I'm back! I want to apologize for the lack of GNxSSX. The pairing isn't the main pairing in this story as you can see. But hopefully, I'll have more of it in later chappies! Srry once again! This chapter is the third and final part of 'Misfortune' I'll start naming them differently again! Anyways, here's chapter 10! ENJOY! PLZ READ AND REVIEW!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 10

Misfortune Part III

Midmorning, the Wu palace, Sun Xuan's chamber…

The gleaming butterfly pendant glinted in the sun's radiant light as it was settled into her sleek brown hair. But Xuan couldn't help but frown in apprehension of leaving this place as she stood in front of the window. She had a ghastly feeling of where Lu Xun was at the moment. The phony tale Cao Jin told to get Xun into major trouble burned angrily in her heart. It was repulsive lie and she felt ashamed that her own family would believe his words.

"Lady Xuan?" A hand maid called, opening the door slightly. "It is time to go, M'lady"

Xuan hung her head reluctantly. She turned towards the widow and clasped her hands in front of her. The same two Nightingale's from before chirped happily on the branch outside as they soaked in the radiant midday light. Xuan smiled at their careless play and affection nudging at each other tenderly. 'Mates, they are. No concerns. No question about anything'

"M'lady?" The hand made inquired again startling Xuan from her pointless daydreaming. She sighed and turned towards the door.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, the Wu Palace, the infirmary…

Everything seemed to drone in his head at once. There was so much to do in so very little time and Xun was incarcerated in this damned room. He felt hopelessly betrayed as he paced the wooden floor in thought. 'It's almost noon' He thought, looking out the window. 'I need a plan. I'm going to have to sneak out first' If that lowly Wei prince thought him a fool, Xun was prepared to prove him wrong.

Suddenly there was a broad knock on the door before it was unlocked and opened. It was Gan Ning who slid through the door and closed it quickly behind him.

"Ning! What are you doing here?" Xun exclaimed turning to his friend in relief. He had never been so happy to see the pirate.

"Xun, there's something weird about that Jin guy" Ning insisted rather quietly. "I heard about what happened this morning. I don't believe it. And besides I heard Jin talking to one of his soldiers about something odd. Something about a plan, I dunno" Ning concluded, crossing his arm and shaking his head in uncertainty.

"Where is Xuan now?" Xun asked critically.

"Uhh… She's with Lady Da and everyone else in the Entrance Hall" Ning explained. "She and Jin will leave in only about an hour"

Xun looked to the floor, trying to think of some way to stop all this. 'What do I do now?' Xun looked up suddenly. He observed Ning's usual attire and also a bowl of water on the floor. He had a plan.

"I know that look!" Ning laughed loudly. "You've gotta plan, like always!"

"Yes" Xun nodded "But I'll be in need of your help…and your clothes"

Ning gave him a disturbed glance. "Wwwhy?"

"When you came in, there were guards guarding the door, correct?"

"Yeah, like three, why?"

"They recognized you and let you come in. You've gained their trust so when you leave they'll assume that you didn't do anything tricky while in here" Xun told him, looking at the door and the shadows running across the opening at the bottom.

"So? They won't let you out"

"Correct, they won't let me out, but they'll let you out" Xun smiled slyly "Which means they'll also let me out if they think I'm you. But they will also think it is me in here when it's really you, get it?"

Ning stared at him with a blank expression for a moment "So, You'll be me and I'll be you, gotcha" Ning nodded as he removed his bandanna and the feather that stuck out perpetually from his head and handed them to Xun.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, the Wu Palace, the Entrance Hall…

A bustling crowd had gathered in the Entrance Hall as Xuan reluctantly walked about, receiving a few goodbyes already. As she expected, Xun was no where to be found and she was becoming worried and suspicious. Did they truly believe and side with Jin?

Zhou Yu moved passed her, mistakably not notice her. Xuan reached for his arm. "Uncle Yu?"

"Hmn?" She looked down at her with his usual neutral expression. "Ah, Xuan, you're lovely today. That Jin is quite lucky to have such a beautiful fiancé" He mused, bowing to her.

"…Thank you" Was all Xuan could reply, his statement not sounding to enthusiastic. "Where is Lord Jin, by the way?"

"I recall seeing him with our Lord" Yu replied

"Hmm…" Xuan was silenced in thought for a moment. 'Now that I think about it, Jin is always with Lord Quan'

Xuan advanced across the Oak wood floor, observing each and every face, bantering heartily with each other about irrelevant things such as wine and women. Most of the banters being men after all. She banished there pointless existence without concern considering none either didn't know or didn't care about the evil lurking in the darkness ready to lung at any time.

