Sadly, to say I do NOT own Dynasty Warriors 4 or any of it's characters.

I wrote this fic partly because I like the idea of this pairing and partly because I haven't seen this pair written about before. (^-^)

Unforeseen Love

Zhou Yu shaded his eyes from the harsh glare of the morning sun. He watched as the legion of men led by Sun Ce, become specks on the horizon. He stood outside the palace gates thinking silently to himself.

The early morning was undisturbed by the departure of the large army. His thoughts however were interrupted by the sound of hurried footsteps on the paved path. He then heard the vexed voice of a woman calling out to her young mistress.

"...Am I in time? ...Has he left?" The soft yet urgent voice struggled for breath. The speaker was evidently tired due to her fast running.

"Lady Qiao, what may I ask are you doing out here?" Zhou Yu smiled pleasantly at the young girl in front of him. She, apparently annoyed with the uncharacteristic humor by the man, pushed passed him and looked towards the golden horizon.

Finding nothing but the blinding sun, the young girl looked up at the smiling man. "...He... he didn't even say goodbye...!" Her downcast eyes became misty with tears. "He promised he would say goodbye..." She whispered to herself.

Zhou Yu gazed regretfully at the lovely young girl in front of him. "...Sun Ce would have liked to say goodbye...to you..." Zhou Yu trailed off after realizing the presence of the guard. He knew it was not proper of him to say the rest in front of her. Slowly, Da Qiao fell to the floor. Her mouth parted slightly in surprise and her eyes still sparkling, not letting a single tear fall. She was too proud for tears. She was not at all like her younger sister, Xiao Qiao.

Xiao Qiao whines and cries...She is vulnerable and childish. She is lively and innocent, with her big blue eyes. Aggressive and loud, with her small pink lips. Da Qiao dreams and doubts...She is strong and dedicated. She is beautiful and mature, with her luminous dark eyes. Bored and quiet, with her full red lips.

Zhou Yu took two steps towards the despondent girl, before realizing it was not his place to comfort her. The guard sensing his displacement quickly rushed to her lady's aid.

"Lady Qiao, let me bring you inside...it has been a trying day for you, already." The guard placed a comforting hand on her lady's shoulder.

"...Yes, th-thank you, Himiko." Da Qiao gradually stood up but never met the gaze of Zhou Yu or her guard.

Zhou Yu watched the young girl make her way sullenly into the palace gates. "...Sun Ce, what have you done?" His words laced with grief and anguish.

(-_-)

"...Lord Zhou Yu, please wait...our Lady is with company...!" A female guard spoke sternly to the advancing young man. She grabbed lightly at his arm, pleading with him to stop.

"I mean no harm but please, out of my way...!" He swung his arm away from the slight woman and made his way towards the chambers of Da Qiao.

"...Stop! I can not allow you any further, my Lord. Our Lady has given us strict orders...not to let anyone in. Even for you, we can not disobey her." A female guard with black, braided hair blocked the door from Zhou Yu. He recognized her from the other day; she was the woman who comforted Da Qiao.

"Himiko, I have something to give Lady Qiao. It is of great importance, a letter from her Lord Sun Ce. Now, please let me pass, Lady Qiao will understand." Zhou Yu spoke sincerely, smiling softly at the young girl.

Himiko gazed intently at the young man who stood before her. He was an exceptionally attractive man and she was having a hard time of telling him "no". "I also have the order of no men are allowed into Da Qiao's inner chambers. That is a direct order from our Lord Sun Ce."

Zhou Yu sighed heavily, remembering that order very well, for he, himself gave that same order to Xiao Qiao's guards. "My intentions of seeing Lady Qiao are of an honest nature. I give my honor on that." Himiko knew he was being truthful and could no longer bring herself to stand in his way.

"One moment and I will inform my Lady of your presence." She smiled before turning around and opening the door to her Lady's chambers.

"Lady Qiao, forgive me but Lord Zhou Yu requested for your company... His presence is of great importance. He brings a letter from your Lord Sun Ce." Himiko bowed deeply before looking at the Lady Qiao and her company.

"...Ah, well, please show him in." Da Qiao was a bit surprised at the company she was about to receive.

"Lady Qiao, pardon my intrusion..." He bowed lightly before speaking again. "May I ask for your company alone...?"

"...Yes, of course... Xiao Qiao?" Da Qiao looked warily at her younger sister. Xiao Qiao smiled reassuringly, understanding the situation completely. It had been a week since she last saw her older sister smile. Xiao Qiao knew this letter was entrusted to her husband to give to Da Qiao for a reason. She wanted to see her sister happy, to be returned to her beautiful state of contentment that she didn't mind if she was not present during this meeting.

Zhou Yu took his wife's hands in his and smiled warmly, before allowing her to leave. Himiko immediately closed the door behind them.

"You have a letter from my husband?" Da Qiao asked, quietly. There was a tranquility in her voice that Zhou Yu did not expect under the circumstances.

