A/N

It's update time!

There will be a diary entry from Da in here somewhere hopefully. I hoped you liked the filler!

xxx

Da didn't know how long they were on the road. She would guess about four or five days. She didn't even know why she was thinking this at the moment, she and Zhang He had stopped a few minutes ago, He's injuries had been bothering him some.

Da was slightly irritated at their slow progress, but decided not to comment as she braided Zhang He's hair.

Da had come to love touching the man's hair. She did it when ever she had a chance, when she was helping him clean his wounds, when she handed him his food. But most times it was just as it was now. With Zhang He's head resting in her lap, hair fanned out behind him. And he never closed his eyes; he just stared at her as though she was some interesting puzzle he was trying to figure out.

Da liked this attention. He gave her something Sun Ce and even Zhou Yu could not give her, he gave her the unwavering attention that Da knew she deserved.

"What are you thinking of?" Zhang He asked brown eyes staring intently, waiting for an answer. Da debated what to say and how to say it. After a small silence she opened her mouth.

"I was just thinking of how much I have come to enjoy the feel of your hair." She didn't blush, it ruined her appearance and Da would not have that, "And I was thinking of Xiao. Well not Xiao really, more about how glad I am to be rid of her. And then I thought some of Lord Zhou Yu. I have been missing him." She bent her head, looking down upon the butterfly general.

Zhang He nodded to the best of his ability seeing as his head was still in Da's possession. He didn't know if he liked Da talking about her lover and he found himself very angry. The feeling was soon lost as Da began again to speak.

"But just so I was also thinking of that fool Lord Sun Ce. Not once did he suspect something to be wrong. I could have dangled Zhou Yu naked in front of his face and that man would never have understood." Da's voice was nasty and her face was contorted with disgust as she recalled her husband.

Zhang He was struck with a strong admiration. She must have worked very hard to keep her true feelings hidden.

"He wasn't the smartest man no. But I don't think you should underestimate him either. Men hold a lot of power in this world."

"What is this He? Siding with my husband now? I'll have you know women are the ones who truly hold the power in this world, you men have absolutely nothing to do with it." Da hissed, anger dripping from her voice. "And you should not underestimate me; I know how to take care of myself."

Zhang He laughed slightly at her expression.

"I don't underestimate you either Da."

Da sighed anger floating away. "Fine, I forgive you for your impertinence. At any rate, we need to be leaving now."

Zhang He nodded still smiling, but inside he was crushed, for just a moment there Da had sounded just as she did when she talked about Xiao or Sun Ce. Only this time it was directed towards him.

xxx

Zhou Yu was tired and dirty. He had been trailing the two for four and a half days now. He knew that everything Da was doing and saying was just to further convince Zhang He of her treason, but it tore at his heart to see his Da speaking so vulgarly. It was unbecoming of her.

But what must be done must be done and Zhou Yu had done his fair share of spying on the enemy.

"Oh Da, how it pains me to see such ugly words falling from such a beautiful mouth."

Zhou Yu didn't know what it was about this woman. She was so quiet and sweet. She probably didn't even know what it was like to have a temper. And she was the exact opposite of Xiao who with her outgoing personality sometimes became too much for him to handle.

Zhou Yu was too lost in his thoughts to watch where he was going and without warning there came a drop off in the path he was following. He fell heavily down the hill side crashing into bushes and rocks as he went. He cursed quietly hoping that the two hadn't heard his rather ungraceful fall.

It was a vain hope.

"Did you hear that Da? I think someone's following us." The sound of metal sliding out of a sheath echoed through the forest and Zhou Yu knew he was done for, there was no where to hide and the sounds of Da and He approaching were becoming rapidly clearer.

xxx

Lu Xun saw his Zhou Yu as he fell out of sight. He heard the commotion as he tumbled down the hillside. He also heard the voices of Da and Zhang He. It seemed to him that there was no other option than to revel himself. He didn't know what they would do if they found Lord Zhou Yu trailing them.

He quickly made his way down the side of the hill which he still couldn't figure out how Zhou Yu had managed to fall down the thing in the first place, and searched quickly for his love.

"Where are you? Aha." Lu Xun spotted a bit of red silk peeking out from behind some trees and brush. If Lu Xun didn't hurry, Da and Zhang He would find him. He quietly slipped down the hillside boots sliding a bit of the leaves. When he was close enough to be heard by Zhou Yu he frantically whispered his name.

"Lord Zhou Yu!"

Zhou Yu's head snapped around a brief look of terror embedded in his eyes before he recognized who he was looking at.

"Lu Xun?! What are you doing here?" Yu hissed flipping over onto his stomach and crawling towards the young strategist. This was a mind boggling turn of events. Zhou Yu had been sure he would be found out. But now he finds his protégé following him through the woods? How very strange.

Lu Xun turned red at Zhou Yu's simple, innocent question. There was no way that Lu Xun would expose the intimate details of his reasoning to the man they were about.

"No time my Lord; we have to get out of here."

Zhou Yu nodded his understanding and the two quickly made their way back up the slippery slope. They did not stop until they could no longer hear the sounds of their pursuit.

When they reached Zhou Yu's craftily hidden camp the older man could no longer contain his curiosity.

"So Lu Xun. Why are you here?"

xxx

August 24

Interestingly enough there was quite the commotion in the woods today. Zhang He and I had just had our conversation and were planning to leave when a noise erupted in the forest. It sounded suspiciously like a person falling down the hill. Curious. But when He and I went to discover the source, no one seemed to be there though certainly there was evidence supporting that some one had been.

But enough of that. I have found, to my general astonishment that I seem to be feeling an emotion, best known as jealousy towards Zhang He. Preposterous of course! I am too beautiful and intelligent to feel such a petty emotion though many would beg to differ. A man once commented towards my person, that the animosity I feel towards my sister is actually jealousy in disguise. A silly idea, I merely cannot stand to be around such a simpleton, let alone have such an ugly unintelligent bore as my very sister. It is disgusting.

But I am not jealous. Especially not of a man. Yes he has beautiful dark hair, and flawless skin. But so do I. More so than anyone else.

It is almost time for us to continue our journey, I shall write soon.

-Da Qiao

xxx

A/N

So, just to let you know, I have a very specific plan on where this story is going to go. A heads up for the next few chapters, yes Da will get what is coming to her, someone is going to die very soon and someone will completely lose their mind. There's for keeping you guessing. Have fun kiddos and happy early Christmas, if you celebrate it, and happy whatever you celebrate if you don't.