Thanks so much, Aly, for the reviews~~

Chapter X

Blackmailed

"Excellent news, Lu Xun," Sun Jian replied to the news through sleepy eyes. Lu Xun had found him seated on the terrace, a wide balcony situated on the building's backside. It was overlooking the familiar courtyard where the white circle was visible on the cobbled ground. In the distance a tall mountain range obscured the blinding ray of the midday sun. The Sun Family patriarch, unusually dressed in his afternoon robes, pondered the game of Weiqi that was set up in front of him.

It was unusual, Lu Xun noticed, that his Lord would be mulling over a simple children's game by himself rather than focusing on political issues. Normally, at this time of year when the weather became harshly cold, the agriculture economy would face hardship. Additionally, the growing anxiety about Orochi's remnants was enough of an issue in itself. Since it had been decided that Wu would finally mobilize and advance on Ru Xu Kou, preparations for the cause were well under way. Yet, Sun Jian seemed unconcerned and even detached from the ordeal.

"I had expected that to be the case, that it wouldn't take much to break him," Sun Jian stated absently, glancing over the stony balustrade at two children that had snuck into the palace grounds. Pleased by their childish laughter, he looked at Lu Xun through lethargic eyes, "Then he will accompany you to rendezvous with Ranmaru, Quan will be at command. Prepare to depart by sunrise tomorrow."

"Understood," Lu Xun replied, preoccupied by Sun Jian's uncharacteristic behavior. It was obvious that he was unwell but he had told his enter court once, that if he should ever ill, no upheaval should be made. Though it was inevitable.

Sun Jian must have noticed his discomfort and said with a smile, "I am in good health, Lu Xun, you needn't worry. We depend on you; you mustn't waste your thoughts on me"

"I understand," Lu Xun replied with a low nod, "but I know better"

Sun Jian chuckled at that before returning to the game where he chose a piece, picked it up and placed it elsewhere on the board. He opened his mouth to speak but only a painful cough escaped him.

"I know," he paused to fight a cough then went on, "I know you are; I suppose I remember you as the child you were once, with more wit than this old man even then"

Lu Xun peered down at his feet, affronted by the flattery.

"My sons will need that wit; they have my recklessness certainly but perhaps not the sense," Sun Jian laughed, his old self vaguely showing through his lethargy, "I have done all that I can do here"

Lu Xun was uncertain if he was referring to the game before him or existence itself.

"Go then; you must prepare for the battle and all the battles to come forthwith"

Reluctantly, Lu Xun bid his farewell and headed into the eastern corridor with his mind still consumed by yet another ordeal he must cope with. Though he didn't expect much consoling from him, he hoped to see Masamune before the end of the day. From outside looking in, it was obvious what had happened should have never happened. It shameful and underhanded; he knew that.

With a cloudy conscience, Lu Xun had escaped early that morning. Whether it truly was or not, he couldn't help feeling deceitful. He had dedicated his young life to the Kingdom of Wu and protecting it from all enemies. And Masamune was an enemy. Though he had said he would fight against his former Lord, Lu Xun was hesitant of the promise. It was more than he wanted to think about.

He was tugging at his collar when he turned a corner and nearly collided with a young woman. Recognizing her, he quickly apologized.

"Forgive me, Princess," The young woman gave him a sour expression as she brushed conceitedly at her lavish dress. She inspected her inky back locks that were shaped in a careful design. Her name was Sun Luban and she was the first daughter of crown prince Sun Quan. And, as always, she wore her usual smug expression on her petite face.

"I suppose I can overlook it," she said, touching the jade pin that protruded from the side her head as if it had moved, "Though, it may be fated that we meet"

"Oh, My Lady? How so?"

Sun Luban flashed a wry smile with painted lips, "That man is causing quite a commotion around here," Luban strode towards an open window and her heeled slippers rapped harmonically on the polished floor, "Many see him as a threat"

With her back to him, Lu Xun regarded her with a suspicious scowl. But he remained silent; it wasn't his place to confront her.

"I can understand them; his strength must have all these old geezers shaking," Her sharp laugh rang out loud and harsh. A nightingale perched on peach tree outside took to the sky at the sound. She abruptly turned to Lu Xun, "Don't you agree?"

"Well, I…" Lu Xun was reluctant to reply, "I don't have the authority to say such things, forgive me"

"Nevertheless," She snapped, waving his evasive reply from the air, "I saw him face the pirate yesterday; that was amazing! I was also there when he first went before my grandfather, so rebellious! Oh, just fascinating! What was his name again?" She tapped her chin as if trying to remember, but it was evident she was hinting for Lu Xun to tell her.

"Date Masamune," He replied in a sour tone.

