The Unforgiven
A one shot. A woman so consumed by her own hate and darkness seeks to help the one person who cared for her as she awaits her fate. In her last dark hours, can she help him to realise that what is left unsaid can torture you soul forever?
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Zhou Yu watched the woman as Sun Ce approached her, telling her the dreadful and eerily final words. A death sentence.
The woman did not break down and sob, like many men would. She held her head high, her blue eyes clear of emotion, as was her beautiful face. In fact, the lady seemed like any innocent woman, with pale skin and brown hair.
Even though her eyes were of the purest blue, he could see the hate in them, the icy fire that had resulted in the murder of her own flesh and blood, her own family. As Ce left the room, she turned to the shadowed corner of the corridor, where Zhou Yu was watching her through the cell bars.
She threaded her long pale hands through the small gaps. He knew she wanted to hide her weakness and her fear of death. In the many times he'd spoken to her, that was the one thing she was scared of.
He walked forwards and held her cold hands between his own warm ones, and frowned as she leant her cheek against their entwined hands. She was scared of death, she had said, because she didn't want to see the faces of the people she'd killed.
Yet she wanted this punishment somehow, she knew that the guilt would hound her forever. And that is why she accepted her death, the finality that she had sent her own family to.
Zhou Yu opened his mouth and spoke, his gentle words quiet as he managed to speak to her, one more person that he felt he had failed.
"I'm sorry," he said finally. She looked at him with nothing but a small smile – there was no anger in her eyes.
"Even you, Zhou Yu, could not have persuaded Sun Jian to change his mind. I killed my own family, the people who loved me and helped me. I deserve no less of a punishment,"
Zhou Yu swallowed, a lump of emotion stopping him from speaking. At last he managed to speak to her again, and this time he met her eyes.
"Why…why did you do it?"
She regarded him solemnly for a moment, the question seemed so important to them both, and she needed to tell someone.
"My father was not worthy of my mother's love," she whispered moving her frail body closer to the bars separating them. "He went with so many other women…and my brothers – they helped him hide it,"
Zhou Yu stroked her cheek with his thumb, trying to comfort her somehow. But no matter how much pity he felt for her, she had done an unforgivable wrong. No matter how he hated his father, Zhou Yu knew he'd never be able to kill him.
Another question burned his curious mind, and he blurted it out.
"Why your mother then…why her as well?"
Her pretty face darkened a moment, and Zhou Yu saw a glimpse of the possessed woman who had murdered her own family, who had wielded her blade savagely as she slit their throats with no second thought.
"She – she had found out," she muttered between cracked lips, "She begged me to kill her when she saw what I'd done. And – and my father…he made me betray the man I loved most. The only one who really cared,"
Zhou Yu felt a tear drip down the cheek that rested against his hand, and felt it as it left her face and dripped onto his hand, running along him before dropping to the floor.
"I wanted to die too," she admitted finally, hugging herself to the bars so she could feel Zhou Yu's heart beating slowly against his chest, so she could feel his gentle breathing as he held her close. He removed one hand from her and rested it on her head, carefully stroking her matted hair.
She whimpered a little, resting her now free hand against his chest.
"I don't want to die anymore," she said quietly, her tiny heart hammering faster. "I want to live and show my family I was wrong. But…I want to make them proud,"
Zhou Yu paused, his mind confused. She had killed her family, and now wanted to show them she did not really mean it. But he knew that inside that slightly deranged mind, lay a little girl who wanted to save her mother, and make her proud.
"Have you ever loved someone Zhou Yu," she whispered, nestling closer. He hesitated before answering. Of course he had loved a woman. Her name remained a mystery to everyone, and he had never acted upon it. But yes, the feeling was there.
"Yes," he managed to say quietly. In truth, he did not know why he was admitting this to her. She was soon to be gone from this world.
"I don't want you to make my mistakes," she said. "I know what you are thinking, Zhou Yu. I can feel it in here," she moved her hand along his chest to his heart.
"Yes," he said, stronger, "I do love someone," it was the first time he had ever admitted it out loud.
"What is her name," she asked, desperately clinging to the last shreds of life that remained in her hands. She did not want him to leave his feelings alone, and regret what was left unsaid.
"Sun…" he stopped.
"Go on," she said. She knew who it was already, it was in the way his face lit up and the way he spoke of her. Zhou Yu cleared his throat nervously.
"Sun Shang Xiang," he breathed out quickly, the name feeling sweet as he spoke it so freely, with no titles or formality.
