Disclaimer: I do not own Dynasty Warriors from Koei and the inspiration of a song 'A Little Fall of Rain' from Les Miserables.
Author's notes: OK, when you just saw a great movie that makes you cry like 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King', you tend to know more about life and death. So when I heard this song, this idea came into my head. By the way, this is not the first time, I've written about death. I don't want any flamers for this...but I leave to your judgement :)
14/7/2013: Just reedited some bits of the story. This is by far one of the best received stories and I am so touched that such a story received so many favorites and reviews. So I thought I should spruce it up and add something a bit extra at the end.
Another note: I think that this story is considered AU since historically Zhou Yu died before Xiao Qiao and her whereabouts were unknown after his death. But this is based on the KOEI game universe so there are some possibilities that can happen and consider this is an exploration :)
Verse of Inspiration:
I don't feel any pain...
A little fall of rain
Can hardly hurt me now...
You're here, that's all I need to know...
And you will keep me safe...
And you will keep me close...
And rain will make the flowers grow...
A Little Fall Of Rain
In amidst of the heavy storm outside the palace of the Wu capital of Jian Ye, Da Qiao sighed as more tears relentlessly rolled down her cheeks. She held on to Xiao Qiao's hand, trying to bring her sister comfort through her touch. The younger of the Qiao sisters, shivering and whimpering in pain, laid still in bed. The royal physician's wise face was grim as he did all he could to make the young girl feel at ease.
The older Qiao sister gazed at her sister through teary eyes. She couldn't even recognize her. She looked so small and frail against the silky sheets. Her soft lightly tanned skin was now pale as a lily's petal and damp with in a cold sweat. The silky amber tendrils of her hair spread over the pillows like a silk curtain. She looked so tired and in pain yet her eyes still held a brave twinkle in the irises. The girl's body was covered in bandages, all fraught with war wounds. She moaned in pain as the small pools of bloods seeped into the white cloth of the bandages.
"Mei mei..." Da Qiao choked and reached up to brush her sister's cheek lovingly before turning to the physician with pleading eyes, "Please say that you can save my sister. I do not want to be a bearer of bad news to my husband and lords."
But a dark ominous look covered the worn man's face as he answered, "My lady, her body cannot sustain so many injuries. There is little chance that she will live."
"No! That is not true!" Da Qiao countered fiercely, "My mei mei is strong as she is now! She will live!"
"I have never so many injuries such as this. The healing process will take a negative toll on her body. I do not know how she can recover in this short span of warring against Lord Cao Cao and his troops. She is young. She has lost much blood. Even if there is a suitable donor, we cannot make a transfusion. It is too dangerous and unsanitary, especially in this weather."
"Do not say that!" Da Qiao sobbed, "It cannot be true."
"Jie jie..."
Da Qiao returned to her sister's side and found her gazing at her with tearful eyes. The older girl cupped her sister's cheek.
"It hurts everywhere," the younger sister whispered.
"Shhhh...I'm here, Xiao..." Da Qiao whispered tenderly despite her tears before kissing her forehead.
"Jie jie, I do not think that I will make it this time...I know that I keep on saying that I will after each battle but...I feel so tired," Da Qiao gazed at her young sister in shock, "It's getting so hard to breathe now."
The older Qiao looked at the physician and found him in silent tears. With a heavy heart, she realized that he was telling the truth.
"I will inform the lords on your behalf. I will leave you two be."
Da Qiao's tears fell heavily as soon as the physician exited. Lord Zhou Yu had prayed so hard for his young and beautiful wife. He ate and slept little since that last battle. Goodness knows how he was going to react to the news...
'This is so unfair...' Da Qiao sobbed and covered her face with her hands, 'My sister is barely a full grown woman yet her life is to be nipped in the bud.'
"Jie jie..." Da Qiao lifted her head to find Xiao Qiao also crying, "Please do not cry...I do not like to see you cry."
In a moment, Da Qiao was gently cradling her mortally wounded sister as they both cried in each other's arms.
Zhou Yu felt like his soul wither the minute he heard the news from the physician. Sun Ce looked on helplessly at his sworn brother as he too tried to process the untimely news in his head.
