Author's Note: I made a few changes in an effort to make the story a little less...how do you say...cramped together and easier to read. Check it out.
I don't own Dynasty Warriors. Time for Chapter 10, Cha!
Destined
Chapter 10
Ice slowly pulled the stable doors open. They creaked ever so slightly, but not enough to draw attention from those who were walking around outside. Before entering, she glanced up at the sky. The sun was sitting on the horizon and slowly sinking into it like she would a hot bath. Sighing softly, she walked into the stable and approached her horse. She saddled it and hopped on.
"Ice?" a voice came from the entrance of the stables.
Ice gasped and hurriedly hopped down from the horse.
"Ice, you there?" the voice called out again.
"Uh, yes, I'm here." Ice said.
Footsteps made their way to the stall she stood in. They belonged to Pyra.
"I saw you coming here, so I figured that you were about to leave, either that or you just wanted to visit the horses." she said.
She then glanced at the saddle on the horse.
"I suppose my first guess was correct then." she laughed.
"Yes." Ice said, turning to the horse.
"Where're you going?" Pyra asked.
Ice looked the stable over before answering. "I'm going to Jian Ye." she responded. "I just…I don't know…I need to see…"
"I understand." Pyra said. "He's been on you mind lately?"
"Yes, he has." Ice replied. "I guess it's because when I saved him, I felt like it would be courteous to go and check on him to see how he was doing. Then I got that invitation and was able to spend an entire evening with him. You'd think that would've sated the urge to go back and see about him again, but it didn't."
Pyra laughed lightly. "I know the feeling well." she said, thoughts of her own love running through her head. "Just be sure that you be careful. It is getting dark after all."
"I will. Thanks." Ice said, smiling warmly.
Pyra turned and opened the stall door; the horse trotted out and exited the stable.
"I'll be back soon." Ice called over her shoulder as she rode off.
"Okay, be careful!" Pyra called back.
At that Ice disappeared into the distance.
The sky was cloudless that night and twinkled with billions of stars. Gan Ning and Ling Tong stood outside of their rooms on the breezeway, looking over the balcony; they were three stories up, providing them with a view of the palace and the towns surrounding it.
"Man, it sure is quiet out here tonight." Ling Tong said.
"Yeah, for once it is." Gan Ning agreed. "We'd better enjoy it now, though, because you can almost rely on the fact that something is gonna happen to shatter the peace."
"Hey." a familiar voice called from further down the breezeway.
Ling Tong groaned. "So much for enjoying the peace." he grumbled.
Gan Ning looked to see Shang Xiang headed their way. "What is it?" he asked, redirecting his attention to the night sky.
"Look, I, um, need to talk to you about this morning." Shang Xiang said.
"What about this morning?" Gan Ning asked.
"Well, I figured that Ling Tong told you what he heard from Xiao over breakfast; I just wanted to clear the air." Shang Xiang said.
"So clear it, then." Ling Tong muttered. "Stop beating around the bush; you know you like him, so tell him."
Shang Xiang turned and glared at Ling Tong. "I DO NOT!" she yelled. "I came to say that all I do is tolerate him, nothing more! Besides, I don't think you were in this conversation, so butt out!"
She turned to Gan Ning. "Did you get all that?" she asked.
"How could I not?" Gan Ning asked nonchalantly. "You only yelled in my ear…again."
Shang Xiang rolled her eyes and stomped off, thumping Ling Tong in the head on her way by.
"Ouch." he whined.
"Jerk." Shang Xiang spat as she disappeared around the corner.
Ling Tong snorted. "She's lying and she knows it." he said.
"That remains to be seen." Gan Ning replied.
"Yeah, whatever." Ling Tong said.
Suddenly, a grunt echoed slightly over the night air; it had come from the closed end of the breezeway. Gan Ning and Ling Tong spun around to see a dark silhouette swing gracefully over the railing and land lightly on its feet.
"Who's there?" Gan Ning called out.
The figure spun around, obviously startled by the ex-pirate's rasped voice.
"Show yourself now!" Gan Ning demanded.
Without hesitation, the figure began walking towards the two. Gan Ning's eyes widened when the figure finally reached the light.
"Oh man." Ling Tong said, amazed.
Gan Ning took a step forward. "Ice?" he said.
