Minor Fatigue
"My Lord, we are arriving at the grounds of Xia Pi now." Reported a nearby soldier within earshot.
"Excellent." Replied Cao Cao. Xiahou Dun often wondered about his cousin's decisions but he would follow him to the death if need be.
Tell me cousin, he thought, why assist a man like Liu Bei? Everyone in China knows that you two will one day become rivals. Cao Cao's army had been on a several-mile trek to assist Liu Bei on ridding Lu Bu of his control of Xia Pi castle. Lu Bu was a fearsome warrior but was an idiot when it came to politics and strategy. The only person that kept this weakness of his in check was Chen Gong but Cao Cao knew that Lu Bu's stubbornness would eventually force him to do as he wanted instead of listen to the strategist.
"Cousin." Xiahou Dun snapped his head up; startled that Cao had caught him daydreaming. "Please, it is late, you must get some rest before our siege of the castle." And Cao Cao showed Dun to his quarters but, like before all battles, Dun could not rest easily, he was too excited for the day that lay ahead.
Xiahou Dun twisted and turned in his bunk trying to get to sleep. He shut his eyes for several moments and tried to clear his thoughts but they would always end up on how he was going to fight the battle that was only hours away. He snapped his eyes open and decided that it was his full bladder that was keeping him awake. He knew it wasn't the case but he needed to give himself an excuse for walking around at night.
Once he found a suitable tree by which to do his business, he settled there and focused on the slightly lit, early morning horizon. Dun always thought that night was the time when he felt most comfortable, and now was his favorite time of day. The sun's rays had managed to find their way into the sky but night was not ready to give up its dominion of the heavens.
While he stared at the horizon, he thought sleep was finally creeping over him because he thought he saw floaters out of the corner of his eye. This was until he focused on the spec in his peripheral and it stayed. It seemed to be getting larger, he blinked several times to get a good look at it and it appeared to be moving. Then, the object soared just inches over his head, barely missing him. He was startled so much that he jerked and found himself lying in his tent staring at the ceiling. He was dreaming, he rolled on his side to fall back to sleep again but saw a figure of a man sitting at the foot of his bunk.
Dun leaped out of his bunk and drew his sword, "Who's there!" he demanded. The man then ignited a candle by what looked like a stroke of his hand revealing his face as someone unfamiliar to Dun.
He then pointed the tip of his blade inches from the stranger's face, "I'll ask you again, tell me your name!"
The man then stood up and replied, "Relax my friend, you will know in time when you are ready."
"What do you mean 'ready'?" asked Dun not budging his blade from the man's face.
"You do not want to know my name out of curiosity, you only wan to know it so you may have a reason to kill me as I am a stranger that has intruded on your sleep." Said the man.
"You're damn right!" said Dun still not moving his sword.
"Only when you want to know my name out of curiosity will you discover my identity." Said the man, "Until then, you may wonder..." And the man waved his hands around and transformed into a fearsome warrior that resembled a Lu Bu- type figure and swung his halberd at Dun.
Dun awoke again with a yell and drew his sword to stop the imaginary blow only to find himself looking at a frightened soldier that had apparently awoken Dun.
"Um… s-sir? L-Lord Cao Cao wishes to see you at th-the officer's table sir." Said the skittish soldier. Dun withdrew his sword, and rubbed his eyes.
"Alright I'll be right there." He replied with an annoyed tone in his voice. And the soldier immediately ran off.
Dun was then overcome with the fatigue that a bad night of sleep brought. He wanted more than anything to slump back under his blanket but he was more disciplined than that.
It was a dream! He thought, all of it! He had apparently hallucinated the entire ordeal but it felt so real to him, everything except the man changing his shape to resemble Lu Bu. He tried to forget it as he walked to the officer's tent but knew it would be on his mind for a while.
The generals discussed their plans and Dun did his best to pay attention. He heard something about a flood but only did he hear his name mentioned did he snap back to attention.
"Wha- what?" he said anxiously. The other generals were staring at him confused.
"Relax cousin, I was just saying that you were to be the front line force for the units converging towards the South." explained Cao Cao.
"Oh, okay carry on then." Said Dun followed by a yawn. Dun had already known this from a previous discussion.
"Cousin, did you get enough sleep?" asked Cao Cao.
"Yes, sort of, its nothing for you to be concerned about, carry on the discussion."
"Maybe a good breakfast will help before we go into battle."
"Cousin you know I never eat before a fight."
"Yes but maybe this once-"
"Ahem" interrupted one of Cao Cao's strategists, "I don't mean to intrude but this is a battle plan we are reviewing here, it is very vital."
"Yes, I apologize, please continue." Said Cao Cao. And the generals and strategists reviewed the plan more. Dun felt lucky in that all he was tasked to do was charge the South Gate and pull back when instructed.
He tried to rest his eyes for several moments but his thoughts rested on his dream from the previous night. His thoughts then turned into a repeat of the dream and was awoken in the same spot he was before when the warrior aimed a blow at him. He awoke again with gasp and was staring at his cousin who had awoken him.
"Cousin, are you sure you are ready for battle?" asked Cao.
"Please Cao, I have gone to war with worse, this is only some minor fatigue." Replied Dun.
"Alright, I trust you Dun. I will not expect anything short of your complete best out there." Dun stood up and put his fist and hand together in salute and bowed,
"Always for you, cousin." Cao returned the salute and left the tent. Dun soon followed but he still could not get his mind off of his dream.
Perhaps the chaos of war will help me forget it. Thought Dun and he packed his gear for the upcoming fight.
