Falling down beside the fire, Guan Yinping groaned. They had walked almost all day long. Stopping a few times to find some berried and eat their fill, and drink. But for the most part non stop walking. "Oh man. Two full days of walking. I really hope that we find a town tomorrow and can find out where we are at."

Sitting next to her, Zhu Ran nodded as he rubbed the back of his neck with a groan. "I know that. Find a horse, get some weapons. And see if they have an inn. Sleep in a bed at least one night."

"Oh that sounds wonderful. But how are we going to do that with no money?" Yawning, Guan Yinping leaned over against him. "Just like me with my spear idea this morning."

"I may not have money but I am no slouch." Laughing Zhu Ran looked down at her as he smiled. "I can offer to do some work for them for a night or two. And I have my hair ornaments too. They are worth a night or two I would say."

"Would you really do it? Let go of your hair ornaments?" Yinping just looked at him now like he had ten heads. Once they started getting along he told her how they were one of the last things that he got from his father before his father passed. "But they are…."

"Things. I have many memories of my dad." Smiling over at her he laughed. "Making sure that the woman I told I would get home safe and sound is more important than some shiny thing in my hair. I think my dad would agree as well."

Dropping her head Guan Yinping sighed. "Let's hope they don't want that then. I would feel horrible if you had to give up something as precious as that. I know you have memories of him. But I know I would cherish something my father gave me if it was the last thing that he ever gave me."

Laughing, Zhu Ran only shook his head. "This is true. But tell me this. Put yourself in my position Yinping. You promised someone you would protect them and escort them home. The only thing you have is some hair ornaments that your father gave you as a last gift, but giving them up was the only way to get what you needed to survive with the person you are trying to protect. Would your father want you to give it up, or hang onto it?"

Dropping her head even more, Guan Yinping groaned. "Oh man. Now you sound like my brothers. He would take it from me and give it up if that were the case. But still. I can hope that they don't want it can't I?"

"Yes you can hope." Smiling as he leaned back fully on a large tree, he blinked when Guan Yinping moved and laid down, curling herself in a ball with her head in his lap. "Comfortable?"

"I am actually." Guan Yinping laughed with a smile, though her eyes were half closed and sad. Had this happened, but not after being told she has to marry someone she doesn't love like that. She would have let herself fall as hard as she wanted to for him. But right now all she could do was fight it. She was betrothed to someone else and there was nothing that she could do about it.

With a sigh as he rested his hand on her upper arm, Zhu Ran closed his eyes. "Alright come on. Out with it. Just let it out, vent about it. Not just telling someone about it, but vent about, let it out. Rant, rave, scream if you want. Get it out."

Her eyes going wide, Guan Yinping didn't move at first. "I don't know what you are talking about Zhu Ran."

Giving her a cross look, Zhu Ran sighed as he sat her up and made her face him. A sigh as she kept her eyes down still. "Come on Guan Yinping. It has been bothering you since you woke up. Vent it out to me about why you were even out of your mind enough for Cao Cao to get you."

Taking a deep breath, Guan Yinping could no longer keep the tears at bay. She knew he had to of known something was wrong with her. She avoided it as best she could, but now he clearly wasn't going to let her keep doing it. "It is just that…" Closing her eyes as tightly as she could, she fisted her hands in her lap. "It is just that I do love Zhang Bao, just not like a wife is supposed to love her husband! He will always be just like a brother to me. But I don't want to disappoint my father. I am the only girl, and I work hard so that I am not left behind by them all. I just never thought that he would do something like this and not even talk to me about it first!"

But then she gasped when she felt Zhu Ran reach out and pull her onto his lap as he hugged her close to him. "Zhu Ran…."

"You let it out in words. You were screaming toward the end of that you know. Now it is time for a good hard cry. I won't tell anyone." Zhu Ran sighed as she started shaking then dropped her head into his chest as she clung to him and sobbed. She had this pent up for a long time. She needed this.

Though he would be a liar if he said he didn't enjoy her clinging to him as he held her in his arms. Rubbing her back he sighed as he let his head fall back onto the tree. She was shaking as she cried. He felt horrible for her. He may never have her love, but he was for sure going to at least talk to Guan Yu about this. Tell him what she said, and how she has been about. Hopefully spare her being forced into a marriage she clearly doesn't want.

X

Not knowing how much time had passed, Zhu Ran finally looked down as her sobs turned to small sniffles. Smiling he shook his head. She had fallen asleep on him. Still clinging to him like he was life itself. "Oh Yinping what are you doing to me. Will I be able to go back to Wu after this? I just wish I knew what was going through that head of yours. If I had something that I could fight for."

When he started to move her, he sighed as she flinched and tightened her hold on his clothes. "Alright. You win." Keeping one arm around her shoulders and pulled to him, Zhu Ran moved them so they were closer to the fire and laying down. His eyes half closing as they misted with tears when she let out a content sigh of her own and tried to get even closer to her as he dropped his arm from her shoulder to her waist.

Leaning down he gently kissed the top of her head as she finally fully relaxed. "What am I going to do."

"You there! Whose there!"

Flinching, Zhu Ran pried his shirt free from her as he sat up in time to see a soldier walking toward them. "My name is Ling Kai and this is my wife Yue Xue. We are headed for the nearest town is all. Just stopped for the night."

Going closer, the soldier studied them. They didn't look like the description that he was given of the Wu and Shu prisoners that escaped. "Have you seen anyone lurking around the area? A woman dressed in green and a man dressed in red?"

Shaking his head as he felt Yinping grab his clothes. She was awake. He hoped she just played like she was still sleeping. "We have not. Another soldier asked us that yesterday, a days travel that way from here. Are they dangerous?"

"What the hell do you think?" The soldier then turned and stormed off.

Just before he was gone, Zhu Ran gasped. "Do you know how far it is to the nearest village or town? My wife and I are from the mountains and we don't know our way around here too well."

Turning a cold glare on him, the soldier crossed his arms. "Why should I tell you anything?"

"It was just a question. I am sorry." Zhu Ran dropped his head as he started to lay back down with her. 'Take the bait you bastard.'

"Whatever. If you keep going to the West, you will reach Luoyang in about three more days." Then he turned and was gone.

Laying down, Zhu Ran pulled her closer to him as he sighed and spoke in just barely a whisper. "Just go with it. We are supposed to be married after all. It's alright."

Nodding Guan Yinping sighed as she tried to let her eyes close again. Three more days and they would be in a city. But what was going to happen to them then if the soldiers were there looking for them also. "Ling…."

"It's alright. We will get there in three days and then we will find what we are looking for." Closing his eyes, Zhu Ran sighed. "Just get some sleep love."

Nodding as she sighed and moved closer to him, Guan Yinping hid her face as she smiled. She felt safe in his arms. She felt like nothing could touch her. Almost as safe as she did when she was in her father's arm as a little girl. 'Oh I wish I could keep this feeling. But I know I can't. It's not fair. It is really not fair that I have to fall in love with someone when I am not free to love them.' "Right."