Broken Hourglass
Chapter 1
The clouds appeared to have forgotten their endless journey, hanging stubbornly over the beautiful and fertile lands of the Red Tiger. The gray fellowship of the sky, though it was welcome by the farmers who hopefully expected the blessed tears of rain to water their fields, not only seemed unwilling to send its desired water but also to let the sun cast its shiny rays on the successful outcome of the fair struggle against the fortune hunter Huang Zu.
The impressive, enormous flag ship sailed across the water path of the Great River accompanied by a large number of distinctly smaller ships on their way home, which underlined even more its stately picture.
A smile of contentment softened his thoughtful expression. It always enchanted him to be on board, listening to the subtle sound of the sails as the wind's perpetual breathing danced upon them.
He gazed calmly over the river, enjoying the peaceful, merry moments following the victory in battle until they reach a peak with a festive dinner when everyone shares the food and the joy of triumph.
" Time is still on my side... but the sense that is slipping away like ink which dries up before it creates a complicated ideogram, leaving my fate unfulfilled, hasn't flew away... father, I secretly -and maybe foolishly- expected that placing your spirit at rest could somehow exorcise completely the curse of the mystic, but now I feel that I have to fight it on my own, with the trust I have in my dream and myself."
Optimism and strong faith above all else. Those were his inner allies which never betrayed him, the values that forged his perseverance and courage...
They wouldn't mean anything, they would simply be colourless words with no feeling if he wasn't by his side, whose untiring will and exceptional capability of his mind and body brought their dream closer, within their reach and who offered unconditionally as well, whatever loveliness and truth bloomed in his soul, flowing his own with an excessive fervency and enthusiasm. Sun Ce didn't need to ask for more... Zhou Yu's constant support was a blessed gift to him.
On that instant, Sun Ce felt that he would gladly break the distance between them to surround his shoulders with his arms. Unfortunately, due to the presence of other people there, he didn't put his thought in action as he preferred to keep their intimate moments private.
He turned and looked at him. Zhou Yu was standing aside and just like him, he was leaning against the bulwark and surveyed the scenery while the air mussed playfully his long hair.
As if he sensed the gaze of his lord on him, he turned around and after their glances met for a brief but peculiar moment, Sun Ce saw his comrade heading towards his cabin.
They both used to give a margin of time to themselves, each for his own after every battle to contemplate quietly and wait for the aggressive tension of the battle to subside on their minds so they could anticipate any emotional bewilderment or the visit of nightmares during sleep when all inner defences weaken in the nightly dark.
During that hour, Sun Ce felt that he was spending his time to no purpose since his will to think over the last battle had gone away.
He simply wanted to talk with Zhou Yu... and to stay together at least until they reach home.
Sun Ce didn't wait there any longer. He crossed the deck when his eye caught his younger brother and sister and waved them a greeting from afar before he moves on. Although they looked quite absorbed in their talk, they saw their eldest brother and returned the greeting with a nod, smiling genuinely.
The door of the cabin opened with a hollow dragging due to the friction between the wooden floor and the door. He saw his friend's hands being busy with some scrolls and his eyes in a characteristic absorption; the scene was quite familiar to Sun Ce as he often caught the dedicated strategist being immersed in his work.
" Come in." his friend welcomed him and the door closed behind them.
" Hi, don't tell me you 're busy."
Zhou Yu smiled to himself as he suspected the true meaning behind the words which could be condensed in the phrase, " Come on, relax a bit!".
" No, I was just putting these scrolls in some order." he said and after collecting them all, he placed the stuff into a box.
In the meantime, Sun Ce stood near the window, looking outside and waiting for his friend to say, " Alright, I'm done".
His mind was wandering for a few moments and therefore he didn't notice that Zhou Yu was right next to him until he felt his hand sliding gently around his shoulders.
A sweet numbness spread through his spine and he felt a heat burning his face with this simple but caring touch and with the sight of warm shinning in Zhou Yu's brown eyes.
" I hope you are feeling better now. The worry and sorrow you kept inside you with the thought of your father shall ease sooner than you would expect."
" I already feel much better. A part of my energy that remained locked in the thought that I couldn't let Huang Zu get away with it, has been finally released and now, I guess I am ready for new things."
" Hmm, I'm pleased to hear that." Zhou Yu responded sincerely but he also sounded and looked somewhat preoccupied. His eyes seemed to examine Sun Ce.
" Thanks for being there and supporting me all this time, all these years... I hope someday to discover the best way to return you in kind all the good and meaningful things you have done for me." Sun Ce managed to say through his emotion which became more intense the moment they embraced each other with affection.
" You needn't to. Seeing your happiness is enough..." Zhou Yu assured Sun Ce, " And to know you are well, of course." he added these words seriously, looking at him. It was a tactic to bring up the concern he felt for Sun Ce's vague, physical weakness after his encounter with the mysterious mage. His lord however, found it more interesting to talk about their future plans.
Zhou Yu didn't want to press him more. He was sure that Sun Ce got the drift of his last phrase but he was reluctant to open this kind discussion and his friend couldn't blame him for it; Zhou Yu knew it was difficult for him and decided to wait for a more suitable time to broach this matter. Besides, their conversations about the future of the land and its development relieved Sun Ce from his worried, secret thoughts and strengthened his hope.
Suddenly, while they were talking, Sun Ce stirred with uneasiness and averted abruptly his gaze from his friend's eyes as he focused his attention on something else.
" I need some water." He said numbly, drawing slightly his eyebrows as if something bothered him.
Zhou Yu rose quickly from his sit to bring a flask filled with water to his friend.
After he took it in his hands and drank a few mouthfuls, he chocked over the water.
His friend came near him, being afraid for a moment that it wasn't just the water.
" It's nothing, really. I gulped too quickly." Sun Ce calmed him down, " You know, I think I will use a nap... I would like to be refreshed once we reached the port where the others will be waiting for us to celebrate."
" Okay. You can rest on this bed if you want."
Sun Ce thought he could hide it, but it was shown that he felt again that overwhelming weakness that usually didn't give him other choice but to seek a place to rest his body, no matter how much he needed to do something else, urgent or not.
He lay on the bed and made room for his friend, " Come beside me." he called Zhou Yu softly and watched him making himself comfortable close to him.
Sun Ce turned so he could look better at him but also realized that he hardly kept his eyelids from covering his eyes and blinked several times in hopes to cast away the sense of weakness which rested on them like hoarfrost.
" Zhou Yu... sometimes I really can't stand the days I spend away from you, without your presence." Sun Ce whispered to him.
Zhou Yu replied kindly, " This doesn't differ much compared to the way I experience your absence." He was too moved to muse upon the essence of his lord's little confession so he could tell him something more.
Sun Ce sighed and pulled his beloved so close that he could feel his breathing like a soft caress on his face and the impalpable movements of his body as inhalation and exhalation were slowly coming one after another. He touched Zhou Yu's cheek with his fingertips before the weakness spread over them and kissed smoothly his bottom lip. Zhou Yu didn't let him distance his lips from his own and offered generously their intoxicating warmth. Sun Ce smiled at the luscious sensation and said quietly, " Really, I wouldn't stop if it wasn't for this sudden weariness... I would do all I can to please you."
" I know... but let this wait for a more favourable time and place." Zhou Yu suggested.
Sun Ce smiled and closed his eyes till he surrendered to a tranquil sleep, while the vigilant presence of his beloved partner kept his dark dreams away...