Disclaimer: I don't own Dynasty Warriors, Koei and Omega Force do.
A/N: I got really tired of all the three kingdoms debates being dominated by Wu taking Jing from Guan Yu years ago…. I don't care anymore, but you know who ended up being ignored the most in history of this defeat? Guan Ping…. I'm more upset with Wu getting Cao Pi to take advantage of...EVERYTHING. This fic is writing on my urge that Guan Ping x Xing Cai shipping is not dead to me. Liu Chan can court her sister.
My Star
"The autumn rain never stops in the final days of my life. This guy who calls himself Pan Zhang and his comrade with him, Ma Zhong had been taunting my father since our captive. I don't care what they're saying to my father, but at least honor our dignity. Does Jiang Dong know anything about dignity?"
Those were the words left from Guan Ping's thoughts before his demise at the hands of Wu. He's proud to die alongside with his father. He's proud of living his short life as a young general under Liu Bei. And what made him proud the most was to watch his star shine into an adult.
But, did he die with no regrets?
Flashback…
His father refused to hand over Jiangling along with the rest of Jingnan. It wasn't time yet, but something was off. When Sun Quan proposed an arrange marriage to Yinping and his son, his father felt amusingly insulted. It didn't look good in his eyes.
"Father, why did he bring up the marriage?" Guan Ping curiously asked. Yinping never told him about wanting to get married after she came to age. He had not talked with her about it and now that came in mind.
"He's being the stubborn one! Until I get a word of my brother, I will not leave this land!" Guan Yu angrily answered.
"Then perhaps, shall we counsel this with Wang Fu. He might come up with a situation," Guan Ping suggested it calmly unlike his father. He saw his father become senile. He wants his father to stay in control. The Guan family had enjoyed luxury in Jing since Liu Bei took Yizhou. But, Ping stay unspoiled, he wants to remain focus and improve his skills to be on pair with Zhao Yun, Wei Yan, and Zhang Fei.
"And what, accept this ridiculous proposal? After sending his sister away as a spy, he wants my daughter now. Never!" Guan Yu got up from his chair and prepare his plan to attack Cao Cao from Xiang Yang to Xin Ye. Guan Ping still had a look of concernment on his father. He knows they need advice from Wang Fu.
"But, what about the possibly of them attacking us?" Guan Ping shot the question at his father aware he's about to get frustrated.
"Will they dare to betray us? We gave up a proportion of land to them and they're still not satisfied! I got rid of that suspicious campsite they left and they complained!" Guan Yu look at his son with eyes matching the red skinned anger that men feared him in battle when he skews Yan Liang.
"They complain because the land belonged to them after Chi Bi." The two turn to see Wang Fu show up.
"They gave it up first after Zhou Yu died!" Guan Yu urged at his advisor.
"And now they want it back after Liu Bei took Yizhou. It'd be wise to leave this matter idle until things go quietly," Wang Fu stood calmly between the Father and Son.
"Liu Bei sworn to watch over Liu Biao's lands. I will not give it up to them until my brother says so," Guan Yu kept his loyalty and obedience a higher priority over Sun Quan as Wang Fu stares at him puzzled.
"He's indeed highly valued by Liu Bei. If something were to happen to him now…" Wang Fu thought.
"Now, I shall go get the men ready. We're going to attack Cao Cao from Xiang Yang. I want to prove my worth to Brother Liu. Granted, the tide of this war is turning to our favor. We spend years wandering and on the run by Cao Cao and now it's time to bring all our hardships right back at Mengde. My debt to Cao Cao is finished," Guan Yu announced his declaration of war on Cao Cao. Wang Fu now felt this is the case to Wu's persistent.
"Forgive me, Lord Guan Yu, but that's exactly what Wu wants. We must remain on the defenses to calculate any suspicious movements from them," Wang Fu advised.
Now…
He can still hear Pan Zhang's taunts, swinging his father's priced possession. This is the most humiliating scene in his life. They're dishonoring his father. He knows his father had it coming, but this is too much. He knew Wang Fu's warning was accurate, but his father dared to make the offense, daring Wu to break an alliance that was already broken. There are no troops from Cao Ren. They left their lives in Wu's hands.