"I knew it," she said smiling through the pain, "It is in you face when you speak of her to me, and I think…" she struggled for a moment, knowing that he needed to do what she had never had the courage to.
"You need to tell her, Zhou Yu," she stated simply, "do not be like I, who has regretted not saying my feelings, and will die that way,"
Zhou Yu said nothing, just squeezed her hand and carried on stroking her hair.
"Promise me, that you shall tell her,"
Zhou Yu stayed silent.
"As my death wish…please," her voice was now pleading, and she swallowed nervously, her stomach bubbling.
Zhou Yu looked her in the eyes, thoughtfully, with a hint of sadness.
"I promise that I will tell her,"
She struggled to speak this time and she sank to the floor, slipping from his embrace breathing heavily.
"Tell her now…here,"
Zhou Yu regarded her solemnly and ordered a guard to fetch Lady Sun Shang Xiang. She arrived not long after, her eyes bright and hair ruffled as she shyly greeted him. The woman in the cell urged him on with her eyes.
"Shang Xiang," he started, nervously. She waited for him to say it…she could see it in his eyes and just wanted for him to say it to her.
"Say it to me Zhou Yu," she pleaded quietly, grasping one of his hands. "Please say it,"
Zhou Yu watched her in surprise and looked at her questioningly.
"It's in your eyes," Shang said quietly and waited.
"I love you," he said in a rush. The woman smiled sadly as Shang Xiang wrapped herself into his warm arms and sighed happily.
"Say my name, Zhou Yu," the woman asked, her eyes dimming as she heard people coming for her. It would be over soon.
Zhou Yu broke away from Shang and knelt down to her, reaching for the pale hands he knew so well. They were always cold, always longing for a warm touch.
"I want someone warm to say it," she breathed, the footsteps growing nearer. He stroked her hand and smiled at her, feeling Shang slip her hand into his other.
"I am sorry I could not save you," he whispered and jumped as Shang put her other hand on Zhou Yu's and the woman's," her face relaxed for a moment and she closed her eyes, the lashes lying perfectly on the fragile skin.
"I am sorry Diao Chan," he said gently. "But I will tell Lu Bu that you truly loved him," it was the least he could do now.
She smiled, properly and looked at the couple with bright eyes.
"Thank you," Diao Chan said gently. "Be safe,"
Zhou Yu flinched as the hand entwined between his and Shang Xiang's grew limp and slid away. Diao Chan's mouth was curved into a smile and her eyes were glassy and lifeless, staring at nothing, seeing nothing.
Shang Xiang howled and hid her head in Zhou Yu's chest. He whispered a word of comfort and leant forwards, slipping a hand between the bars to shut her eyes. He moved her hands so they were clasped together.
He felt hot tears threatening to spill over as he saw the smashed bottle behind her, hidden from view and half full of a purple poison. She had cared about him, although they were to execute her.
He got up and ordered the guards to give her a proper burial.
"Stay here," he said to Shang Xiang and mounted his horse, setting off for Lu Bu's castle.
Lu Bu opened the gates and let Zhou Yu in. The strategist's face was unusually grave and no intuition brightened his eyes.
He stood in front of Lu Bu, unarmed and calm.
"Diao Chan committed suicide today," he said quietly. "She was kind and gracious and in the few months we knew each other, she told me everything," he glanced at Lu Bu who was watching him intently.
"She told me to admit my feelings to someone as she died with her regret. But I did not want her feelings to be lost," he flinched in anticipation – Lu Bu was not known for sentimental feelings.
"Go on," the general urged.
"She loved you, truly. I promised her I would tell you, so her spirit can rest at peace in the heavens,"
Lu Bu thanked him, and waved him away before sitting down in a chair, his head in his hands.
"I love you too, Diao Chan," he said to the midnight sky, before locking away any emotion apart from his battle anger. He would not feel the pain of a loved one's death ever again. He knew that it would tear him apart forever.
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Shang Xiang smiled at her lover whilst he held their tiny child in his arms. She was tired and hungry, but at least she was here.
Zhou Yu smiled down at his wife and put the tiny bundle of joy into a teary Sun Jian's arms, and Yu smiled as the man cooed over his grandson.
Zhou Yu stroked Shang Xiang's head as she drifted back to sleep and smiled at the happiness and love that surrounded him.
"Thank Diao Chan," he whispered, and smiled.
With every death, a new life would be born. And in his and his wife's life and his first son's…and how ever many more children came to their family, he would make sure they knew the name of the woman who had helped create their family.
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So what's the verdict? PLEASE REVIEW. The plot bunny is getting sad:(. And that means less stories. Please?