"Such a handsome name! He must be from the…other country…Oh, who cares. Anyway, I was hoping…" Luban crept towards him, leaning on mere inches from his face. She batted her long lashes and bore deep, golden eyes into him, "that since he's under your authority, you could introduce me"

Lu Xun didn't know the young princess well, but he wouldn't have once presumed she would have been interested in someone merely because they were dangerous. Perhaps it was to be rebellious, especially since her father took a particular disliking to Masamune. Moreover, she was betrothed. Unforgivable.

He didn't know how to reply to that. It would be irresponsible to nourish her rebellious request but also, it irritated him that she would be interested in him. For a reason Lu Xun couldn't quite fathom, he hated her.

When he didn't reply, she raised a fine brow and added, "Something wrong?"

"One such as you deserves far better. After all, My Lady is betro—"

"Oh, what is this?" She suddenly said, tugging at his collar with her index finger, "Oh ho ho, naughty, naughty"

Automatically, Lu Xun slapped her hand away.

She laughed cruelly, amused by the shock on his face, "Such aggressive bites, and how fresh they look too. Should I guess who made them?"

The young strategist took two instinctive steps backwards with his face turned away and a disconcerted expression poured over his face. It would have been wise to hide his embarrassment behind an indifferent front, but that only came to the rare occasions when he would fail at his responsibilities or studies. This was beyond that.

The wicked woman laughed that sinister laugh again, saying, "You're cute. Have I exposed your dirty little secret?"

He was uncertain of how to respond, especially without overstepping his boundaries. He would have enjoyed responding in a way Masamune would have and while he could be bold in his own diplomatic way, it was beyond Lu Xun's capacity to act so brash no matter how much he would have liked to, at least, not at this venue.

A bittersweet smile formed on her face as she drew a finger along his chin and forced him to look at her, "Listen, dear, it's very simple; Let me meet this Date Masamune and your secret will forever remain," she paused to gently kiss the corner of his mouth then withdrew just inches from his face, "a secret"

A long moment passed before he finally relented, "Very well"

"Wonderful!" She exclaimed in a shrill voice, "Tonight then, tell him to meet me eastern foyer just after sundown"

Luban brushed passed him and crept lightly down the hall until she reached the corner where she turned with a devilish smile, "You better hope your pet shows, dear" With that, she vanished down the hall and the graceful padding of her slippers gradually faded.

Standing in the silent hall, Lu Xun damned his luck. He couldn't go so much as a day hiding it; he had used deceit well in battle many times and seems it had returned to bite him. Sighing in anxious uncertainty, he had not an inkling on how he would persuade Masamune into doing this.

"No way in hell," Masamune stated firmly.

As expected.

He was lying on the familiar settee with the katana resting on his exposed chest, staring up at his lover with a sullen grimace. Lu Xun had noticed that since the day before, Masamune had become bolder, more outright stubborn, particularly with his words. He was uncertain if what happened the night before was the only reason for this.

"Is this another one of your Lord's tests?" Masamune inquired, lazily rubbing at his remaining eye. He wore a simple green kimono, a garment common in his world, which he hadn't bothered to where properly. The matching obi was slung over his shoulders and his legs were propped idly over the back of the settee, draped by a haphazardly tied hakama; perhaps deliberately for Lu Xun to see.

"Unfortunately, no," Lu Xun replied, turning to absently examine a piece of parchment he had scribbled on some time ago though he was unable to focus on the characters meanings.

"So what?" Masamune inquired, sitting up and setting the katana at his side, "You're afraid that someone will find out about the despicable things you did last night, is that it?"

Silently staring at the careful strokes, Lu Xun wasn't certain of his reasons and he understood it would be impossible to argue with this one without a strong stance. Half turning, he wasn't surprised to find Masamune standing near and leaning close to his face, a murky green iris boring holes in him. He was smiling suspiciously. Lu Xun had yet to, if he ever would, ask him why confessed the way he had. He did well at reading Masamune's actions but staring at him now, he was at an impasse.

"Embarrassed by me?" Masamune inquired with a wide smirk, revealing a set of teeth Lu Xun was well acquainted with.

After a moment, he smiled in return, "I suppose to a certain capacity, yes"

"Hmph," Masamune scoffed still with a smug grin before seizing Lu Xun's mouth in a fierce kiss. He felt a pair of firm hands clasp either of his shoulders and force him to fully face their possessor. Masamune pressed him against the table and the young strategist had to clench his teeth to hold back the urge to whimper. But he couldn't hide it from Masamune who, with a vain chuckle, let one dexterous hand drift down the younger man's chest, feeling the contours of his pectorals and subtle abdominals through the thin, red garments. With his head slightly thrown back, Lu Xun could feel greedy fingertips pressing against his lower abdomen and tugging at the sash around his waist.