After getting over the initial shock of her sudden appearance, Gan Ning led Ice to the balcony, where they stood in silence for what seemed forever, just staring at the sky. Ling Tong moved further down the breezeway, keeping an ear open so that he could alert Gan Ning if someone approached.
"How've you been?" Ice asked, shattering the seemingly unending silence.
"I've been great." Gan Ning replied. "What about you?"
"Likewise." Ice said.
"Has anyone found out about you coming here?" Gan Ning asked.
Ice nodded. "My sisters and cousins know." she said. "But, that's only because I told them."
"How'd they take it?" Gan Ning asked. "They weren't mad were they?"
"No, they weren't, and that's what surprised me." Ice replied, now looking at her hands. "I thought for sure that I would receive this long lecture about how dangerous it is to go into a kingdom not your own by yourself. Instead, they found my little "adventure" quite interesting."
"So Cao Cao's still in the dark about this?" Gan Ning asked.
"Yes, and I intend to keep it that way for as long as I possibly can." Ice said.
"One more question." Gan Ning said.
"What's that?" Ice asked.
"How'd you manage to get in the gates?" Gan Ning asked.
Ice smiled at the question and giggled lightly. "I climbed the west-facing wall." she replied.
Gan Ning laughed. "There's an interesting entrance." he replied. "Guess I don't have to ask how you got up here?"
"Not really." Ice answered.
The two laughed. At that, silence passed between them once more. Gan Ning looked over at Ice.
"Ice?" he said, his voice softened.
Ice looked at him. "Yes?"
"I just wanted to say that I'm glad I got to see you again." Gan Ning said. "To be completely honest, I didn't know when or if I'd ever see you again."
Ice smiled warmly. "Of course you would have." she said. "I couldn't possibly lose contact with someone who's been so nice to me."
Gan Ning smiled back at her. "Likewise." he said.
At that moment, their eyes met in a steady gaze, and their faces began to draw closer and closer…
"Hey! Someone's coming!" Ling Tong called from his post, yanking the two out of their trance.
Gan Ning nodded at Ling Tong and turned back to Ice.
"You'd better go." he said.
"Right." Ice said.
She then turned to leave, but stopped when she felt someone grab her arm. She turned and found herself looking directly into Gan Ning's face once again. Without warning, he pressed his lips against hers; after a few seconds, Gan Ning pulled away and leaned into Ice's ear.
"Be careful." he whispered.
With that, he released her arm; she staggered slightly. "I…I will." she whispered.
She then turned and ran, gracefully swinging herself over the railing of the balcony and climbing down. Gan Ning watched her until she got to the ground. He then turned back towards Ling Tong, who stood gaping in his direction; his jaw looked as if it was going to drop to the floor.
"Close your mouth, man." Gan Ning said as he returned to where he had been standing the entire time he'd been outside.
Ling Tong shuffled to where Gan Ning stood. Before he opened his mouth to speak, Shang Xiang peered around the corner at the two.
"Hey…was someone else up here just now?" she asked.
Ling Tong looked back at her. "No, there wasn't." he said.
"…Oh." Shang Xiang said. "Well, goodnight."
She then disappeared back around the corner. Ling Tong looked back at Gan Ning. A smile slowly spread across his face.
"Congrats on your new relationship." he said.
Gan Ning looked at Ling Tong. "You had better be the only person I hear that from." he warned. "I won't tell anyone." Ling Tong reassured. The two men then resumed their time outside in silence.
Ice closed her room door behind her and pranced to her bed. She sighed as she plopped down.
"I feel like I'm floating." she said aloud to herself.
She brought her fingers to her lips; she still felt the touch of his lips against hers. He kissed me. she thought over and over again. I can't believe it. Could I be dreaming? She rolled up her left sleeve and pinched her arm.
"Ouch." she said, rubbing her arm.
Nope, not a dream. A smile curved her lips. I won't be able to stop smiling for weeks now. Pyra and Flame are gonna flip when they hear this. She grabbed one of her pillows and hugged it close to her. I don't think I'll be getting to sleep anytime soon, either. she said. Still holding the pillow, she got up from her bed and went out onto her balcony. A breeze swirled around her body as she gazed up into the night sky.
"This night shall be a memory not too soon forgotten in my mind." she spoke into the air. "Who would've thought that a first kiss could be so unbelievably incredible."
And so, the romance begins...So, what did you think? Tell me NEthing. All opinions welcome.
xLonely Soldierx