"I did all I could, my lords. But Lady Xiao has sustained many injuries that her body cannot keep up its healing process. She has lost a lot of blood too. It is most likely that she will...not live."
Sun Ce could hardly believe that the broken man before him was his best friend. The calm and collected Zhou Yu had always been the solid rock for the Wu foundation. Only Xiao Qiao seemed to be the only thing that could break him. And it did. The eldest Sun watched helplessly as Zhou Yu leaned against the wall as he rested his aching head in his left hand.
"Zhou Yu..."
"No pain will ever compare to this pain I am feeling now," Zhou Yu softly said, smoothly interrupting what Sun Ce was about to say, "Xiao...Xiao...why you? It should've been me..."
"Zhou Yu...I know that nothing I say will make you feel better...I would break apart too if the same happene to Da Qiao..."
"What am I to do now? Now I feel so useless. I should have been there for her. Kept a closer watch on her."
"Go to her."
Sun Ce winced to see the stern, stoic eyes now filled with pain and sadness when Zhou Yu faced him.
"She needs you now. What is done is done. I can hear her crying and calling for you," Sun Ce said softly.
"I do not think I can face her now. What if..."
"If you want, I will come with you," Sun Ce offered.
Zhou Yu looked at his best friend briefly before nodding his head gratefully.
"Yes...yes. That will be good. Thank you, my friend."
"Hey, that is what I am here for."
Da Qiao gazed at the girl in her arms. Xiao Qiao huddled as close to her sister's breast, tugging on her silk robes for closure and comfort. The older girl stroked her sister's hair gently like she did to her when they were children.
"Where are the others?"
"I think they still in their bed chambers. The war is taking a negative toll on us and on the Shu forces..."
"I am so sorry, jie jie..." Xiao Qiao whispered, feeling new tears rising, "I feel so weak...and tired...it still hurts."
"No, you are not," Da Qiao gently retaliated, wishing fervently in her heart that her sister would not suffer anymore.
"Where is Zhou Yu?" Xiao Qiao winced when she tried to sit up.
But Da Qiao immediately held onto her, "Don't move...save your strength..."
"I want to see him...before I go to sleep."
"I am here, my beloved..."
Da Qiao swerved her head round to Zhou Yu approaching towards the bed followed by Sun Ce. Xiao Qiao smiled happily at her husband's appearance and tried to reach for him.
"Zhou Yu..." she whispered sweetly, her pale face shining, "My lord...my love..."
"I am here, Xiao," Zhou Yu softly said as he moved closer, "Come to me, my little flower."
"Jie jie...no matter what happens to me, I just want to let you know that I love you," the younger girl said as she was maneuvered into her husband's arms, "You are the best sister I ever had."
"I know...I love you too, mei mei..." Da Qiao said tearfully before she was swept in Sun Ce's protective embrace and being pulled away. Her face contorted in anguish as her tears rolled down her cheeks, "Xiao...no...don't pull me away. My sister..."
"No..." Sun Ce said, shaking his head and pulling his wife back, turning to leave the room. He hugged her close and kissed her head when she struggled, "They need time alone...shhhh..."
Da Qiao broke down in her spouse's arms, hugging the man tight to her. All the while, Sun Ce made hushing sounds and he silently cried with her.
"But what about the others? You know how your sister is fond of her."
"We will do that later but right now," Sun Ce eyes softened at the sight of the couple before them, "This is their last moment together..."
"Oh, Xiao..." Zhou Yu shook his head with horrified disbelief at her heavily bandaged body, "What has the war done to you?"
"I know that I will never be beautiful for you again," Xiao Qiao said with sadness. Two new tear trails made their way down her cheeks.
"No, you will be forever be beautiful in my eyes," he said as he gently stroked her temples, "Oh, Xiao. How can you end up like this? Why did the take the blow for me?"
"I love you, my lord...I am your shield...I will never let a scratch bear your body..."
The young girl winced as she once again tried to sit up to scoot closer to her beloved. She coughed, feeling something roughly tickling her throat and her battered ribcage. Zhou Yu gasped and caught her in his arms. Sitting on the side of the bed, he gently positioned her so that she was laying against his muscled chest and that he was able to caress her head with his cheek.
