Chapter Eighteen : A Last Hope

Shang listened to the hard marching of feet ascending the corridor; she turned blearily in bed to look who entered her room. The half-light from the window lit up the door space as Ling Tong crept inside. She gave as best a smile as she could, with the knowledge what awaited her later that day. Gan Ning's execution was at noon. That heavy cloud of sorrow that had been draining her for the last few weeks.

"How are you Princess?" Ling Tong asked with a gentle tone.

"I fare well as best I can." She said heaving herself up in bed to be more polite, "What calls you to me at this hour?"

Ling Tong glanced back out into the doorway to check for any passers-by before closing the door completely. He wandered into the room a few paces before placing his hands in front of his stomach and saying "I'm taking you down to see, Gan Ning."

Shang could scarcely believe her ears, "Quan has given you permission?" She bolted out of the bed and slipped on her silk slippers. "Has he finally gone mad?" She huffed sardonically before fitting a hooded cloak around her person.

Ling Tong gave a cheeky grin and shook his head, "No, not yet." He met her shocked gaze. "But I will tell the guardsmen that I do have the Emperor's word. They will not question me with you in tow, and I doubt the idle gossip has reached such lower ranking officers. They don't tend to dawdle in the halls."
Shang didn't believe it, "That does not mean their wives don't serve at the tables and over hear it there." Shang didn't care anyway, and chance to see Gan Ning was Godsend.

"Are you sure you can get past the guards?" She asked hesitantly as they made their way to the door, "I don't want any harm to come to Gan Ning for our mistake."
Ling Tong kept silent on the point that it being his execution tomorrow he'd doubt that Quan would punish him any further.

"No Princess, I doubt it shall be a problem."
And with that they escaped into the dim corridor and down into the depths of the palace.

Sun Quan, fixed with a goblet of wine in hand, idly placed a game with his youngest son, the Crown Prince Sun Deng, whilst his current wife Lady Xu sewed one of his tunics by the hearth. She looked up once or twice to smile at her husband and her step-son, who had been Quan's previous wife's child. She had not yet borne him an heir and doubted she would as Quan neared his middle ages.

Quan laughed as Deng shrieked with enjoyment as Quan hid the little leather ball in one of his two hands, Deng barely two, had already the look of his mother and it pained Quan to see such likeness. He didn't dare attribute any of his sorrow to what Shang must be feeling as he saw them as entirely different things; there was nothing but sinful lust between her and Gan Ning. A fire he would soon put out come midday.

"You shouldn't excite him so, no wonder he cannot sleep." Xu said from the fireplace, pausing to fuss over the situation.

"Ah hush woman! Mind him, he is only a boy. Let him have his fun whilst he can."
Xu sighed and went back to work but did not stop talking much to Quan's dismay.

"Have you spoken to the Princess Shang Xiang?"

Quan stiffened in response and gave up the game by placing the ball in his son's hand. "What concern is that of yours, wife? She has said her words to me, and they had all been but lies up till now."

"I think you should listen to her without a court room full of people. She is after all, firstly your sister, and the heir to the throne."

"I care little for such tittle-tattle with such matters at stake, she should have thought of this before she starting gallivanting with soldiers!" Quan said sternly his patience running thin.

"You say that as if she were a common court whore!" Xu snapped defensively, thoroughly believing in the usual belief that men believed it fine to empty their passion into any half-obliging woman but a free woman follow her heart to a free man and they were whores. "Do not think you are so correct with such self-righteous comments."

Quan rose to his feet and glared over to Xu, "You will think twice before speaking like that to me again."

"She fell in love Quan!" Xu stood up too, too strong to be staged down by her husband. "As did we! And you were still married to Lady Xie when we first met so do not lecture me about sin!" She threw her sewing to the ground and picking up Deng she burst out into the antechamber to get some space.
Quan sighed heavily, knowing all too well but not wanting to admit that Xu was right. How could he judge a man for his own similar mistakes?

Shang could barely breathe as her and Ling Tong approached the guard in the dungeon corridor, the floor bore through the thin material of her slippers chilling her feet to the bone. She shuddered and drew up her hood further over her face to avoid the cold.

Ling Tong saluted briefly to the guard who seemed nonplussed by their arrival.