"Xing Cai…" Guan Ping mutters the name of the one he's always there for her since she was being raised through war.
"Tell me something, Guan Yu? How does it feel to be captured by us? You look down at us like we're fodder and the next thing that happened, you felt for our trap easily. You are no God, but a fraud! Hahahahah!" Pan Zhang and Ma Zhong laughed together.
"…." Guan Yu remain with his eyes closed. He only sees the memories of his life starting with his wandering from home and met Liu Bei and Zhang Fei.
These rains are pouring harder. The heavens are crying, perhaps. How will Xing Cai be when his inevitable death happens? Guan Ping's hair is all ditched and his clothes were soggy while kneeing on the wet grass. They were too far from Yizhou to escape and their base been taken from Wu in secret due to Mi Fang's defection.
He's glad Xing Cai didn't come to rescue him. She doesn't need to waste her life over his failure. He wants her to continue to shine. Liu Chan may already be betrothed to her by the time she finds out about his death. She doesn't need a failure as her husband. It hurts; it hurts him deeply to end up like this. It's the path he chosen over her.
The year before…
When she learned that Guan Ping was about to return to Jing, she hurried to catch up to him on a horse not caring that her father's scorning voice hollered across the road. She's not about to submit to an arrange marriage promised because Liu Bei became the Han Zhong King.
It was on the afternoon and the sun is above the mountains lighting the shady forests near Zitong. She saw Guan Ping on his horse with some men escorting supplies to Jing, "Ping! Where do you think you're going?!"
He and his men halted and turn around to see her coming towards him. He didn't want her to know he's leaving, but it's probably Zhang Bao running his mouth again. He smiled softly as he watches her horse slowdown. Her hair is unbraided without the buns and is flowing silky with the wind blowing it. She looks like a splitting image of her mother now, "Xingcai."
"I asked, where you think you're going?! You should answer me. You know it's rude to leave your lady without saying goodbye," Xingcai voice sounded rough when she argue with him.
He only look at her amused, "Heh, forgive me, my lady. I'm already on duty. I can't neglect this escort mission right now. "
Her eyes appear hardened with a look of disappointment, "You are so chavlious."
"Like your brother," Guan Ping teased.
"He needs to get serious. Ping, you knew beforehand didn't you?" She started to talk about what he thinks she's talking about.
"….." Guan Ping did not have to answer that. He is hurt and she can see why. He waved the men to go on without him and then return his attention to Xing Cai.
"So, it's inevitable. But, my sister…" before she can continue, Guan Ping pledge to her.
"I sworn to honor your engagement to Liu Shan till my death," Guan Ping said, not sounding too sincere.
"No….." Xing Cai gasped.
"When Liu Shan was born, your father secretly met with our Lord and made a pact. I found out about this from my father before you fought with us at Cheng Du," Guan Ping explained it to her.
He felt so betrayed by fate when he found out about the pact. Once Yizhou taken, it's clear, Xing Cai was made to become a noble wife to his Lord's son. She didn't know about it until now.
"So father did this against my will," Xing Cai felt the same betrayal as Ping, but she's disgusted with her father's greed. "I know my mother met him when she was lost in the forest and they felt in love when he can write characters into poems and painting. But why can't I have the same kind of love as my mother? Why father!?"
"If I tried to stop your engagement now, it will lead to a scandal and my death will be imminent," Guan Ping sighed.
"My father's greed is the bigger scandal! What am I to him since my birth?! I played and watched over Liu Chan when he grows up! He lost his sisters when they were taken to Cao Cao! And now, they're making him my future husband over a pact! This isn't fair!" Xing Cai cringe over her frustration as she got off her horse and walked to the west side of the road cursing to herself.
"I know, but you are to be my star," Guan Ping thought. He got off his horse and tried to comfort her as best as he can.
She's shaking abit over her hidden tears. After years of moving and escaping from Cao Cao, it comes to this fancy engage she thought. So fancy, a princess married to a prince like in a fairy tell. Her father spoiling her with the princess disease and she despise it.
"Xingcai?" Guan Ping did not hesitate to fold his arms on her back. He truly loved her and there's nothing he can do stop something that's already set in motion.
"I'm going to father. I will talk it over with him. Cease the marriage and send me to you," Xing Cai said with a soft tone.
