Eyes of the Tiger

By: Yeu

Comment: Every time me and my sister play DW, I always play ZY and my sister always play SSX (Unless they are maxed out.) So my father always says that Liu Bei will be very pissed because his wife and his general are eloping, that's where I get the idea for this story from. Hopefully everyone will like it; I welcome all comments including flames.

DW is property of Koei and Omega Force, they make the game possible.

The first time I lay my eyes on him, I knew immediately who he was. My brother and Zhou Yu had thrown a feast that night, welcoming the Emperor of Shu and his honored entourage. Strangely, I was invited even though my mother had forbid them to drag me into their political storm. I didn't think too much of it at first, accepting the invitation only because I was bored that night, same old sword fight with same old people can only entertain you for so long. As I sat down on my seat next to my half brother, I look across the room and saw him. His eagle sharp eyes was scanning the room, taking in everything and anything that might be a threat to his master. As his eyes met mine, I could feel my face burn and I look down quickly, ashamed of being caught staring.

At the start of the feast, I was introduced to the man sitting on the other side of my brother even though I already knew who he is; the whole palace has been saying his name since he arrived.

I smiled politely as I was instructed to do by my mother who was not present. She had, for some reason, taken me aside to instruct me to behave like a proper lady at least for the meal. Although I found the behavior to be quite nauseating, I do not wish to make my mother unhappy. If not a proper lady, I'm at least a dutiful daughter. So I lowered my head and smiled an empty smile, making small talk to the best of my abilities and poured wine all night for the men, so much that I think the wine bottle has become a part of my arm. He did not drink, but stood behind his lord all night with his arm on the halt of the sword that is hidden beneath his robe.

"Lady Sun, this is one of my more trusted general, Zhao Zilong." The master said proudly of his servant as I try to get the man to drink.

"Why, who under heaven would not know of this man!" I said in mocked surprised. "I salute you, my lord, for your bravery. This drink is to you."

He silently accepted the cup of wine, and I feel like I was struck by lightning as his hands briefly brushed against my fingers. With a quick gulp, he down the drink and returned the cup to my hands.

"A fine general!" I can hear my brother say faintly. "You must have done many good deed in your former life to deserve such a follower."

I can hear the jealousy in my brother's voice, and I don't blame him. Who would not love to have a man whose loyalty is as firm as a rock and spear as deadly as thunder? I covered my mouth with my sleeve to hide my smile, last I heard, Cao Cao is still trying to get the tiger general into his camp. That would make him zero for two for trying to get one of Shu generals to join his side. I will not count the time he blackmailed another's with the man's mother to join him. That Cao Cao is without morals.

The feast ended without incident, and I without much drink since the men had downed most of the alcohol. As I retreated out of the hall, I glanced back at one last time at the man with the alert bright eyes who still does not see me.

My mother visited me sometime in the afternoon on the next day. Her face was joyful and there was a prance in her steps.

"Mother, I think I had just found the man among men!" I told her excitedly as we walked across the garden arm in arm. "The guest last night was the most perfect!"

"I knew you would be pleased, daughter, now only if you behaved like a proper lady should, maybe you won't scared the man away."

"I was behaving myself." I pouted. "But mother, let me tell you, he has the most gorgeous eyes I've seem."

"Well, let this old lady sit down and we can talk over a nice cup of tea."

And that's what happened, over the tea I told her of how much the man from Changsan amazes me, especially his eyes, for some reason, I just can't get them out of my head.

"He is a well-known general, daughter. But he is only a servant, not suited for a princess like yourself." My mother sipped her tea lightly. "I, on the other hand, have a much better match for you."

I was suddenly alarmed, although I'm well aware that mother was looking for a husband for me, I never thought then was the time.

"That man, Liu Bei, is the imperial uncle." She continued, not noticing the disappointment and shock on my face. "He is an emperor of his own country, and no stranger to fame. What more can you ask for?"

I was speechless; somewhere in my heart I can hear a voice scream out that is not what I want. I know that I had asked for much in the past, but all I want now is those pair of eyes. At last I understand why I was invited to the feast the night before, and that meal might have put a seal on my fate. But ever the dutiful daughter, I ignored the voice and bowed to my mother. "As my mother wishes."

There seemed to be no space between the announcement and the wedding, before I knew it, I was in the red bridal gown bowing to my would-be husband. Thanks to the bridal veil, no one could tell that my eyes was on another man that night, the man with the amazing eyes. But he sees right through me.

I tried my best being as best of a wife as I could, serving a man almost twice my age. Although in my heart I know that I'm the worst of the worst, my heart is not with my husband, where it should be, it is outside the castle walls with a man from Changsan. I don't know if Zilong had noticed my attention, but he started to be around less and less. So rarely that I eventually had to find excuses to go on the castle walls to watch him horse race and practice with his soldiers. Thankfully everybody thought that I was missing my free days and therefore come to watch the activities everyday; otherwise I would have brought much shame upon my family.