"I wonder what you would be like in Japan," Masamune said suddenly in a reflective tone as that smug grin faded. He was staring at where his fingers were tightly grasping Lu Xun's silvery sash or maybe straight through him, lost in his own contemplation.

He went on quietly, "I wonder…"

His remaining eye rose slowly to meet Lu Xun's. His brow was drawn into an embittered expression.

"Perhaps one day, China and Japan will return to their previous states," Lu Xun replied in a weary voice, drawing a meaning to Masamune's thoughts, "Separate"

The other gazed at him for a long, silent moment then he let his hand fall to his side before returning to the settee with a caustic expression on his face. He sat and absently studied the katana while leaning his head against one arm. With a heavily lidded eye, it was evident something burdened his mind but Lu Xun didn't want to impose anymore than he just had so he retreated from his own quarters, breathless.

"You little brat!" Da Ji shouted, "Ruined all my fun!"

She was staring up at a snowy haired mystic who was standing proudly atop the high wall of the fortress where she had holed herself. Mortal soldiers poured into the newly opened gates, brandished their silly weapons, thirsty for bloodshed. They circled her, seeming fairly pompous about finally snagging her. How ridiculous, the folly of these humans.

"You must be joking"

A soldier came at her, swinging a glinting sword. Easily eluding him, Da Ji spun once in a nimble dance of peril and a violet orb came crashing against the fragile human's skull. He fell and the rest rushed at her, all meeting the same demise, death in a bout of vicious, indigo magic. With a harsh laugh, Da Ji twirled aimlessly like a voracious child, watching these frail creatures thrash about in agony. Their anguished death throes were music to her immortal ears.

With an angelic pose and a smug grin on her painted lips, she halted before Taigong again. The lethal orbs revolved around her in a threatening show. Seeming undaunted by the blood soaking into the sodden ground, he leapt onto the ground. As always, with the golden rod slung over one shoulders as if he had been recently fishing.

"I can sympathize with your fetish," he said peering at her with amethyst orbs through pinched lids, seeming forever bored, "to finally find a being more pitiable than yourself, Da Ji"

"Save it, boy," She replied snappishly, "or someone might cut that tongue of yours right out of that arrogant head"

Taigong Wang gave a subtle laugh and retorted, "Where's the girl?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Da Ji sang as swayed to and fro, the pulsing orbs swaying with her.

"Hide her all you want, I wager she must be fairly naïve to be fooled by such a hideous smile"

"How rude!" She cried, still singing before pausing to the sound of hoof beats. Through the wide gate she could see the familiar faces of the Shu coalition hurrying her way. With a sweet smile, she said, "If you want Himiko, you better keep looking while you have the chance"

"Catch me if you can!" She sang before turning and skipping several feet away, then vanishing in a cloud of violet.

With a sigh of boredom, Taigong turned to greet his new allies.

He said aloud, watching the army of humans approach, "If your plan goes accordingly, Nu Wa, it should be quite a show"

Walking with no interest in where he had been directed to go, Masamune stared up at the dull colors in darkening sky. In the end, he had easily agreed to meet this woman, remembering that that in less than a day he would be gone. Hopefully forever. He candidly despised this place and all its inhabitants; with the exception of one, whom he neither loved nor hated.

Lu Xun. The name sent pins down the back of his neck; he had yet to even speak it aloud. He had never met one so composed and so solid. It was easy to provoke Masamune, to get under his skin; Lu Xun could do that so easily and with a careful, clever smile. The difference with him was that Masamune enjoyed it. The tantalizing words made his mouth taste all the more sweet. The thought of the younger man's olive skin was enough to make his insatiable hands tremble. Masamune would have had to applaud his sly puppeteer for her conniving ways; if this was what she wanted, it had worked splendidly. And after what he had said the day before, standing beneath the gray sky waiting for her to strike him, the tides of this game must have taken an unexpected turn.

The coax of an impending opportunity was too much for Masamune to ignore. She wanted him to make a move, he could feel it. And the following day, he would make it.

But he was torn. It would be so simple, so enjoyable if he could make this glorious exit with nothing holding him back. Masamune was unsure it if was but lust or the clever wordplay or something he couldn't even comprehend, but it was powerful. He wanted this prize only for himself, even if it meant stealing him away; he was used to getting what he wanted. A shrewd smile crept onto his face, the anticipation was too much. He imagined the roles taking a sudden turn, with Lu Xun as his prisoner instead. Perfect.

Trying to not let the anticipation show on his face, Masamune headed towards the eastern foyer, a wide corridor leading into the palace's flank. It was sunset, the time agreed, and he wasn't surprised to find a woman standing in the shadows of a tall pillar, waiting on cue. She wore lavish robes of gold, he assumed, to suggest her ideal lifestyle. He was unimpressed, but the palpable expression on his face wasn't enough to deter her.

