Author's Note: Hey everyone! Sorry for making you guys wait for this chapter, I was very busy with school, so please, have mercy. I want to thank all of you who reviewed! You guys are the best. Hrm, I've decided that I am going to make the chapters a little bit more shorter, so yeah. So here it is, Chapter 10! Wow, I finally made it into the two-digit numbers. Hehe. I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Dynasty Warriors, I know, some of you are in a state of shock right now, but hey, it's the truth.

Warning: This is no warning for this chapter, so it's pretty much safe for all to read.

"General Xun, General Ce is ready for the enemy in the center, while General Ning has moved his men to defend the left flank, and while General Tong has moved his men to defend the right." A soldier had reported to me.

"Very good, let the Generals know that we will not engage the enemy in an aggressive assault, they are planning to do that. We must stay on the defensive!" I gave the order.

'I hope Ping has made it safely back home.' I sigh to myself. I miss him terribly. At least, he will be happy with his friends and family.

"Uhm, Xun, have you seen my sister, Da around? I just can't seem to find her anywhere!" A very worried Xiao said.

"Oh, Da is…running an errand for me, but she should be back soon. When she comes back, I'll let her know that you're looking for her." I gave her a smile.

"Oh, thanks so much, Xun!" She gave a cheerful smile, and left me in my thoughts.

"Ping…"

---

"Xing Cai…" I began. I have to tell her the truth. I know I can trust Xing Cai.

"Yes, Ping.?"

"I-I love him."

"Oh, Ping. The two of you have caused such a dilemma, and you two are only going to make it worse. Shu and Wu will not accept this too lightly, Ping." She grew concerned.

"I-I know, Xing Cai. But, it doesn't change the fact that I love him, and that…he loves me." I say confidently.

"I believe you, Ping, and I want you to know that I will always support you in anything you do." She gave me hug, to show her affection.

"You have me, as well, Ping." Lady Qiao encouraged.

"Thank you." I said sincerely.

"B-But Ping, why have you come here if both you and Xun love eachother?" Xing Cai asked.

"Oh, well…" I started to feel depressed again.

"After we got the news that Shu had declared war on Wu, Xun thought that it would be best if he'd let Ping go, so that he can be happy here, with his family and friends." Lady Qiao informed Xing Cai.

"He's such an idiot." I huffed.

"Well, he made the right decision, Ping." Xing Cai reasoned.

"Doesn't he see that I'd be most happy with him?" I questioned filled with sorrow.

Xing Cai sighed, "Then why don't you go back to him?"

"I-I want to, more than anything, Xing Cai."

"Then, go."

"But, I just can't leave my home. I just can't leave my friends, my family, and everyone I care about. You know that, Xing Cai."

"You said it yourself, Ping, that you'd be most happy with him."

"Y-Yes, I would."

"Then go, your secret is safe with me. You know that you can trust me, Ping." She said sincerely.

I smiled, "Y-You're right, Xing Cai, thank you, for everything!" I gave her a bone-crushing bear hug of my own. "I love you, Xing Cai!"

"I-I l-love you t-too, Ping!" She tried to say between her breath.

After awhile, I let go of my grasp, and was ready to make my leave.

"Lady Qiao, I guess we're going back afterall." I announced to Lady Qiao.

She smiled, "Xun should be very surprised." She then giggled.

Lady Qiao and I began to make our way out of Xing Cai's tent, before Xing Cai interrupted, "Ping…"

I turned around to hear what she had to say.

"Promise me you'll write me once in awhile, ok?" She said, rather sadly.

"Of course, Xing Cai, I promise." And with that, I left my dear sister's tent, and started to head back to Wu.

---

"Xun, are the preparations ready yet?" Lord Quan hastily entered my tent.

"Lord Quan, yes, preparations are ready." I bow as I acknowledged is presence.

"Good…" Lord Quan began to walk at a brisk pace, back and forth in front of me. He looked upset about something. 'But what?'