"What are you trying to do?" Zhou Yu held her.
"I want to be closer to you," she said, nuzzling her cheek against his collarbone.
"But you will be in more pain."
Xiao Qiao shook her head gently, "Do not worry, Zhou Yu...I do not feel any pain."
Zhou Yu released a strained puff of breath he didn't know he held. He observed his youthful wife breathing soundlessly against his silk-clad front. When she tried to move again, Zhou Yu only held her tighter.
"It is because you are here...with me. You always take the pain away..." she confessed as she smiled sweetly up at him.
The young man's heart broke at the serene beauty in his arms. He loved that smile because it always made him smile back. But all he could manage was a weak grin as he struggled to hold back the flooding barrier of his tears at bay. He choked slightly when she coughed, seeing a thin trail of blood at the corner of her lip. He reached a hand to wipe it away, unable to bear the red liquid to stain her beauty.
"You always make feel safe. Your silence says it all...it comforts me," she continued after trying to control her labored breaths, "I love the way you hold and protect me."
"But you have to live, Xiao. You cannot leave me," Zhou Yu pleaded with whispers, cupping her petite face, "I need you."
The girl only shook her head, tears now fully visible on her pale cheeks, "I do not know how...I feel very tired..."
Zhou Yu closed his eyes as he pressed his lips to her forehead. As he did, the tears he held back flooded down his face. He sighed shakily when he pulled back.
"If only I knew how to truly love you," he said with deep remorse, regret and guilt as he delicately held her hand, "I would have healed your wounds with words of love. I should have been there to protect you as a loyal husband would. Why did not I act sooner?"
"Stop it..."
Zhou Yu was surprised to find an angry look in her tired eyes.
"I wish you do not blame yourself so much because it makes me feel sad that I cannot ease your suffering."
"I do love you. I just wish that I should have shown you more when I had the chance to."
Her eyes glittered as she placed her tiny hand on the man's smooth and tear-stained cheek. The angry glint in her eyes slowly softened to tender affection.
"I know that you always love me. I can tell from your eyes...they shine so brightly...and your smiles are so lovely..."
Zhou Yu's tears flowed even harder at her heartfelt words. His shiny eyes softened too as he pulled his wife even closer, cradling her fragile head on his shoulder underneath his strong chin. Xiao Qiao sighed with contentment, slowly reaching out to brush his arm.
"Please...continue to hold me...I feel cold."
Zhou Yu closed his eyes, feeling his heart breaking. It was the inevitable first sign of near-coming sleep of eternity. He complied to her request by wrapping the cool silk sheets around her and then settling to hold her in his arms. His hopes of seeing his wife well were slowly disintegrating. But he tried to smile as he tended to the precious bundle in his embrace.
"If only I had shown you how to live a hundred years, I would have want you to live forever with me," Zhou Yu said as he rocked her like a baby.
"But I cannot..."
As the young man concentrated on his frail wife in his arms, he vaguely noticed that he didn't hear the occasional rumblings of thunder and lightning. Instead, there was the sound of steady and soothing pitter and pattering of gentle rain against the roof and windows. Zhou Yu looked with wonder at the noticeable change in the girl's eyes. Half-closed and shining in a shade of crystallic amber in starlight, they were filled with a serenity he had rarely seen.
"I love the rain when it is like this," Xiao Qiao said as she drank in the soothing thrumming of the drizzle outside.
"I do not really like the rain..." Zhou Yu commented, "It brings back sad times..."
"To me, it reminds me of the times jie jie and I would play in the rain and get colds in the morning. Ma ma and pa pa were not too happy at that time," she smiled before her face turned serious, "You must not hate the rain...but you do not have to love it. It washes and purifies what is past."
Zhou Yu sighed and rubbed her back when he felt her tremble in her arms. He could the small lump in his throat forming. The signs weren't looking up. Her life force was diminishing each passing moment.
"Now...I have another reason to love the rain..." she said slowly, feeling more energy slowly drained from her wounded body, "You came to me...as you did just now...oh, Zhou Yu...I feel like I am blessed from heaven."
