you would lose face if you went to Lijing only for that." Daniel nodded. "So it's a roundabout way to ask me to come receive something. But they make my coming seem more honorable by not mentioning it." "Yes, it is the polite thing to do." "Will you join me, lao shi?" Ying shook his head. "No, it is not my place. You must go, yourself." He helped Daniel up. "Leave the day after tomorrow. I will expect you three months from then. Take your sword, and mind well what you have learned. You are relatively protected here, you will not be so out there." Daniel looked back at the small house, clearly visible from the knoll he was standing on. It was the very same one that he had first seen Ying's house from when he arrived with Wei. Sighing, he stepped off the knoll, and started for Honjing. Even though it had been three years, Daniel half-expected to meet with Grady Quaice as he passed through Honjing. But as he passed through the village, he felt nothing. It was odd, not having that constant reminder of immortality, that feeling he always had around Ying and other Immortals. Daniel felt almost human again. The village had not changed much in two years. Ying occassionally went into to town for supplies, but Daniel had not seen it since he and Wei passed through it. The children scattered as he walked by, none of them had ever seen a foreign devil before. Some of the adults, whom Daniel knew must've seen either him or Grady, grabbed their parcels and hurried along the road, whispering words of good luck to counter any bad generated by Daniel's passing. Daniel took it all stoicly, staring straight ahead, and walking steadily toward the outskirts of town. Daniel slept outside the town that night. It was a month later when Daniel finally arrived in Lijing. The journey had not been nearly as tiring as the journey to Honjing two years ago. He knew Wei's house had been near the docks, since he was a fisherman. He hoped whoever was taking care of Wei's belongings was looking for him, because Daniel knew he would not recognize any of Wei's family, at first. As he strode along the waterfront, he heard a cry of, "There he is?" in Mandarin. He turned and saw a young Chinese boy leading an old woman. She looked familiar, and Daniel figured she'd been Wei's wife. They were gesturing, trying to get Daniel to follow them. When he started to walk toward them, they turned and started down and alley way. "I'm Daniel Crosby," he said. "Ni shi Wei Taitai ma?" At his question in Mandarin, the woman brightened, but showed no sign of understanding. "Shi, Guo Xiansheng. Ta shi Wei Taitai, keshi ta ting bu dong Hanyu." This was from the young boy, speaking fluent Mandarin. Yes, it was Wei's wife, but she didn't speak Mandarin. "Ni ne?" What about you? "Wei Xiansheng shi wo de ba. Ta jiao wo Hanyu." Wei was my father. He taught me Mandarin. Daniel switched to a River Mandarin, a country dialect. "Wei First Wife, I am very sorry for the passing of your husband. He was a good friend." Wei Taitai showed signs of understanding. "Thank you, Guo Dan Yi. If you will follow us to our house, there is something my husband wished to give you." "Why do you call me 'Guo Dan Yi'?" "It was a Chinese name that Wei was fond of calling you when he talked of your travels. It means, 'Only One'. "How appropo," Daniel muttered to himself. Wei Taitai and her son stopped as they neared the old house. Three men were sitting near the door. They were young men, and looked perfectly capable of taking the house apart by hands if they were so inclined. "Ta men shi shei a?" Daniel asked the boy. Who are they? The boy said nothing. "Wei First Wife," the lead man called in River Mandarin. "Our employer still seeks an audience with you." "I have no need to come to your employer," Wei Taitai responded. Daniel stepped forward, sizing his potential opponents up. The men were a little shocked at the abrupt appearence of a foreign devil, apparently on Wei Taitai's side. "Away from the door," Daniel called in Chinese. "Let us pass." There was the sound of footfalls coming down the dock, then Daniel saw a young Chinese man run down to the trio waiting by the door. With a yell, he tackled one, pummeling blindly. The other men went to aid their fallen comrade, but the young man began attacking them, as well. One of the men drew a knife. Daniel started forward to help, but was stopped by Wei Taitai. "That is my son-in-law. We are his responsibility, and he must take care of this." "You're son-in-law is out numbered three to one and they're armed," Daniel replied. "You must not," Wei Taitai insisted. "Listen, I-" Daniel stopped. With a rush, he'd felt the increased adrenalin, the increased anxiety that accompanied another Immortal's presence. In a flash, he drew his sword, looking around. "No, no!" Wei Taitai said, not understanding. "Get back!" Daniel barked, shaking her off. He walked out away from her and her son, and the fight, his sword at the ready. "Who are you? Show yourself?" Daniel called in Chinese. "Where are you?" he called in English. But there was no answer. ****************************************************************************** ############################## # # # # # Joshua A. Reyer's # # Beg Box # # # # # ############################## Put Comments Here :-) Beg Box courtesy of Candice (Xie, xie!) =========================================================================