"Xun…where is the captive?" I tensed at the question as he was referring to Ping. "My soldiers have notice that he is nowhere to be found, they have been searching everywhere."

"Ah, yes…" I began as I turned around to pretend like I was busy devising strategies. I would have to tell him the truth. "Well, this morning, I decided to release him." I bluntly said, as if it were nothing at all.

"You what?.!" Lord Quan ceased his pacing.

I flinched from his outburst, this wasn't going to be too good.

I turned around to find a very outraged Lord Quan, "Since I was the captive's master, I decided to release him."

"For what? Explain yourself, Xun!" Lord Quan demanded.

"-I no longer needed him as my slave. He fulfilled his purpose." I made up a quick little lie. 'Hoorah! Nice save there! Now Lord Quan can't object to that.' I silently praised myself.

Lord Quan just scoffed, "You had his sympathy! This is just like you, Xun, you're too soft!" Lord Quan was furious.

His words hurt, because they were true.

"Da Qiao has been missing as well, is she apart of this too?"

I tensed again, "-Yes, I requested that she safely take Ping back to Shu."

"Do you know what you have just done?" Lord Quan started, "You've just lost Wu's leverage in this battle!"

I tensed at the realization.

"If we had the captive, we could have developed a temporary cease fire with Shu! We could have avoided this whole battle, but now that you've taken this option away…we'll have no choice but to fight. Many people will die again, today…and it will all be your fault, Xun." Lord Quan said with much disdain. "Know this, Xun. If I ever find him again, I will make sure that he gets a "decent" master next time. Then he can realize how a real slave should act and behave. He will be away from you and that pesky woman!" And with that, Lord Quan left my tent as quickly as he had entered it.

"-What have I done?" I asked myself, as tears began to fall down my face.

---

Lady Qiao and I sat mounted on our horse, atop a hill, overseeing the battlefield.

"Ping, they're about to start, look there!" Lady Qiao said as she pointed to the Shu Generals calmly heading to meet the enemy Wu generals. Shu, being the peaceful empire that we are, have adopted a custom where before a battle, the Shu Generals would first meet up with the enemy's Generals to see if they can make a last effort and agree for peace. Our strategist, Zhuge Liang, detested war especially when thousands of lives would be lost, so he required that we do this before every battle as a sign of courtesy to our enemy and hope that we could avoid losing anymore casualties.

"Lady Qiao, we must get to Xun, but we can't be seen." I said finally as I pulled up the hood of my cloak.

Lady Qiao agreed and pulled up her hood as well.

We rode downhill, ever so cautiously. We rode around the battlefield and headed toward Wu's main camp.

A few minutes later, we successfully arrived at Wu's main camp. We dismounted and started looking for Xun.

"There!" Lady Qiao found Xun and pointed to him. He was walking toward the middle of the battlefield where the rest of the Generals were meeting.

"X-Xun!" I couldn't contain my excitement, I bolted after him. Just before I caught up to him, Xun turned around after hearing someone running from behind him. He was fast enough to react. I tackled him to the ground, hugging him with all my might.

"-Ping! Wha-what…You're back!" Xun said in shock.

I gave him a big smile, but it quickly faded as Xun shocked expression changed to one of horror.

"X-Xun?" I began to worry.

"No, y-you shouldn't have came back. Ping, you idiot!" Xun was in utter dismay.

"There, seize him!" Two soldiers came up as they spotted me.

"W-What? N-No, Xun!" I panicked.

"-Ping!" Xun quickly got up and took his daggers in hand, ready to protect me. "Release him, or I will kill you!" Xun said furiously.

The two soldiers faltered, each one of them took hold of my arms. "S-Sorry, Lord X-Xun, but we have been ordered that if we are to spot the captive, we are to immediately take him to Lord Quan."

"Damn!" Xun cursed.

It was hopeless, Xun couldn't do anything. The two soldiers began to lead me to where Lord Quan was meeting the Shu Generals. Both Xun and Lady Qiao followed.