She cupped his cheek, trying to prop herself further up to kiss his cheek. But Zhou Yu did further. He leaned down and kissed her lips gently and softly. She pulled back abruptly when she felt another stab of pain attacking her chest.
"Zhou Yu!" she cried softly, her hands clutching her front.
"Xiao...shhhh," he hushed her, his other hand reaching out to grip her hand and giving it a light squeeze.
"Zhou Yu, has it stopped raining? Because...I can see a beautiful light...so bright like the sun..." her eyes shone, her hand squeezing her husband's. Zhou Yu sighed shakily, the rain outside still hadn't stopped. Her life force was no brighter than an ember yet she still remained calm and undisturbed, the pain of her wounds no longer dominating her senses.
"Xiao...can...can you see me?" Xiao Qiao shook her head, making his eyes water, "Oh, Xiao...you are already slipping away from me..."
"No, do not leave me just yet," the young girl pleaded, tightening her grip on her husband, "Please...not yet...you feel so warm. I feel at home when you are with me...do not go."
"Shhh...I'm not leaving you..."
Zhou Yu hushed her and kissed her forehead gently. He shivered as Xiao Qiao wriggled in his arms for more contact. With the back of his fingers, he gently traced her face before touching her eyelids that fluttered upon contact. He searched in her eyes, finding that she indeed couldn't see him any longer.
"Xiao..." he had never felt this dispirited in his life. He started to cry again. This time, his tears fell upon her cheeks.
Feeling the warm teardrops on her face, her heart sank, "Zhou Yu, do not cry for me...I do not feel any pain."
"I cannot help it," he choked, kissing her temples and her eyelids, "You have broken me..."
"Are you still here? I cannot see you now in this light..."
"Yes, I am, Xiao...shhhh..."
Now weeping silently, he could feel and hear her breaths becoming shorter and softer. The grip on his arms was losing its hold but he held her securely nevertheless.
"I never liked being alone...that is my greatest fear..." Xiao Qiao buried her face against his chest, inhaling the familiar scent that was uniquely Zhou Yu.
Xiao Qiao didn't know what was happening. While the pain in her body completely disappeared, she felt so warm and light. Not only that, she was becoming sleepier each passing moment.
"It is not so scary..." Xiao Qiao confessed, pulling her husband's arms as tightly as she could with her dwindling strength, "You always keep the darkness away...no wonder the darkness did not come..."
Zhou Yu said nothing as his tears overpowered his will to speak.
"Zhou Yu...I am glad that it is you by my side..."
Zhou Yu nodded and kissed her hair, bathing the silky tendrils with his tears.
"I am happy to have this last chance with you, Xiao. I will hold you. I am here," he soothed her with broken whispers.
His eyes took in the sight of his wife in his arms. It was a painful yet beautiful sight to behold. She looked so peaceful like Guan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy. It was a bittersweet feeling for the inwardly distraught man.
"Xiao...I will stay with you until you are sleeping..." Zhou Yu whispered with a soothing tenderness he held only for her.
"I feel...so..."
"Shhh...hush..."
Outside, the pitter and pattering of the rain slowly ceased to a light drizzle before dwindling to nothing. The sweet sounds of birds' songs filled the damp atmosphere from the rain. Zhou Yu looked to one of the windows to find the dark clouds dissipated by the soft piercing of the sun rays. They filtered through the window, casting the room in a surreal golden light.
"So...tired..." the girl whispered softly, her eyelids slowly closing.
"Xiao...I love you..." he whispered pathetically, knowing his words couldn't heal her now.
Her words were barely above a whisper, "I love you too...my lord...my husband...my...one...true...love..."
With a calm smile adorning her lips, her head slowly rolled heavily on his shoulder. The grip on his arms slowly loosened and fell onto her lap. He could no longer hear her breathe. Her fragile body became heavy and limp with lifelessness. He looked down upon her with a breaking heart. Her skin was still pale yet her cheeks contained a slight rosy shade.
"Xiao..." another wave of sadness pierced his suffering body, pinning straight to his soul.