"Good evening, my good sir. I am here to pay a visit to the Lord Gan Ning's chamber; I have had express permission from the Emperor. I have also brought the Princess with me, so that she may say her farewells. The Emperor is aware of this too and is content with the matter, but if you feel the need to check upon this I'll wait here."

Ling Tong smirked inside his mouth as he knew that given the option of a choice or even the notion of equality with the guard that he would feel warmed enough to brush the matter aside and take his word for it. He also assumed that the guard would be aware of the repercussions of disturbing the Emperor at such an hour, with something he may have already stated was allowed. With that, the guard nodded and gestured for them to pass.

As Shang neared the guard's presence he got down quickly to one knee, which Shang wasn't surprised by, but when he started to speak she held her place.

"My Lady, I come to beg your forgiveness at the treatment of Lord Gan Ning, he is a true and just man with the skills on the battlefield that give him great honour and anyone who fights with him. I am bound to say I was only following orders and, forgive me, but I do know of your relation to him as we have spoken for hours down here when no-one is around to listen."

Shang although taken by surprise admired the man's honesty and took note of the fact that his accent was not of Wu people, but more commonly associated with the West and the people of Jing. The pieces started to fall into place.

"What is your name, sir?"

"Tao Shui, My Lady."

"And have you met Gan Ning before?"

"No, My Lady. But my father was a steward on his father's ship. My father said there were never a family more kind."

Shang smiled and placed her hand upon his head. "You are forgiven, Tao Shui. Thank you for your words."

He nodded and stood up again, smiling at her as she continued to walk down the stone corridor. Ling Tong gave her an amused look mirroring what she was thinking a few moments ago, but all such previous thoughts had dwindled away as Ling Tong began to unlock the latch on the cell door. She took in a deep inhale of breath before stepping into the even colder prison cell.

A dark figure barely shrouded in light sat slumped against the wall, having spent enough time in a prison cell herself Shang was well aware of what the long hours of solace did to a person. She almost had to stop herself from trembling as she neared the stirring figure. Within a few moments he had become fully adjusted and got to his feet as best he could when they both met in the light.

"Shang?" He voiced his face less bruised from when she last saw it but still holding the signs of a beating.

Her lip wobbled as he gripped her hard and pulled her into his chest. She muffled a wail into him, burying her head into the soft fabric and breathing in the familiar aroma.

"I have missed you." She croaked, looking into his eyes as he gently pulled her head up to face him. He wiped the tear from her cheek and smiled.

"I doubt as much as I have missed you." He murmured with such weakness that she almost felt the sadness resonating out in his speech.

"I cannot bear to lose you tomorrow, there must be something I can do or say to Quan to get him to change his mind."

Gan Ning rolled his eyes and sat down on the make-shift bed behind him. "Please Shang do not trouble yourself further."

She gasped and crouched down in front of him. "It is no trouble!" She looked away as ideas began to scurry around in her mind. "Maybe…m-maybe I could give up my right to the throne! He would love to bestow Sun Deng as his heir."
Gan Ning looked as though Shang had just sprouted flowers from her hair, "No." He said almost too defiantly. "You have to become Empress! Royalty is in your blood; do not give it up for the sake of the heart."

Shang shook her head, "I do not care. I would give anything up for you. If you are alive, what does it matter who rules?"

Gan Ning smiled and cupped her face, "I know you would. But what good is putting Sun Quan's son in charge? He wouldn't allow us to be together not with Quan's demands on his shoulders. And besides I cannot allow you to give up your title for me. It would break my heart to see you have to give up that."

Shang's eyes began to tear up, "It will kill my heart to see you die. Would you rather that?"

Gan Ning pulled her up into an embrace where he dared to kiss her deeply, the moment lasting a life time as she moved against him desperately. She whimpered into his touch, flooding memories into both of them of their first night together and their last…

As they broke away Gan Ning whispered into her ear, "You know I love you but I can't risk you losing what is rightfully yours, I want you to promise me you will not give up your right to the throne."

Shang's throat choked up in anguish, "I promise."

She sighed as they broke away, but not too far out of each other's reach. "I have something to tell you Gan Ning."

Gan Ning tucked a loose hair behind her ear. "And what is that?"

This time the tears in her eyes were from joy and pride, "I am with child. Our child!"
Gan Ning tried to catch his breath but it came out in a choke, no time in the world could have prepared him for this moment. "Are you certain?" He asked excitedly all the pleasure lighting his face hid the darkness from their lives for the moment.

