Chapter Text
Leading the Cheng’s squadron to the back side of Ge city, General Cheng squinted his eyes to try and see past the heavy fog. He was using his memory alone from the few obscure natural objects to keep his direction straight, although he was having difficulty still. That all changed as they crested a hill and the sound of fighting was heard clearly a ways ahead, and General Cheng shared a look to his wife who was barely recognizable just six feet away.
“How has the enemy invaded Ge city? it has only been two days, so Ge city couldn’t have been overtaken.”
General Chang could only shake his head in answer, as he too was just as confused. He had known the entrance of the city would be under attack, and he along with his soldiers would have no luck in aiding the besieged city. But he knew of a hidden entrance thanks to General Huo who was a friend and governor of the city before him, and he continued to carefully lead the people behind him forward. Quietly they slipped in through the small entrance that a stream was bubbling through allowing only one person at a time, and they were instantly greeted by screaming or crying civilians.
“General Cheng?”
“Madam Huo. Are you alright? Where is General Huo?”
“He’s was killed along with Wushang just before the attack. Something’s wrong, our weapons…”
“I’ll take our people to help your soldiers attack the enemy, madam Huo take peop-”
“There are no more soldiers, I”m all that’s left of the Huo clan along with this group of people. General Chang you have to get them out to safety.”
“The Huo clans gone?…how?”
“Something was wrong with the weapons. Please take the last of the cities people to safety.”
“You are not coming with us?”
“I will stay with my husband and son”
Looking behind the dirty madam Huo, General Cheng and his wife took in the group of twelve people consisting of three adults and eight children and one baby. Sharing a quick look, madam Cheng gave a sharp nod and turned on the ball of her foot with a quiet order for their people to return through the hole and get ready to receive the escaping people. It was when the last person made it through that General Cheng and his wife asked madam Huo one last time for her to leave with them.
“No, I will stay with my family”
“Madam Huo, Chong would have wanted you to survived. You should come with us” madam Cheng tried to per-sway her and received a smile.
“He would have, but he also knew how stubborn I am. He always joked the men of the Huo clan fell for stubborn women so he would expect nothing less from me, saying it was just how I am and he would tell me he respects my decision. So promise to take care of them and keep them safe.”
“We can’t get you to change your mind?”
“No, my place is here”
“Very well, we promise to keep them safe and tell Huo Chong we are sorry we didn’t make it in time when you see him in the after life”
“He would never blame you… General Cheng, the fall of Ge city. It should not have happened, I think there’s a traitor close to the Huo clan that orchestrated the attack.”
“Do you know who?”
Madam Huo shook her head, a ways off behind her a sound alerted the three people to an advancing enemy and they all looked in the direction of the sound before madam Huo started to push them through the small opening. It was after closing the small barred gate that let water pass through, that the Cheng soldiers quietly escorted the small refugees through the milky fog away from the stone walls, that they heard a woman cry out in pain and then everything go quiet from within the city.
The next morning over six miles away from the fallen Ge city, a group of people were shaking off the chill from the night as the sun crested over the distant trees that General and madam Cheng had made their decision. Sending their soldiers home, the couple themselves escorted the group of people to the one place they knew the survivors from the Huo and Ge city massacre would be safe.