The sun rays shone upon her, surrounding her in a heavenly aura fit for an angel. Heaven was indeed merciful upon the young girl. To suppress his impending urge to cry aloud, he bit his bottom lip and continued to cradle the lifeless girl. Pulling her head close to his shoulder, he cupped her face close. He bowed his head, his long silky black hair effectively veiling his sorrow written on his face. His bundle of innocence and happiness was gone and off to a better place. All that remained was the shell of a young courageous girl who had barely reached womanhood.
"May you sleep for eternity, Xiao," he whispered softly.
With a heavy heart followed by a depressing sigh, his brown eyes shed more tears. He didn't have the courage to voice out his sobs. He bent his head to shower feather light kisses on her forehead to her temples, her cheeks and a final one on her pale blue and cold lips.
"Zhou Yu..."
The man pulled his head up to find his best friend followed by his wife, the other Sun siblings and the other officers gathered near him. Everyone had more than pain and sadness written on their faces. Even the stoic Zhou Tai couldn't suppress the tears in his thin eagle eyes.
"She is gone..." Zhou Yu swallowed the lump in his throat and tried to hold his bravado on his tear-stained face, "She is off to a better place..."
Da Qiao let out a piercing scream as she flung herself on her sister's corpse. Shang Xiang sobbed against Sun Quan's chest as he held her close. The other officers either turned away or bowed their heads in mourning.
'I'm so lost...'
Zhou Yu felt numb to everything and everyone around him.
'So lost...'
The whole kingdom grieved for the loss of the younger Qiao sister. Her funeral was a beautiful one to remember for it was held on a sunny day to relieve the heavy pain inflicted by the loss. Zhou Yu, although emotionally unstable from the ordeal, made the funeral preparations to cremate her body and organize a burial ceremony in a large meadow not far from the capital instead of the Sun family mausoleum.
"I am positive she would feel happy here. She is more suited to be among the flowers and the sunshine..." Zhou Yu recalled what he had said when Shang Xiang asked about the location of the tombstone, "Her beauty should and will never be contained within stone walls..."
Zhou Yu stood at the edge of the meadow where he could see the snow white tombstone of his deceased beloved in the distance. He sighed when bittersweet memories surfaced as he took in the fresh air and scenic landscape. He would always bring her here whenever he was free from work and war campaigns where they would chase each other in the sunshine. And when he would rest, he would watch her pick flowers for him or reach out to butterflies and sparrows with a child-like innocence he found endearing.
"Hello, Xiao...it is me again..." he murmured as he strolled to his destination in the middle of the meadow.
He dropped to his knees onto the grassy ground when he was in front of the tombstone. It was made of white marble and was intricately carved with great craftsmanship and wonderful dexterity. The base was decorated with planted pink and white peonies. Several incense burners were located at several areas of the tombstone where the sweet scent of the sandalwood incense permeated with the outside fresh air. The final touches were Xiao Qiao's portrait embedded in the centre of the marble and her precious fans, each of them encased in glass.
"Oh, Xiao..." he reached out a hand and touched the spot on the portrait where her cheek was. His eyes softened with combined tenderness and sadness, "I hope you can still hear me even though you are so far away. It has been a whole month since you have gone to the West Heavens..."
The familiar pang of pain returned but he didn't have the energy to fight it. Instead a resigned and sorrowful look crossed his eyes.
"It has not been the same without you. It is too quiet...I wish I could see you smile and hear you laugh once again. Everyone is still trying to cope without you around. Da Qiao and Sun Shang Xiang still think of you. Huang Gai, Lu Meng, Taishi Chi and Zhou Tai aren't who they used to be but they really miss you, especially the way you annoyed them," he chuckled slightly, "Sun Ce and Sun Quan also miss your abrupt interruptions in their meetimgs. And...I notice that Lu Xun is dutifully paying respects to you...and Gan Ning, that rogue...he is not as rowdy as he used to be but he still laughs and mentions you a lot. And...guess what...we are starting a new alliance with Liu Bei and his forces. They shared our sorrows and sent their sympathies when they heard you were gone."
Without his knowledge, twin tear trails trickled down his cheeks. He sighed and stroked the smooth stone.
"I miss you so much...there are so many times I wanted to kill myself so that I can be with you. I even started to slit my wrist. It is so hard...I never felt so low in my life. That is when I thought my life was not worth living without you. But I was wrong. I cannot change what was past. Your sister pulled me out of it but I still could not stop hurting myself. I wish I could just see you one more time just to know that you are safe..."