"Yes." She grinned, "I am sure."

He gave a hearty laugh and flung her into his arms and spun her in the air. "Shang, that is brilliant news!" Settling her down once more he kissed her hard and rubbed her shoulders, "You will be a good mother."

Shang leant into his arms, "You would have been a good father." She fought the urge to cry this time as it would near break her. "What will I tell our child?"

"You will find words when the time comes." He assured her.

Gan Ning reached to his belt and removed the ring of bells from the band, "Here." He said, placing them in her hands and closing his around them. "Give these to our son when he is old enough to know their meaning."

Shang couldn't help but laugh "You believe he will be a boy then."

"Of course!" Gan Ning said in his usual gruff hearty manner, "He has come from good seed."

Gan Ning's heart ached at the thought that he would never see his child, never teach him things or watch him sleep, never be there to protect him from danger or see him reach knighthood. And mostly his son would never know him back, growing up without a father was something he knew too harshly and it pained him beyond anger that such occurrences should repeat themselves.
Ling Tong gestured from the doorway that their time down here was running out; it would only be a matter of time before someone noticed their absence. Shang nodded to Ling Tong that she understood and prepared herself to say goodbye properly.

"Tell my boy that I love him everyday." Gan Ning said firmly, even fighting the wavering tone of sadness in his voice, "I already know he will be a strapping lad, and will have the spirit and grace of his mother." He winked kissing her forehead.

Shang struggled to talk but the lump in her throat throbbed all the anguish out of her. "I will. I will"

Her hands reaching around him in a desperate fumble of love she sought the warmth of his chest once more, pressing so hard into him that she felt she would cause a new bruise. "You have given me more joy in my life that I have ever known and I thank you for that, Shang."

She let out a short cry. "And you have to me. More than you could even imagine."
He cupped her face beneath him and craned her up to meet his mouth, they kissed for the memory of the last time they would touch each other and it felt as though a large part of themselves melted into the tight space between them. After awhile they broke apart and just gazed at each other with such unspoken love that it hurt to even move away from.

"I l-love you." Shang said, her voice wavering.

"I love you too. And I need you to be strong for me Shang; I know what awaits us both later. I need you to be strong for my sake as well as your own."

"A-alright" She murmured closing her eyes in deep angst as he kissed her temple.

"Now go and live for us, for our child." He said with a smile despite the situation.

Shang squeezed his hand and kissed it hard before running to the door.
Gan Ning watched her departure with every heart-breaking step and when his eyes fell upon Ling Tong he smiled and nodded in appreciation.

"Thank you, my brother. I will never forget what you have done for us."

Ling Tong shook his head, "There is no need, my friend." He stepped forward and gripped his hand tightly. "You deserve it all."

Ling Tong looked over his shoulder as he heard movement upstairs.

"I understand Ling Tong, go!" Gan Ning patted the back of his hand, "Do not get into Quan's wrath."
Shang gave him one last look before Ling Tong and her scurried back up to the upper decks.

The hour of noon crept closer than expected and before Wu knew it there was a crowd in the palace grounds and a grey cold day to accompany it. The decking surrounding the execution point led up to the stand where Shang, the other lords and her brother would sit in order to get the full view of the situation ahead. Quan had already begun to lead out the group to the stand in order to get things over and done with, without so much as a moment to pause for thought. Shang sat far away from her brother as possible but still in a respectable position for Gan Ning and the people of Wu. He was led out moments later with a black sack over his head and his arms tied around his back; she felt Da's reassuring hand on her shoulder which only stayed briefly for the fear of being seen by Quan. Shang held her composure well, despite her heavy knot in her chest, she knew that she had to be strong for the health of her child and as she had promised for Gan Ning.
Zhou Yu stood to his feet and read out the last rites for Gan Ning, as to Quan's wishes. Shang feeling that it was a truly cowardly way of going about it but forced herself not to give him a deadly glare.

"Lord Gan Ning of Lin Jiang, you have been sentenced to death on the grounds of treason to your Lord Emperor Sun Quan. You are to have your head cut from your body." Zhou Yu paused for effect. "Are there any last words you have for your council and conscience?"

Gan Ning's hood was removed so that he may speak but his long silence indicated he had nothing to say. Shang gripped her hands tightly in her lap, until the knuckles were white and blood trickled slightly from her nails biting into her flesh. She knew he did it for pride, but hoped to hear his voice one last time before he was taken from her completely.