She bid him to come near with an exaggerated wave and a crass smile. Stepping into the shadow, Masamune scowled at her, hoping it was enough to upset her and order him to go, but it wouldn't end that way.

Mystifying eyes as gold as the pins in her hair bore into him, studying him from head to foot.

"Well, hello," She said in a fervent tone and hanging her head to one side, as if to acting coy would make her appealing to him, "I knew my little chickadee wouldn't let me down. You should have seen the look on his face, as frightened as a hare; poor thing" She added with an obtuse laugh so irritating it was all Masamune could do not to slap her in the face.

It was too early to make a move now; he would have to hold his tongue a little longer.

"I'm Sun Luban," She said with a silly bow.

Masamune brushed past her to lean in monotony against a column. Staring down, he studied the ebony garments Lu Xun had persuaded him to wear. He noted the gold trimming of his boots.

"Another Sun, how annoying," he replied in a bored tone.

Luban laughed again, "So Masamune Date, you're quite popular around here"

Masamune watched her creep towards him. There was something about her that struck him as familiar, disgustingly so. Leaning close, Luban drew one finger down the contour of his cheek then again over the patch concealing his missing eye.

"I don't know what it is about you," She whispered, "Maybe it's the uproar you've caused. You've angered a lot of people, my father included"

"What do you want from me?" Masamune demanded, boring a look of embers into her all-too-close face, but it only seemed to please her more.

"What? You mean you don't know?" She turned away with a graceful twirl, to stand a few steps away and look over her shoulder at him.

"Then you've wasted your time. More importantly, mine," Masamune started towards the way he had come, having had enough of her inane company.

"Stop right there," She snapped loudly, "If you care about him, you'll do as I say"

Masamune clenched his fists and turned to leer at her. Whatever this devil of a woman had up her sleeve, it meant only trouble for him and Lu Xun, the latter mattering more than he wanted.

"You see, my grandfather has taken ill and the probability of my father being crowned after his death is favorably great. Wouldn't it be just terrible, if little Lu Xun suffered," the cruel smile widened on her powdered face, "for being besotted with a dog"

Masamune stomped towards her, with unspoken slurs dwelling on his tongue. He stood over her, but she seemed pleased by it and went on to say, "Forgive me, it is an affectionate name my father has given you; an appropriate name for a psychopathic murderer who sided with a demon instead of his own kind. Wouldn't it be unfair to defile Lu Xun's pristine status like you did his b—"

Before he could stop himself, Masamune had Luban pinned to the wall with a tight grasp around her throat. She stared wide-eyed with her mouth agape, struggling against his powerful grasp. If his precarious demeanor charmed her before, it did so no longer.

Leaning close, his glare projected the rage that filled his mind and the grasp that was smothering her, he shouted, "Do you know what they do to girls like you in Japan?" A petrifying, malicious smile formed on his face, "Don't you think it's rather ignorant of you to be alone with a psychopathic murder. What might happen to you?"

With a harsh laugh, he squeezed her neck before finally releasing her. She slid halfway to the ground, looking as if she would scream.

"Go ahead," Masamune said amidst her load, agonized breaths; now as calm as he had been when he arrived, "Say whatever you want"

With that, Masamune strode off, back the way he had come with a smile of triumph on his face. Perhaps she had been correct, perhaps he was psychopathic. Perhaps he was a dog. Perhaps he hadn't changed on damn bit.

Moments later, Sun Luban stood. She was completely composed as she carefully straightened her robes. Watching him stalk off, a cunning smile appeared on her face.

Batting her enigmatic eyes of gold, the woman said, "Still so sure of yourself, I see. I wonder what tomorrow shall bring"

Later that evening, Masamune lie awake, staring at Lu Xun's sleeping face that was illuminated by the calm, ocher light of the lantern's flame. Masamune followed the deep impression of the symbol on the man's wrist with his fingertip. It did nothing more than label him an unsuspecting pawn in a malicious game. Masamune wanted to speak of it to him, but felt it would be in his best interest in the end. Or his own.

"Do you know what it means?" Lu Xun whispered, having been stirred by the touch. Turning his head to face Masamune, his copper eyes were narrow with suspicion.

"Do you?" Masamune replied evasively, covering the mark with his hand.

Averting his eyes to stare up at the rafters in the ceiling, he said, "Fate, perhaps"

"And you'd be content with that?"

"Have I a choice?"

Masamune stared at him again; so intrepid, this man, smug yet charmingly so. Searching for a single word to describe him, he found none that rightly fit the puzzle. Perhaps a simple taste was insufficient. Masamune wanted to know more about Lu Xun, more than he should. Surely, this treacherous interest would be his downfall.

Resting his head and contemplating his actions in the following day, Masamune was uncertain of who was casting the spells on him anymore.

TBC