Chapter 9 Journey

There was nothing as important as the wedding between Guan Ping and Li Wen Qin, as the castle grounds was suddenly bombarded by wedding preparations. From the silk of the outfits, to the type of chopsticks that were being used for the banquet, everyone was hustling and bustling to get their jobs done. Wen Qin had finally gotten a break from the multiple outfit changes and slipped into the gardens behind her estate. In less than a month, she would be the wife of Guan Ping. Most women would be ecstatic at this opportunity but there was still some doubt in her mind. "Is what I'm doing right?" she questioned herself. "Is this being fair?" she buried her head into her hands and sighed deeply. She was the one who suggested the wedding be on an exact date next month. The same day and month as Tong's wedding. She wasn't sure why she wanted it to be so early. Was it because she did not want to feel bad that he was getting married? Or was it because of their promise? "I don't want to think about this anymore." She shouted.

"Are you okay?" someone said, scaring Wen Qin. She turned around to see Xing Cai walking along the gardens. "I was asked by Lady Huang to get you." She said, not caring much for it. It was obvious that Xing Cai was upset by the arrangement, but she had no choice but to suck it up.

"Oh, thanks."

"What were you screaming earlier?"

"Nothing."

"I heard what you said, what are you thinking about?"

"Just pre-wedding jitters." She smiled, "Thanks for caring."

"I don't care about you." She replied bluntly. Wen Qin was taken a back. "You better make sure you make Ping happy. We both know he deserves more than you."

"You don't have to put it that way Xing Cai."

"Don't talk to me like we're friends." The young woman snapped. "The way you treat him makes me sick."

"How do you know how I treat him?"

"I can tell in your eyes. I know how you really feel for him."

"I'm giving him my life." Wen Qin replied, her voice jittering, "What more can he want?"
"And you're saying like it's a chore." Xing Cai scoffed, "You make me sick." She added before turning and stomping away from the field. Wen Qin sat on the bench and banged her head lightly on the pole beside her.

"She's right…" she said before another voice called from afar. Wen Qin stood up and saw Ping rushing towards her.

"Are you okay?" he said once he got to her.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Xing Cai said that you were upset and screaming and yelling. I rushed towards you right away!"

"Xing Cai…" she sighed under her breath. She knew exactly why she said those words to Ping. She was trying to prove the fact that maybe Ping cared about her more than she did about him. But with one look at Ping's caring eyes, her heart sunk and a smile formed on her lips. She gently placed her hand on Ping's chest, and felt his heart beat.

"What are you?"

"Your heart is beating so fast." She said softly, "You must have been really worried about me."

"I always worry for you." He blinked, "You are going to be my wife soon. I need to protect you from every sorrow that I can."

"Thank you." She blushed. Ping took her hand off his chest and held onto her fingers gently.

"No, you're the one I should thank. You're the one I can always go to when I'm down."
-

"You're the one I can always go to when I'm down." She started saying as they sat across from each other in Tong's tent. "Well, you always were." She added. Wen Qin had managed to snag some private one on one time with Tong after the news of her return to Shu was spread across the camp like wildfire.

"We told each other everything didn't we?" he smiled politely, pouring each of them a cup of tea.

"If only we could still be like that." She took a deep breath, "I have to tell you something."

"What?"

"Ning told me that if I didn't tell you today, I would regret it for the rest of my life."

"You listened to Ning?" he showed a bit of disgust.

"I know you and him have differences…"

"He killed my father." Tong raised his voice,

"If you took time to know him, you can't find a reason to hate him. You can't go on holding this grudge. Yes he killed your father, but it was because he was a general, to kill or be killed! Obviously you have to understand that." She snapped. Tong looked a bit sad at her little lecture.

"I don't even know why the two of you are so close…" he said softly, a hint of jealousy in his tone.

"If you just took time to listen to him…you'd know that he is a wonderful person. But this is not the point!" she shook her head. "I have to be honest with you."

"About what?"

"I know I got mad at you for moving on, but I am also guilty." Tong stayed silent, not knowing if he was going to enjoy this talk or not. "There is someone back home, who has expressed his intentions to me for these past two years."

"Who?"

"His name is Ping."

"Guan Yu's son?" she nodded. "What type of relationship do you two have?"

"I don't know how to explain it." She turned away from his gaze, "He's been so kind to me, always worried about my happiness and safety." Wen Qin sighed, hesitating what she was about to say next. "He sometimes made me forget about you. He would take me away from all the pain of losing my family, losing my home and losing you. He's…my best friend."

"But I'm your best friend."

"You were my best friend." She added. Both of them stayed silent for the next few moments, trying to grasp at what was truly happening. Wen Qin had not realized her true feelings for Ping before she had told Tong, but now she was even more confused about what she wanted. But inside she knew, if he was moving on, it was no use for her to stay grasping at straws. "He's asked for my hand in marriage before." She broke the silence. "I think I might take up on it when I return to Shu." BANG. Tong's fist came slamming down on the table, prompting the tea cups to rattle and make a mess. "Tong?"

"I can't."

"You can't what?"

"I can't imagine you with someone else, I can't!" he stood up and threw his arms around her. "It just boils my blood to think someone else will hold you instead of me." Wen Qin buried her head into his neck, "I can't lose you again Wen Qin."

"I don't want to lose you either…" she whispered and they held each other for the rest of the night.
-

The carriages were being loaded as the Princess of Shu was preparing for her trip back home. Wen Qin sat in her tent, starring at the various paintings she drew over this small time period. "These are beautiful." A voice said, she turned around and smiled at Ning.

"Thank you. You can have them."

"A present?" he grinned.

"A thank you, for making me realize that I needed to talk to Tong."

"Right…how'd it go with him?"

"We…I don't know. We know we can't change our fates, yet…" a small tear slipped out of her eye. "Maybe this is why there is that saying, that we are star crossed lovers."

"Wen Qin…"

"If only this war never happened." She sighed.

"General, your carriage is ready." A soldier said from outside.

"We'll be out." Ning shouted.

"You are to escort me back?"

"I was supposed to…" he stroked his chin. "Come with me." He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards Tong's tent.

"What are you doing?" she asked. The two of them had agreed to not say good bye, fearing that it would be too difficult.

"You!" Ning shouted entering Tong's tent, much to his bewilderment.

"What are you…Wen Qin?"

"We are both co-commanders of this camp." Ning said, "I was asked by Prime Minister Zhou to escort the Princess, but I think you should do it."

"General Gan…"

"Ning…" both Tong and Wen Qin said.

"I won't take no for an answer. I'm a pirate, I don't want to spend the next few days babysitting." He playfully pushed Wen Qin to him, "You two should take this time to figure out what you guys really want." He added with a sigh. "This is all I can do to repay for what I did to you." Ning looked at you both. "Maybe if I didn't kill your father, this wouldn't have happened. I sort of feel responsible you know."

"You don't' have to." Tong said, surprising both Ning and Wen Qin. "Wen Qin made me realize that you had no choice. We were thrown into this war by fate, and you were chosen to be my comrade by the Gods. I was given a formidable and loyal comrade. My father would have believed it would be better for Wu at the end. He at least died with pride."

"Tong…" Wen Qin placed her hand on his arm.

"I will accept your request General Gan," he said, "I will escort the Princess back to her home."

"Very well." Ning laughed and slapped Tong's back hard, "I give you both all my luck."