His fingers lingered on his wife's portrait as his eyes filled with deep thought and longing. He looked up to find the sky darkening to a light grey. A light drizzle of rain ensued, slightly wetting his silk robes, hair and skin, cooling him down.
"I have to go back, Xiao...the others are probably wondering where I am...before I go, I have something for you..." reaching into his robes, he pulled out a trinket that looked like a jeweled hairpin shaped like a butterfly, matching the pattern on her fans. Gazing at it, he placed a kiss on the jewels and placed it on the small mantelpiece of the tombstone, "I want to give you your birthday present. Happy Birthday, my beloved Xiao..."
He then stood up, facing upwards into the sky. He sighed and spread his arms, feeling the cool droplets washing his handsome face. The cleansing droplets seemed to make his heart's burden lighten and the pain in his heart lessen...just slightly.
His eyes softened as he gazed upon his beloved's portrait, "Goodbye for now. I will visit you again when I am free..."
Turning his back to the tombstone, he strolled back to the direction of the Wu capital.
It was nighttime at the meadow when Xiao Qiao's soul slowly materialized in front of the tombstone. Her eyes brightened at the precious trinket on the mantelpiece. Recalling her husband's visit earlier that day, she gently took up the glittering hairpin.
"Oh Zhou Yu...I have to thank him."
Clutching the trinket close to her chest, she floated into the air like a butterfly and floated towards Jian Ye.
Zhou Yu shrugged off his top robes, leaving him in his baggy silk pants. He headed towards his desk and lit up the candles, basking the bedchambers in a warm and dim soothing light. Picking up the imperial documents, he sat down on the cushion and began reading them. Wiones free hand, he trailed it towards the underside of his desk where an ornate dagger was effectively hidden. He could reach for it easily if he was to be attacked by enemy spies and assassins. He felt assured when he felt the sharp blade and concentrated further in his task. He had to revise these important documents before presenting them to Sun Ce in their next campaign meeting.
"Huh?"
His eyes narrowed in suspicion when he felt an unfamiliar chill coming from behind...where his window was. He placed the documents soundlessly on the desk and reached for the dagger underneath the table. He gripped the crusted hilt tightly and waited. This time, a fierce gust of wind howled, drawing the curtains and extinguishing the candles. The room fell into darkness.
"Who are you?!" Zhou Yu shouted in his fighting stance and swiped the air for any solid being, "Show yourself!"
"No! Stop it! You are frightening me!"
Zhou Yu gasped and stiffened in disbelief. He knew that voice. It couldn't be...it couldn't be her. She's dead...she's dead! Would they stoop so low to break his defences with this degrading method?!
"Is this some kind of trick? I wouill not show you mercy! Show yourself, you coward!"
"I am not a coward!"
Suddenly a glowing apparition of a human form appeared in front of the man. Zhou Yu shielded his eyes from the sudden bright flash before he uncovered them. What he saw in front him made him drop his weapon in a stupor.
"Do you not recognize me?" the solidified apparition said sadly, "It is me. Your little flower...your Xiao."
"Xiao..." Zhou Yu whispered and reached out to her, "Is it really you?"
The spirit nodded and floated slowly towards him. When she was just centimeters before him, she stopped. Zhou Yu reached out a hesitant hand, the limb trembling with nerves. He was most shocked when he found that he could actually touch her. In return, the being giggled sadly, her eyes filled with love and longing.
"My lord...my love..."
"Xiao!"
The restraint to hold himself back was flung into the air. Without warning, he swept her in his arms and hugged her tightly. It fet strange holding her. It was as if he was embracing a pillar of sunshine...he couldn't feel her heartbeat...or the whole solidness of her beautiful body...but she was here...she was here with him...
"By Buddha...it is you...what are you doing here?"
"I wanted to see you again...a whole month is so long..." Xiao Qiao said, nuzzling her head against his neck, "I am so sorry...I never thought that I made all of you sad...especially you and jie jie..."
She pulled back and reached into her robes. In her cupped hand was the jeweled hairpin.
"Is that..."