Then she saw him. Through the bustling crowd, she noticed his haughty face smirking amongst the crowd he obviously found to be 'inferior'. She was ready to confront him for the first time. She didn't know if it was her father's boldness that influenced or her own curiosity, but she would find out what he was really up to.

She approached, chin high and unafraid, he finally noticed her and a sneer spread across his face. Sun Quan was also there and stood when he perceived her approach.

"Niece!" Quan proclaimed proudly, wrapping her in a hug as she neared. "You're beautiful as always" He said when he stood back before turning to Cao Jin, who wiped his sneer away to prevent Quan from becoming suspicious, he quickly placed it with a smile revealing pearly whites. Quan bowed adequately, swaying his arms towards Xuan before walking off, leaving them alone. Xuan glared at him in skeptically which Jin disregarded conceitedly.

"My, it's pleasant to see you once again" He began with mocking her in a pleasant voice that made Xuan want to gag. "I must say, you look much better in the light, with your clothes on" He concluded, smirking again.

Xuan narrowed her eyes on him. "What are you doing here?" She demanded "Why further this charade? You're disgusting"

"Now, why the unnecessary crudity?" He asked with a furrowed brow "Rashness will get you no where… nor will it your friend, Xun, was it?" He stated triumphantly, his smirk widening.

"Why did you lie?" She half whispered. "What are you hiding?"

"You assumptions are extraneous and bothersome" He came closer, pressing his cool hand against her cheek. "I only wish to have you"

Xuan, quickly swatted his hand away, and proceeded to scowl at him. "You're lying, you aren't fooling me or Xun. Xun will be here, he will stop you"

"Hmph" Jin scoffed. "Right, of course he will" With that he stalked off.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the infirmary…

His sleek brown hair was slicked back and the clothes fit considerably. He peered in the mirror and he did look quite like Ning… if you didn't look hard enough. His chin wasn't quite as rugged and his eyes weren't as harsh looking, but he was still firmly determined that the plan to work out, pretending to be Ning would be successful.

"Wow" Came Ning opinion, looking at him in astonishment. "Damn, you do look like me"

"Precisely, but still if someone comes in you have to pretend to be me, understand?" Xun asked, adjusting the Ning's vest so that the high collar obscured his face.

"Gotcha" Ning replied, sitting on the bed. He was now dressed in Xun's robe and pulling his hair down in his face with the water, trying to look more like Xun which proved difficult. He turned towards the window to hide his face. "Hurry, it's almost noon"

Xun nodded and headed towards the door, opening it and glided through the door. The soldiers looked up then while Xun kept his head low in the shadow of the high collar of the vest. The soldiers soon disregarded him and went back to sitting on the ground, dozing off.

Finally, Xun came to the corner, breaking into a fast sprint, heading down flights of stairs toward the Entrance Hall. 'Hang on Xuan!'

Outside the large doors of the Entrance Hall, Xun kept his head down as several hand maids filed out. He peeked in and noticed Xuan talking to Jin. Jin suddenly came closer to her and pressed his hand against her cheek. Xun grit his teeth. Xuan defiantly swatted his hand away then said something inaudible over the crowd. With that, Jin stalked off leaving Xuan to stand there, helplessly. Xun was about to go to her when a voice called out to him.

"Ning, you good for nothing dead beat! Where have you been?!" Shang Xiang demanded, approaching him from one of the tables in contempt. "Off with some chamber maid again, were you?!"

Xun mentally panicked. 'Lady Shang Xiang! What now?!' Shang Xiang gripped his hand and forced him along, completely overlooking his face. She demanded that he sit at the table with her. Xun looked towards Xuan, but she had disappeared from her original spot. He sighed and sat next to Shang Xiang, powerlessly.

"Ning?" She said leaning into him. "Are you… sick? You seem kinda different" She said, implying that he seemed less built than usual.

"N-no" Xun replied before quickly adjusting his voice and demeanor to that of Ning's. "Me? Sick? Don't be stupid!" He ordered loudly, mentally kicking himself for insulting the princess. "I, Ning, am never sick!" He stood proudly, hands on hips. Shang Xiang stared at him stoically.

"Yeah, I don't think you're sick either" She replied, sipping a cup of wine. "Just nuts"

Xun sat down again, mending his hair which was beginning to fall over the red bandana and into his face. He looked around the room in search of Xuan, whom he found standing near her mother, Da who looked anxious as usual. He couldn't approach her, not with Da there.

"Everyone!" Quan's broad voice rang out, addressing all in the massive room. He raised his arms over his head before bringing then down. "Toady, an everlasting agreement with our neighboring kingdom, Wei, will be made with the marriage of my niece and the young prince of Wei" Quan announced, gesturing one arm towards Jin, who stood with crossed arms, and one arm to Xuan, who cringed unnervingly.