She looked over to Sun Quan and was surprised to see that he didn't have a look of enjoyment across his face, and wondered if underneath his mask there was guilt or remorse. Turning her attention back to the scene that was laid out before her she shut her eyes tightly and began to pray for Gan Ning's soul.

She heard the shuffle as he was placed to his knees and his neck was positioned over the block. Her hands began to shake thoroughly and Da's touch to her shoulder this time only brought her screaming back into reality.

"NO!" She yelled as loud as she could, opening her eyes in time to witness the executioner frozen with the axe above his head. She got to her feet in more than a second's passing and was running down the decking, clutching her skirts beneath her in order to not fall and miss her destination too late.

She flung herself over Gan Ning's body and looked once at the executioner and then to the crowds and above all her brother.

"I beg you Quan!" She cried, her body shaking with fervour. "Do not do what you know is wrong!"
Quan could barely control what emotions were rushing through his being as he rose to his feet. There was neither anger nor disgust but an empty vast thought of nothing, almost as if he had never expected such a display. "Shang, what are you doing?" He asked sternly.

Without even hearing his question she cried out again, "If you do this I will take my own life and therefore take the life of the child that is growing inside me!"

The crowd gasped in unison and a few Lords on the stand glanced at each other. Quan's fist shook beside him, a mixture of shock, anger and sorrow racking his body to the bone. "Shang…" He warned

"I am your sister and most humble servant!" She voiced, getting to her feet but still close enough to block the executioner's blow, who had by now had lowered his axe anyway. "I will do anything that you require of me. But I cannot go through this!" She snatched a small blade from her side, a weapon that she had carried around with her most of her adult life and placed it over her heart.

Gan Ning struggled beneath her, "Shang, what are you doing? Don't be stupid!"

She glanced over and gave him a strong reassuring look, before swiftly turning herself back to Quan, "Do not think I won't do it." She warned

And the whole arena descended into silence; which lasted for what seemed like eons.

Quan turned to Zhou Yu and pulled him close to talk. Shang stood breathing deeply on the platform her hands quivering over the space in front of her heart where the dagger was placed. They spoke and deliberated and the hope increased inside her like a growing fire.

Quan, once or twice, stole glances at Shang and nodded to what Zhou Yu was saying and when a smile broadened across his face of satisfaction, she knew an agreement had been met. She slowly began to lower her dagger as Quan walked out further from the pulpit.

"Okay sister."

She choked out a sigh of relief and new fresh tears began to fill her eyes, "Brother…" She began but he cut her off swiftly.

"You say that you will give up anything."

Shang paused and then said hesitantly "Yes." And wondered what brewed in her brother's intentions. "I will."

"Then you will give me time."

Shang frowned in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"I will let him live. But he will be banished from Wu. For as long as I am Emperor, and therefore for as long as I am alive you will serve me and honour me, if I require you to marry you shall marry, your child will serve Wu's army whatever its ambition, you will not be allowed to leave the Palace grounds only for war. And for as long as I hold breath you cannot see Gan Ning."

Shang felt she had been given all of joy and sorrow at one time, she was extremely relieved that Gan Ning was to be kept alive, there were no amount of words that could express the elation inside her that threatened to burst out of her in a fit of sobs and cries of glee. But on the other hand she knew that that same separation still stood, she knew of course that Quan could not give her all he had set to take from her back as there would be no punishment. But the last gesture of goodness he had given her was more of a comfort to the raging storm that she had to face, at least now she knew that there was hope.

Gan Ning was hoisted to his feet by the same two men that brought him here; they swiftly cut the ropes that bound his wrists together and without a moments hesitation they hugged. The crowds gasped and Quan dished out orders to get Gan Ning out of there, they struggled to hold onto each other as Gan Ning whispered into her ear

"When he is gone, wait for me in our garden."
And with that he was dragged away to be taken out of the Wu kingdom altogether. Shang's hand went instinctively to her stomach where their child grew, and she had this great feeling in her soul that gave her the chance to hope that her son…or daughter…may yet know their father.

A/N – There we are! A brand spanking new chapter and sadly one of the last few to be added… I had never intended for this story to be more than 20 chapters long so here's to nearing the end of our tale.
I just wanted to thank all my readers, your patience and comments never go unappreciated or unnoticed. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Let me know what you thought ;)
xCfx