"Thank you, Zhou Yu. It is really beautiful..." she said softly, "But I want you to put it on for me...before I leave."
She placed the pin into his hand, closing the distance. With trembling fingers, he took the trinket and reached for her silky locks. Finding her ponytail, he pinned it within the nest of soft curls but not before trailing the silky hair with his fingertips to savour its odd textures silkiness. He looked sad when he was finished with the task.
"Is this all you came for?" he asked softly.
Xiao Qiao shook her head, "I want to give you this."
Reaching for her left hand, she took out a single silver band from her ring finger. Zhou Yu knew that ring...he had bestowed it to her as one of the many gifts. Bringing it to her lips, she placed a kiss on it and placed it on her husband's open palm. She closed his fingers and held his fist gently. Zhou Yu shook his head.
"No...I cannot take it. It belongs to you."
"I do not want you to suffer anymore, Zhou Yu. Take it as a reminder of our meeting. That way, you will always know that I am by your side for all eternity. When you wake up tomorrow morning and see this, you will know that this is not a dream...come and visit me at my gravesite tomorrow, okay? You'll have to see how pretty I look with my new hairpin."
Another wave of tears broke through the barrier of his eyelids, "Xiao..."
"You will always be my true love and my only lord...you must keep on living...do it for me..." she leaned up and gently kissed his cheek, "I love you..."
Xiao Qiao stepped back and glowed brightly, transforming back into her ghostly form. Giving a smile at him, she disappeared in a gentle gust of wind.
"Xiao..."
Darkness welcomed him.
Zhou Yu woke up to the sweet chirping of the sparrows and the blinding light of the sun's rays filtering his bed chambers. Unconsciously he brought a fist up to eyes to shield his eyes. As he did, he felt something slip from his palm and fell onto the marble floor with a soft tinkle. He looked on the floor to find a simple, plain but glittering silver ring. At the sight of the piece of jewelry, the memories of the previous night jolted in his memory.
"Xiao..." he bent down and picked it up. The ring was too small to fit in his fingers, it was more fit for a girl. The handsome strategist's heart quickened in disbelief, "Her ring...it was real..."
Recalling what she said to him, Zhou Yu immediately grabbed his outer robes to cover his upper bare body before rushing out of the room, startling the blushing palace maidens and the other officers and generals going about their business. He sprinted out of the palace and headed to the fields where he visited his beloved's grave. He didn't care how disheveled he looked right now. He had to see for his eyes that all that happened the night before was no mere dream.
He fell onto his knees before the tombstone, gasping from the exerted sprint. He brushed his long locks behind his ear before glancing at the mantelpiece...the hairpin was gone...then he dared to glance at his wife's portrait. His breath caught upon seeing the trinket nestled in the amber locks.
"You came to me...you did come to me that night..."
Zhou Yu's eyes filled with tears and waited for the accompanying heartbreak. But the pain only arrived as a minor prick compared to the overwhelming tsunami he had felt through that month ago. Pressing the fist that held the silver treasure against his heaving chest, he could distinctly feel a trace of familiar loving warmth he hadn't felt since his beloved's departure to the afterlife.
'Xiao...'
He closed his wet eyes, envisioning his young wife smiling sweetly at him. He found himself smiling in return, finally realizing what her words meant. She hadn't really left him. She was with him as long as he cherished her memory and her love for him. He felt a gentle brush against his cheek. He opened his eyes to find a small white butterfly fluttering near him. It landed on his slender finger, displaying its pretty white wings before taking off into the air, heading towards the sun-filled sky.
"I love you, Xiao and I always will..."
Zhou Yu's new smile was filled peace and his tearful eyes were warm.
"Thank you for coming to me and showing me that life is still worth living...I will continue to live and fight for you until time will allow me to join you..."
The End
Author's notes updated on 14/7/2013: I hope this is not too bad. I made Zhou Yu feel better in the end, right? Don't get me wrong, I really love them. Please don't kill me just because I put death as the main theme in here. Ah before I forget, I might just have the inspiration to write a story based on Zhou Yu's death scene in Dynasty Warriors 7 with Xiao Qiao's reaction. Look to my profile and it should inform when the story will be posted (not now but probably later after my TAFE course).