"And now!" Came Quan's voice once more, motioning Xuan to come to his side which she did. "They depart for Wei, where they will be wed!" He said proudly before a loud cheer broke out and someone through a chair that clocked Huang Gai in the head, but he didn't even feel it as it split into pieces.

The cheers and rejoicing was all proof of the high gullibility in the room. Xun could no longer take it, he jumped up.

"NO!!" He cried, gripping that table and giving Jin a glare worse than death. He had never used such and expression, of course he had never been never been so livid either. He couldn't hide behind his placidness and longer.

All eyes fell on him then. Quan looked confused, Zhou Yu looked unusually stunned, and Xuan… She was apparently having mixed feelings of stunned, confused, and panicked as to why Ning would object. Jin looked appalled and disgusted as he held his head high, glaring at Xun's implied insolence.

"Ning?" Shang Xiang's soft voice came in shock. Xun glanced at her for a second before leaving the table and stalking across the floor. The sound of his boots reverberated through the silent room.

Xun reached for his head and pulled the bandana from his head. It and the feather fell to the ground with out a sound. There were a few gasps from the women as his hair fell over his face.

"Xun…" Quan admitted, staring at him in disappointment. Xuan flashed a relieved smile, glad that he was okay.

"You!" Jin growled. "Why are you here?"

"The same inquiry applies to you" Xun seethed through gritted teeth. "I don't know how you got everyone to believe that garbage of a story you, but you won't away with it!" He turned to a nearby soldier and unsheathed the sword from the sheath at the soldier's side. He pointed it at Jin and again there were loud gasps.

"Xun!" Yu cried, emerging from the crowd in astonishment. "Have you gone mad?"

"Yu, I thought you of all people would see through his plot" Xun stated, looking back at him, but only for a moment. Yu stopped dead in his tracks.

"You are a fool if you think you're little out burst will succeed" Jin smirked with a quirked brow and crossed arms, clearly not intimidated. "Why would I lie about what you did? Hurting dear Xuan here" Jin asked, gesturing towards his fiancé, who could only give stunned glances. "I only informed what I saw"

"Damn you!" Xun blurted, lunging for Jin, who revealed the same sleek blade from the night before. There blades clashed and there were screams from Xuan and other women in the room, who scrambled out. Quan dodged in time with Xuan in his arms, protectively. The two fighters glared feudally through the blades.

"You won't get away with this!" Xun proclaimed in contempt, pushing back. The soldier's weak sword was worthless and he let it clatter to the floor. "I won't let you"

"Restrain him!" Quan commanded, still shielding Xuan before several soldiers seize upon Xun. He had no choice but to give in to them. One grasped his hands and tied them behind his back and forced him to the ground. Xuan tried to break free to help him, but she was unable to free herself from her uncle's strong grasp.

"Xun!" Xuan called out to her, but her call was unheard and soon she found herself in Jin's grasp. Quan approached Xun and forced the general to look up at him. He glared in to Xun's eyes for a moment before striking him forcefully across his face that made even Yu shudder. Xun cried out in agony, agony that made Jin chuckle quietly.

"Take him away!" Quan ordered, stalking off in disgust. With that, Xun was lifted from his knees, passing Xuan a sorrowful look at Xuan before being taken away, only trying to resist until too exhausted to bother.

Xuan felt tears well up in her eyes as she tried to break away, but Jin held her close with amazing strength. With that the celebration went on as if the incident never occurred…

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Noon, outside the Wu Palace…

The hollow goodbye from a few general's made my heart only ache more. Watching Xun being taken away in cuts and a sharp bruise across his face made me scream inside. It was now noon and I was helped inside the carriage by Jin himself. I reluctantly obliged to his assistance and was quick to rid myself of it. The sound of the horse's hooves could be heard followed by the sudden lunge of the carriage.

I peeked out the window and noticed Zhou Ying, standing with her sobbing mother. In her hand was the ribbon I had given her as a parting gift. It wisped in the wind as Ying held it to her heart. She gazed into my eyes and gave me a small, yet warm smile. She raised her hand and waved feebly. I waved back and felt the tears coming back. Soon the small girl was far out of sight and I was left to stare into the gloomy setting of the carriage.

I wouldn't let my hope fade. I will fight to come back to Wu, a place I used to despise. Jin had intentions to bring Wu harm, and thoughts of Ying flooded back. I won't let them hurt her or anyone else! I shall find a way to save Wu! I'll find a way to came back to Xun…

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So what do ya think??????? I actually liked it, I hope you did too! I kno Lu Xun was OOC a little, but everyone breaks away from normality sometimes. PLZ READ AND REVIEW! Tell me what you think so far! And look 4 chapter 11! Ya'll hate that Jin guy don't you! –lol- BYE! R&R!