"Don't…" He shook.
"The marriage didn't happen yet. I can stop it," Xing Cai said persistently.
"Everyone agreed to our Lord on this marriage…I'm sorry, my Lady," Guan Ping eyes look stoic.
"And Zhao Yun…?" Xing Cai mention the name of the guy she sees as a second father.
"You and I both know he's the more paranoid one. He never said anything how he felt about it," Guan Ping told her about Zhao Yun, but he didn't tell her about their secret conversation on the matter.
"I know he didn't marry 'that' woman by choice, not after he caused an incident on Zhao Fan. I know he's not happy about this!" Xing Cai shot back at Guan Ping staring at him frustrated.
"….." Guan Ping let go of her and thought it's best to get back on duty. Xing Cai is Liu Chan's woman now. He's not happy and Xing Cai sees he's pretending to act as if nothing happened between them. But, his failure to comfort her is breaking the shield.
"Ping!" Xing Cai called him. He got back on his horse, ready to depart to Jiangling.
"I know you don't love him romantically, Xingcai. But, he is our Lord. It's our duty to give him prestige. You must continue to be with him when I'm gone…." Guan Ping shakes the saddle for the horse to start moving. He didn't utter those words out loud to her, but kept it in his mind.
He doesn't know when he'll see her again if there's ever a future between them. He remembers the moment he met with Zhao Yun secretly and talked to him about it. The anguish he saw was nothing like what other men around felt. For Zhao Yun, he cussed out and reminded Ping about 20 years ago before he joined Liu Bei, before Xing Cai was born. He told him just one word about it all.
"POWER!" said the voice of Zhao Yun.
Guan Ping slowly grunted over his distress, "I know, Xing Cai. It's not fair…"
His presence already left the forest as Xing Cai kneed on the grass weeping. He didn't say his goodbyes whom it's those words she wanted to hear from him.
He kept on going without looking back into the dark end of the road leading to the east. His fate is with the battlefield and her fate is with their lord. He opposes to shed a tear on their separation.
Now….
Death is the final lesson on the path of a warrior. For death, there's an end. An end to that system he live by over his youth. But, this isn't a warrior's death. It's an execution. He and his father had been tried all over refusing to give back a piece of land, insulting their loyalty and honor to Liu Bei. Had his father took Wang Fu's advice, they would still be alive today. There's no tomorrow.
"Forgive me, my lady. I've made my choice," He muttered and the two officers don't know what he's whispering about.
"He's mumbling," Ma Zhong told Pan Zhang about Guan Ping.
"Probably scared by the fact that he's going to die," Pan Zhang tapped the Green Dragon Saber on his shoulder softly.
He is going to die. Wu won't let them live seeing how much they do damage to their ground troops. And then there's the presence of Guan Yu, his father who is the most influential person in this land.
They don't know how highly valued his father truly is compare to people like Pan Zhang and Ma Zhong. It doesn't matter if they capture him. What matters is how they deal with his father.
A soldier soon appears to give the two officers the news. He whispered at them while Guan Yu and Guan Ping remain the same way they were for hours. Pan Zhang and Ma Zhong exchanged looks of confusion and distort. They felt uneasy about the news, but their situation remains the same. What are they going to do with their prisoners?
"We can't execute them without an order. General Lu Meng might recover from his illness until then," Ma Zhong warned.
"So we just leave them alive before Shu finds out?" Pan Zhang retorted.
"I…I don't know," Ma Zhong shook his head shuddering.
Pan Zhang then turn to see the two Guans still waiting on their fates and look back at Ma Zhong, "Look we're getting paid a great amount because we've just captured the so called God of FREAKIN War easily! I'll give the head of Guan Yu as a gift to our Lord Sun Quan!"
*SLASH*
Guan Ping can hear the gushy sound of the blade slashing his father. He's next…he slowly look up into the heavens. The rainy weather finally calmed down. He can see his star shining.
"Fare well…." Pan Zhang raise the blade high, he can see the vision of a beauty with the most exquisite fashion brighten like a star. "…My Star."
A soft thud was heard as the lifeless body of Guan Ping felt into the wet ground. His body was never given a proper burial….He'll miss his star.