About a year after my marriage to his master, something finally happened to disrupt the idle days. About a few days before New Years my husband came to be weeping to go home. I immediately agreed to go with him, because I know those eyes that I love would go too if my husband were to leave. After much thought we cook up a plan where we can take our leave so that my brother would not try to stop us.

"I would remember your love in live or in death." He wept as I suggested the plan and at that moment I felt more guilt than I ever had in my life. It is not my love for him that I worked my brain to think up of a plan that will avoid bloodshed, I know if there would be any fighting it is my true love that will be endangered and that is the last thing I want.

So I smiled at him, a perfectly fake smile.

I would not go into the details of our escape, that trip has been told too many times and I'm quite sick and tired of telling it. But I have never felt as much joy as I had sitting with my love to face the enemy together, if I had died there I would have died a happy, although sinful woman. I had never seem him so grand and imposing as he did back them readying himself and his soldiers for battle, those eyes looked as if they can pierce rocks by a mere glance.

Anyway, life in Shu wasn't that different from life in Wu, not for me anyway. As if trying to make up for ignoring the politics for so long, my husband indulge himself on every report and every tiny detail, so much that I would not see him for days on end. Our marriage becomes empty in all but name. So while he busied himself with making war, I busied myself taking care of his son.

Liu Shan is nothing like his father, the boy's pampered and spoiled; he cannot even dress himself if the need arises. The child seemed hesitant at first to accept me as his new mother, but as all children goes, a few favors here and there does the trick. Still, for a king with only one heir, Liu Bei pays very little attention to his son, preferring to let Zhuge Liang take care of the details of bringing up a child. I mean, for heaven's sake, my love is more of a father to the boy than the man ever is. Every time the child met with some obstacle, he always cries and threatens to go to the Little Dragon, and Zilong would always does his best to solve whatever the problem is. All Liu Bei gets is a one scroll report on the status of his heir, how much he has grown, how much he weights, his grades... that kind of thing.

So the year passes, I seldom write to my mother, letters tend to get lost way too often in war times. There wasn't much to say anyway, everything about the country she could hear from my brother, and as they say, no news is often good news. I continue to watch my love from a distance, even though I know that he still does not see me, he probably never will.

Also during those years, I had repeatedly tried to make him see me, and then tried to forget about him. I cannot count how many times the cycle has repeated itself, but the pain each and every time was as fresh as the first.

That letter was perhaps what changed everything now that I think about it.

About six years after our wedding, I suddenly received a letter from my brother, in it he wrote about how sick my mother has become during my absence, so sick that I should prepare for a final meeting. But before she dies, she would like to see her grandson at least once. I was in shock, mother seemed to be in good health when I left but then again, a lot can change in six years. I decided that I would visit right away, even though the relation between Wu and Shu was quite cold, not even a full out war would prevent me from seeing my mother. As for taking Liu Shan, I didn't see anything wrong with that, and with my husband off in some battlefield getting himself killed for all I know, I wasn't about to wait for his approval just so I can miss my last meeting with my mother.

So I ordered my maids to quickly pack our bags and made for the ships waiting in the bay. Perhaps through a cruel trick by heaven, he was there, and saw me and my son boarding the ship. Of course he did not just stay idle and watch us leave, he pursued us and even managed to jump onboard. That was the first time I've seem Zilong in action, and it was like watching a dragon soaring above the clouds. I watched his every move as he fought his way across the ship, which is harder than it sounds because he wasn't sure if he should start the killing. I did not get over my surprise until he finally fought his way inside the cabin, where the boy had taken refuge in my lap. Although the little one has tried to get off as soon as he saw whom it was intruding, but I held him down.

As strange as it sounds, right then is was when I felt like I was in heaven, for the first time, that eyes that I had watched from afar for many years is finally seeing me. He has finally acknowledged my presence and is paying attention to me, although not in the way I had hoped.

Our exchange of words was nothing special, while I yelled at him he just calmly stated that he would not let me leave unless I go alone. Which only angers me even more that the boy means more to him than me, and that is when I let loose the abuse.

He took my harsh words without much of a reaction, which only added oil upon an already burning fire. Even as I ordered my maids to restrain and make him leave, I knew they were no match for my love and as I thought, he simply pushed them away with ease. Zilong then wrestle the boy out of my arms and made for the bow of the ship, of course Zhou Shan would have none of that. He ordered the men to surround him while I practically screamed at them to just take the boy back. As long as he has my son, he will be in danger, and I would have none of that. Not that anyone onboard could defeat him anyway, even with one hand occupied with the child, no one would go near the edge of the Blue Blade without fearing for his or her life.

If it wasn't for Zhang Fei, we probably would have eventually gotten the boy back, but I knew that the only way to take the boy is over Zilong's dead body. So I wasn't sure if I was relived or angered when that drunkard showed up. My youngest brother-in-law slew Zhou Shan with a simple stroke, leaving his head at my feet.

So they took the child, but let me leave since I threaten to throw myself into the river shall they advance one more step. As they left, I could feel tears roll down my cheeks, my maids all thought I was upset over my son being taken, but they were wrong. A part of me knew back then that I should never look upon those beloved eyes again in peace.