"Lord Quan!" The two soldiers caught their emperor's attention.

Lord Quan looked back, and realizing who it was, he smirked. "Ah, very good." He looked at me, then at Xun and gave both of us a sneering smirk.

"Quan!" Lord Liu Bei had called out as he and the rest of the Shu Generals lined up ready to face the Wu Generals.

"Ah, Liu Bei, I am honored to be graced by your presence." Lord Quan bowed half-heartedly as he and the rest of the Wu Generals met up with the enemy's.

There they stood, every Shu General (except for me, since I have been captured…yet again) lined up on one side and on the other side, stood every Wu General forming a line parallel to that of their enemy's. The Generals each looked at their enemy, some scoffed.

"As a custom of Shu, we are to try and reach an agreement before we are to use military force." Lord Zhuge Liang began.

"Ah, yes, I am aware of this. So, what do you have in mind Liu Bei?" Lord Quan questioned.

"You are to surrender at once, if you do not, we will crush Wu right now!" I was surprised to see Lord Liu Bei so hasty and hateful. He must have been furious when he found out…my father died. I sighed.

Lord Quan just chuckled, "I don't think you see the position that you're in, Liu Bei."

---

I sighed to myself, "How unfortunate," then thought to myself, "it seems we must fight yet another war."

"Hrmm," A very low voice grunted from beside me.

'Wu's very strong too, this isn't going to be easy.' I sighed, yet again.

I began to survey the officers, I recognized a lot of them, and their talents. I went down the line, until I spotted someone I didn't expect to see from behind the line of Wu Generals.

"Well, would you look at that." I smiled to myself. "Hey Yan, take a good look will you?"

A bit confused, General Wei Yan began to survey the Wu Generals as well.

"See anyone familiar?" I whispered.

General Wei Yan kept searching, until his eyes fell onto the person in subject, "Hrm, Yes." Was all he said.

"I hoped I wasn't seeing things, that wouldn't be too good, now would it?" I sighed a third time, I decided to bring this subject up in the conversation. "Please, excuse my rude interruptions, my Lords." I began as the arguing stopped, and all eyes were set on me.

"Is there something wrong, General Tong." Lord Liang replied.

"No, no, not at all, Lord Liang." I smiled sheepishly.

"Then what is it?" Lord Sun Quan retaliated.

"Just a quick question, if you don't mind, Lord Quan."

He said nothing, so I continued.

"-Would you please mind telling us…what you're doing with our young friend there?" I asked as I pointed to the seized General Ping from behind the Wu Generals. Everyone's eyes turned to the person I was pointing to.

"I-Is that?" General Yun questioned.

"I-Impossible!" General Chao exclaimed.

"Oh my…" Lady Ying started.

"Well I'll be." General Liang stated.

"So, the young lad's alive after all!" General Fei chuckled.

---

'Ping! W-What happened?' I asked, very confused. 'You were supposed to be unseen.' I grew worried for my brother.

---

"Ah, how observant your Generals are, Liu Bei." I chuckled.

"You see, back in the battle at Fan Castle, after we had defeated your army, and slew your Great General, we found this one, alone and heartbroken." I laughed coldly. "He has been ours ever since."

"Yours?" Liu Bei questioned.

"-Why, he is Wu's Slave." I grinned

You could here the Shu Generals scoff and gasp from surprise.

"That's unheard of, Sun Quan!" Liu Bei said, shocked.

I just chuckled at the remark.

"To give shame and dishonor, to such a courageous General…that's low, even for Wu." Liu Bei protested detestably.

I couldn't help but laugh, "Is it now? Well, what you think doesn't matter to Wu. Now that you know the kind of position your in, I think you have no choice but to agree to our demands, don't you?" I smirked.

Liu Bei spat, "What are your terms?"

"Well, if you don't want your dear friend to die, I'd advise that you leave here and agree to a permanent cease fire with Wu."

"How do we know that Guan Ping will be safe with you?" Liu Bei asked.

