Romance of the Four Kingdoms

Chapter 30

A few days later Mitsuko returned to her quarters, only to find the door slightly opened when she was certain she closed it. Mitsuko was curious about this and entered her quarters and found a rather large chest. Mitsuko wondered why its doing here and how did it get here without anyone spotting the culprit. She closed the door behind her and crouched down. She opened the trunk and was surprised when she found out what was contained it. She holds it up in the air, analysing it. Part of her thinks it was too flashy for her especially for the moment however the other side of her adored it. She realised how light it was despite the appearance of it. She figures it would be rude to not accept it and to at least try it on.

It was a complete suit of armour fashioned to mimic the appearance of large snake scales however they were smooth to the touch coloured in mainly black and emerald green. The Pauldrons were designed like emerald green serpent heads with the arms fitting nicely through their hideously open mouths. While the gauntlets and boot were black with a more simplistic and subtle continuation of the snake design with the top of their heads shown and were melded in them. The helmet however was fashioned in a majestic snake with its fanged mouth covering Mitsuko's head however still showing her proud face, with its eyes glitching with what seems to be strange bright red jewels. Mitsuko was surprised to find how it all fitted her perfectly, she didn't give her sizes or was measured by anyone. She thought it must've been a lucky guess and decided to keep it and use it as her armour even though she's still a little torn on it.

The next day a war horn blew loudly at the first sight of dawn which woke everyone in the city up including Mitsuko who drags herself out of bed and put on her new armour. She quickly grabs her scythe and rushes out of the building to see a bunch of soldiers rushing to the walls and soon joins them. When she arrives she immediately sees an army at the gates of Xia Pi. She couldn't get an accurate number of how many of them they were but she saw they were in bright green uniform and several flag bearers wore the flags of Liu Bei.

'Hehe here they are. Didn't I tell you this would happen, now for what option is the lord of the people going to go for? Also you look nice, very stylish. Will help you stand out from the crowd.' Mitsuko was still conflicted with this. Did she really want to stand out from the crowd or would she rather look like everyone else to avoid attention? She broke her thoughts as she saw a lone figure riding to the gates with a peculiar grey coloured horse wearing green armour and a cape. The horse stops in front of the gates and the figures shouts as loud as he can.

'Lu Bu I request an audience with you!' Liu Bei cried out almost sounding desperate. The only sound that could be heard was the wind and the flapping of capes and flags. Suddenly the lord himself appeared over the gates, just his reveal shook fear in the hearts of the enemy however Liu Bei himself stood his ground and looked at him right in his eyes.

'Ha what would someone like you want to discuss with me? To get your castle back?' He arrogantly laughs at his position, soon his entire army laughs in a loud uproar while the followers of Liu Bei was fuming by the mocking of their lord. Liu Bei steeled himself with these insults and stares into his eyes.

'No...I request your assistance in dethroning Yuan Shu!' Liu Bei pleads which suddenly Lu Bu stopped and raises his fist up. The army turned silent and Lu Bu's arrogant smiled is wiped away, replaced by a curious smirk. Pang Tong guffaws at this.

'Ho-oh so he's going this route is he? Well then lets see what our most glorious lord does.' Mitsuko admits that she doesn't know what he would do now. All eyes turn towards Lu Bu, the archers on the wall drawing their arrows, the soldiers of Liu Bei ready to storm the castle under his command. Each army waiting for the other to make the first move in a tense standoff. Finally Lu Bu broke the silence.