Chapter 2: The War Of Mine

Cao Pi stood at his window watching as his fathers' injured troops come back limping along, some being carried by others from the invasion that they somehow lost. How in the great divine did they lose that area, Did Dong Zhou have a spy on their land to know when they were attacking? No, impossible, People in their sector would never do that to them, he watched as Zhang He limped to his father before dropping to his knees. "My lord, we were surprised by an attack, we knew that they would defend but not like this with those attacks. There was a surprise group, but they didn't just attack up. They were attacking them as well."

Cao Cao's eyebrows moved and furrowed as he looked at Zhang He as if wondering before Zhang He walked to him and handed him a small knife. "Cao Cao, I have not seen this before do you know what this is. It has your families symbol. But small like a young children hand or a female's hand, One of the Rogues handed this to me…and Told me to tell you, forgotten times bring painful memories? What does that mean?" He asked softly to him.

Cao Pi watched as his father held the knife in his hand and it shook a little while his face became pale before turning away and tucking it. "Pang de, send a letter Sima Yi and explain to him it is dreadfully needed for this meeting we will have to work on getting that land from Dong Zhou" He spoke calmly as he turned to look at the knife and put it away inside his kimono as he looked at Zhang He, "Do not worry about this, go rest your wounds and say hello to your beautiful wife, "He spoke not speaking of his wife like a lotus or mentioning her fair skin. Which was odd in its own, Cao pi followed his father while his father's nephew, Cousins and followed suit before they closed the doors inside of his fathers' meeting room, he sat down watching him closely as his father laid the knife down on the table and sit in his chair. "Father? Is something the matter?" Cao Pi spoke as he leaned against the wall watching him closely.

Xiahou Dun watched his cousin closely before turning his head Cao Xiu who was looking at Cao Cao closely. "You look like you have seen a ghost, Cousin." "I have, this knife that I haven't seen in so long appeared back in my hand, I had given this knife to someone a long time ago, an entertainer from different lands who I and many others across lands had fallen for. Even Pang De. "A bitter laugh came from him as his father opened a Sake bottle and began to pour something to drink.

"I fell hard for that woman and I wanted to marry her, but Men fought for her love and she was soft-spoken, brown ebony skin and white hair like a pure horse. Her laugh was soft and her eyes were beautiful that I could lose myself over and over again, Her beauty was one of a kind and Everyone wanted her, Her name was Xia and she would have been the lady of this land, Sima Yi saw her and fell for her before he was married, Pang De fell for her because she was not shy of the men around here, she took no problem fighting them or entertaining by dancing and singing for them, She was pregnant at the time with two girls who when she gave birth we all fell for as well for their beautiful eyes, she wouldn't tell us who the father was just that she was trying to stay away from him, cause he wanted her just for her beauty." He spoke slowly as he took a sip before staring down.

Xiahou dun looked at him and blinked. "Why is she not the lady if you love her so much." "Because I had her taken away from this land because we were at war, and when we went to get her back...The person who I entrusted to take her away kidnapped her from under our noses and ran away with her, Kidnapping her away from me." He spoke lowly.

_*Flash back*_

Xia giggled as she held her with two children in her arms watching the men watching the two-spar trying to make one of the girls stop crying, some reason her daughters loved watching the two people fight. "Ah, you're going to be little fighters, aren't you? Or you're going to be dancers for the men." She spoke giggling before seeing Cao Cao walk to her and greet her daughters first.
"Good morning Ray, good morning Mimi." He spoke gently before kneeling to them once before walking behind Xia and stroking her hair. "My Dark Lotus, this war is getting to close to home. I, Sima Yi, And Pang De want you to be taken somewhere safe with the girls," He spoke gently noting the pout on his sweets face.

"Don't pout, it doesn't go with your pretty face." He spoke softly and picked up Young Cynthia who was calmly staring at him and tilted her head once. "Your so calm, my little ice flower as well as you little Snow Lotus." He spoke softly to them before looking at Xia. "I promise once this war is over, I will come get you and I promise you. Things will be different he spoke as he noticed Xia looking far away.

"I hope Cao Cao, I know you will take care of me, both you and Pang De." She spoke softly almost sadly, Cao Cao leaned down and kissed her head gently before looking at her. "I will not Abandon you, My Dark Lotus, I will not stop loving you until my soul goes to the divines and gets lost up in the stars, but even that will not stop me from looking for you." He spoke softly to her as he stroked the side of her face in lightly as Pang De began to pick up the girls who squealed with joy.

Pang De grinned as he looked at the Black Lotus. "I'm going to show the two girls off for a bit Xia, I'll be back in a little while, Come on my beautiful ones." He spoke carrying them away before looked back at Xia with a big grin.

Xia watched him leave with her girls before looking back at Cao Cao who was watching her. "Promise me?" She asked softly needing that reassurance. "I promise, That I will come back for you and I will make the lady of this land and together we will raise my boys and your girls together as a family." He spoke gently as he watched her before getting up and taking her hand pulling her into his arms and kissed her head. "You are my lady and I will take care of you no matter what" He spoke softly as he saw her smile at him which warmed his heart like a gentle fire warmth.

_*flash back end*_

Cao Cao sat staring at the knife. "When she was leaving I gave her this knife, As a promise...I don't know what she has to do with the Rogues or why they had her knife. But if you find them capture one or all and bring them to me. I need to know where Xia is."He spoke slamming his hands on the table.

Cao Pi watched his father in shock before nodding slowly. "As you say, father. "He spoke looking at the others who were in shock, they needed to talk to Pang De, See what he knew they figured the Sake got into Cao Cao's system but they weren't sure yet, maybe it was his emotions in all of this. They all left the elder Cao to his drinking before leaving