"Hrm, I see that that could be a problem." I began to ponder. "Ah, very well then. We shall make a trade-off."

"A trade off?" The Shu Strategist was intrigued.

"Yes, as collateral, I will offer to give you a General of my own."

My officers were a bit taken aback from my decision.

"Quan, what are you thinking?" My dear brother said worriedly.

"Don't worry, brother, Shu is too soft, they will not treat an enemy general with such indignity." I whispered.

"But brother, who?"

"Ah yes, lets see here…ah! Liu Bei, I shall give you Lady Da Qiao." I smirked.

My generals were shocked at my decision.

"-Me, Lord Quan?" Da asked.

"What?.! No, not my sis!" Xiao Qiao protested as she ran beside her big sister to hold her in a tight embrace.

"Do we have a deal, Liu Bei?" I ignored Xiao Qiao's useless pleas.

"My lord, I must advise to accept this proposition." Zhuge Liang suggested.

Liu Bei scoffed, "Fine! But remember this Sun Quan: because of your wickedness, you'll lose your head one day…just know that I will be the one to cut it off!"

Without saying another word, Liu Bei left. Two Shu soldiers came to seize Da Qiao, leaving a hysteric Xiao behind.

---

"Oh Lady Qiao, I know you'll be safe." I reassured myself, my friends would never disgrace another officer.

"Now…as for your punishment," Lord Quan turned around and began his judgment. "I have decided that Lu Xun is no longer a suitable master for you."

I tensed, then looked up at Lord Quan in shock.

"B-But Lord Quan!" Xun protested.

"Silence, Lu Xun. I have no need of your "wisdom" right now."

Xun kept quite, I saw him clench his fists.

"But, who? I must find you a suitable master who will treat you as a slave should be treated."

I tensed again.

"Then I guess that makes me the most suitable master for the slave." Someone had suggested.

"Ah yes, General Ning, you will make a perfect master. Please, do with him as you wish."

'N-No! N-Not him!' The realization hit me, and I grew terrified.

"But Quan," Lord Ce argued.

"That's enough Ce, I've already decided."

Lord Quan began to head back to his castle, "Oh yeah, and Xun, from now on…you are forbidden to see the slave."

I tensed, '-No!' I looked up at Xun, tears began to fill my eyes. 'Xun!'

"Take him to my quarters." General Ning had ordered two of his soldiers.

As I was being dragged away, I felt like I was leaving him, my love, our love, never to be happy with him again. I looked at him for one last time, and saw a single tear fall down his beautiful face.

TBC

Author's Note: Dun dun dun! And so the plot thickens. Ok, lots to say...let's see. Well, I wanted to add a little Pang Tong in here, so I did. Why, you ask? Because he simply kick ass. Yupyup! I put his buddy, Wei Yan in here as well. Hehe, don't worry we'll see more of them for sure! Hrm, let's see, in case you don't know, I'm not very fond of Sun Quan, so yeah. Ok next, some of you are wonderin'...why choose Da, and not say...Xun? Well, because I want this fic. to be primarily based on Ping's journeys and his story. If I had Xun go off to Shu, I would have to write a lot of chapters on him, don't I? Although, I'm not saying that I won't write a lot of chapters about Xun, he just isn't the main character in this fic., sorry for bursting your bubbles. I chose Da because she is one of Ping's friends, so with her gone, he won't be able to be comforted so easily anymore. I will still have chapters with Da, they're just going to be about her as a captive in Shu. Don't fret, it's going to be different from Ping's captivity. I would never harm my dear Da! Hehe. Lastly, yes, Gan Ning will be Ping's new master, you don't like it? Well that's unfortunate. So because of this, in the next chapter, there will DEFINITELY be a RAPE scene. 0.o Yes, our poor Ping is going to go through some tough times.

Please Review!: Ping needs your comforting words! It's going to be heart-wrenching...I got it! COOKIES! He needs cookies! So, make sure you give Ping a cookie, and remember to review while you're at it! THX!