"...Yes, I do." He looked at the beautiful girl that stood before him. Her soft, delicate features were very alluring to him. She had a certain eloquence and beauty that his own wife did not possess. Her sleek, slender figure was already maturing into that of a young woman. Her luminous eyes were hauntingly beautiful.

"...Where is the letter?" The young girl had become uncomfortable in the silence that had settled between them. She also found the young man's steady gaze unnerving.

"Lady Qiao, please forgive me for what I am about to tell you..." Zhou Yu let his gaze fall from her face to the intricate pattern weaved into a small rug placed upon the floor. He suddenly felt guilty and very foolish.

"...Lord Zhou Yu, whatever it is, you have my word that I will forgive you." She looked calmly at the man that stood before her. He was very handsome...no beautiful was more like it. He was slightly feminine in his looks but very masculine in his manner. He had soft eyes, a striking smile and a gorgeous face. She found herself slightly fascinated by this man.

"Sun Ce gave me this letter, the day of his departure. He told me to present it to you, when you were aware of his leave. I had thought it would have taken at least a day before you knew he was gone. But when you came running out of the palace gates that day, I could not bring myself to give you this letter...I knew it would only bring you more pain..." Zhou Yu looked despondently at the girl, truly grieved by his words and deeds.

"...I already knew he was leaving that day...the night before he left, he came to my chambers..." She blushed slightly at what she just revealed to Zhou Yu. "He told me he would be gone for many months and that I could not go with him this time. He promised me though, that before he left he would say goodbye. But he broke that promise...he left without saying goodbye... Instead of fulfilling that promise he leaves me a letter?" Tears filled the corner of her eyes, lifting her mask of harmony. The burning, wet tears fell slowly down her face before rushing past her cheeks, to her lips. The hot tears brought no comfort to her flushed face.

Zhou Yu, not caring if it was proper or not, embraced the girl tightly. She fervently welcomed the comfort of his arms around her small shoulders. The young girl pressed her face deeper into the folds of his silk robes. Blissfully she fell into the world of comfort he brought. "...It is time you cried for him...leave behind your pride and cry..." He whispered soothingly to the girl he held in his arms.

For a long time, he listened to the bitter cries of despair and sorrow, before they gradually waned into whimpers of longing and denial. Zhou Yu felt the girl stir in his arms and knew it was time to release her. His arms fell from her shoulders, down to his sides. "Would you like to read the letter?"

"...Thank you..." The small, weak reply came from Da Qiao. She looked up at the man that had comforted her like no one else had. "But that isn't necessary.... I would much rather like to know what Sun Ce said to you that day..."

"...Sun Ce made me promise him, to watch over you..." Zhou Yu said slowly, not understanding why the girl did not want to know what was written in the letter.

"Oh...and do you intend to keep that promise?" She asked, gazing up at him intensely. She gave him an unreadable look.

"...I gave him my word." Zhou Yu replied, truthfully.

"...What else did he say? Or should I ask what more did you promise?" Her questions were laced with mischief.

"He told me that he wanted you to be happy...If there was anything I could do to make you happy that I should make it possible. He also said for me to tell you he was sorry." He smiled warmly at Da Qiao, hoping she would forgive Sun Ce for his mistakes.

"...He would have someone else tell me he is sorry! ...I on the other hand, already knew he was a sorry man." Her eyes became clouded with anger.

"...You don't think he means it? He has told me so much about his feelings and concerns. I felt his pai..." Zhou Yu was cut off by a wave of her hand. Her beautiful face was twisted into a look of disgust.

"No more! I'll listen to no more...I've heard enough, for tonight. Come back when you have the truth for me, for I can stand no more of his lies."

"They are not lies..." Zhou Yu, tried to make her understand.

"Do you want to keep your promises to him about watching over me and making me happy?" She asked, abruptly.

"Yes, I do..."

"Then listen to what I have to say... I want to talk to you. I want to be able to tell you things... My own feelings and concerns... Since Sun Ce, found it in himself to tell you his, I want to as well... Will you come to me?" She was pleading with him... pleading with him to care for her.

"...Lady Qiao, I will if that is what you want..." Their eyes met and remained locked together.

"No! I don't want you to come if you are only coming for my sake... I want you to come because... you.... want to..." Her gaze shyly fell from his to the floor.

Zhou Yu finally began to understand what she was asking of him. She was asking him to be her friend. She wanted him to be something of a confidant to her. Da Qiao was envious of his friendship with Sun Ce. "...Lady Qiao, I would be honored to be in your company more often." He smiled warmly at the uncertain girl.

"...Thank you!" The young girl threw her arms around his waist and hugged him, tenderly. She was overjoyed that she would see Zhou Yu more often now.

"Yes, well, I will be back tomorrow night...But now I must take my leave..." He said, feeling slightly uncomfortable in what he had just committed himself to. He slowly backed away from the girl and bowed before taking his leave.

Outside her doors, he found himself blushing from the looks he was receiving from Da Qiao's guards. Apparently they knew something he didn't or understood something he could not comprehend.

(*_-)

So...I may write another chapter or two, because this one just didn't get my point across. But I need/want to know what people think about it. Please review...PLEASE?