Angels Tears

"Ning are you ready?" Sun Quan asked while he packed the carriage.

" I was born ready, but tell me again why we have to meet the great lord of the cows?" Gan Ning said seriously.

" Cao Cao has supplies we need and we need to negotiate prices."

" Whatever well lets get to it then!"

'"Are we there yet?" Gan Ning said impatiently.

'"Dude" Quan said, "that is the hundredth time you've asked me that and the answer is always N-"

'"My lord we have arrived" the driver said as he stopped the carriage.

"Its always yes?" Gan Ning said smiling.

Quan gave him an angry look and marched into the castle.

Inside the dining hall lay a large table almost as big as the room. The walls where red, dusted with orange, and on them lay showcase swords and shields. At the head of the table sat Cao Cao on the left of him Cao Pi and on the right Dian Wei..

Quan sat down next to Dian Wei while Gan Ning sat beside Cao Pi.

" I'm glad you've made it here safely." Cao Cao said with a slight disappointment.

" Yes our journey was a success." said Quan

Cao Cao clapped his hands and out came a beautiful girl dressed in rags that did not compliment her. Her hair was neatly braided in two and had a clip to keep it in place. She laid down five glasses of wine and stood by the wall.

"Thank you Da Qiao." he said with obvious affection for her. Then he clapped his hands a second time.

Another beautiful girl came out with bowls of dim sum. She looked younger than the other one but they did look a lot alike, except for the younger girls body was covered in cuts and bruises. Her ankle had a bandage around it. Gan Ning looked at Cao Cao with disappointed eyes. How could he let someone beat her so badly?

The girl limped because of her ankle and that made her clumsy. She tripped over her own feet and spilled all of the soup.

" Stupid Girl!" Cao Cao roared, "You aren't good at anything!" He walked toward her and kicked her in the stomach, while she let out a painful scream.

'Stop!' Gan Ning said as he pulled out his sword and placed it on Cao Caos throat. 'do it again and I'll kill you!'

'Leave.' said Cao Cao.

'Give me the girl and I will.'

Cao Caos face twisted in anger.

' Seize him!' he shouted at Dian Wei.

"Like hell you will!" Ning yelled. Dian Wei jumps from his chair and charges at Gan Ning intending to hit him head on. Seeing the charge, Ning drops his sword and balls up his fist, drawing every ounce of strength he could, struck out with a punch. Dian Wei falls back but soon retaliates, and tackles Ning. Dian Wei took Gan Nings arms and dragged him out of the hall, Ning struggling all the way. The girl and him locked eyes all through it.

"What are you doing?" Shouted Quan.

" We will keep him as our prisoner until further notice. We will send a messenger about whether or not it is safe to release him and how much it will cost." Cao Pi said calmly.

"What? No way! He is my officer! I demand you release him!"

"I am sorry lord Sun Quan, but the time has come for you to leave us. Have a nice day."

" I will be back. And not to negotiate."

It was nighttime in the prison. The hall outside his cell was lined with torches that were lit. Ning was laying on the bed in his cell when he heard someone open and close the jail door.

" Hi." the girl that he had tried to help said.

Gan Ning got up and moved to the cell bar doors where she sat.

"Hi." He said.

" You shouldn't have done that." She said.

"Done what?"

"Try to help me"

"Why?"

"Now your stuck here like me." She said sadly.

" Hmph, I think he beat you more that enough." He looked at her and said, "Names Ning, yours?"

"Xiao Qiao"

"So Xiao Qiao how did you get here?"

She hesitated and then said. "Me and my sister Da Qiao were riding horses one day when suddenly men wearing blue ambushed us and killed our guards we were taken here as slaves, but when Cao Cao saw us he wanted us for himself." She stood up and twirled around so her back was facing him. " I am the second wife of Lord Cao Cao."

Gan Ning was shocked. " So that's why he got so mad when I insisted you come with me. Xiao Qiao I promise I will get you out of here."

Xiao spun around and looked at him, he could clearly see the bruise on her cheek. " How do you suppose you do that its impossible! I have been here for two years and have been caught every time I have tried. Now he orders his guards to do whatever they please with me if they find me attempting to!."

Gan Nings head shot up.

" Whatever they want?"

She sat down and looked at the ground. "Anything."

Gan Ning was furious, what a pig Cao Cao was! She couldn't be any older than 18!

"Xiao, I have men at Wu that will help, I swear that if it's the last thing I do I will get you and your sister out of here."

Xiao felt something that she hadn't felt in a long time - comfort. She felt like she had known this man for years. She took the keys from her robe that she stole from the jailor while he was asleep and unlocked the door.

Xiao couldn't help it. She wrapped her arms around his waist and she cried. Ning comforted her and murmured words of encouragement to her, and there they sat all night long.

Xiao woke in Nings arms. She jumped and looked at the sun. It was 7:00 a.m. She panicked and quickly ran out the door. Ning woke through all the ruckus and shouted, " Hey, where you goin?"

"I'm late."

" For what"

"Hell"