((SXH: Hey, how's it going everyone? Hope you all had a Merry Christmas. This is my Christmas present for you all! I'm trying my best to get these chapters up but it's so hard to type it all down! It takes me hours to do it! But it's all ok. Here's the next chapter and just so you guys know, the last chapter was the end of the To Chi Bi Saga. I hope you all enjoyed it. Although, now that I look back at it, it was very poorly written. I'm going to try my best to make the chapters in the future better that that. I hope you enjoy!))
Warning: Cursing and yelling. Diao becomes more of a bitch... That's all I can think of..
Disclaimer: I no own except for the storyline and Little Ying.
Enjoy!
To Hell & Back Again
Chapter 12: A Deal
Zhang Liao stared in shock. He came back... He shook his head, not wanting to believe it. It was too good to be true. With that thought in mind, he quickly remembered who he saw Zhou Yu leave with when he ran away. With this in mind, he raised his weapon to Zhou Yu. For all Zhang Liao knew, Those two could still be around.
Liao looked to Diao, awaiting her orders. As he did, he noticed her anger rising quickly. Thinking of the possible outcomes of it, he moved to the space between Diao and Yu. He may not like Yu at the moment but he still couldn't bear it if he got hurt. Diao's anger was something no one would want to be on the wrong end of. Speaking of which, Diao looked like she was about to go whip Zhou Yu. Liao had to intervene.
"What are you doing here?" Zhang Liao asked, not once lowering his spear. Zhou Yu looked Zhang Liao in the eye as he spoke. His expression portrayed seriousness and sorrow.
"I have come to realize that if I stayed with Wu, it would not do me any good any longer," Zhou Yu answered. "They do not need me anymore." Liao only stared at him, searching for any sign that he was lying. He found none. This has to be a dream. Liao thought.
"How could we possibly trust a servant like you?" Diao asked incuriously. She pushed passed Liao and pointed at Zhou Yu. "You are obviously lying! So where are they?" Yu looked confused.
"I do not know what you mean," Yu said.
"Yes, you do!" Diao yelled suddenly. "So where are they? Where are the Shu troops that have some to wipe us out?" Yu's expression calmed.
"Before I left, I did inform them of your presence, not that it was necessary," Yu replied. "I have asked them to let you pass without harm. I am also happy to tell you that they have agreed." He didn't expect her to believe him. He didn't even expect her to try to believe him. Although, her reaction was not what he expected as he found himself surprised by what she did.
"Ugh! Enough of your lies!" Diao screamed. Somehow Yu didn't feel as though that was directed at him... "I'm getting sick of them!" She raised her whip. Right as she was about to swing, Liao caught her hand. Diao stared up at the man angrily. He looked down at her with the same heat.
"He is not lying," Liao stated.
"How would you know?" Diao spat with as much venom as possible.
"His eyes are honest," Liao said. Diao jerked her hand back out of his grasp and just stared at him. Then she growled.
"Gou Si, tie him to the tree over there!" Diao barked. Gou Si nodded once and quickly grabbed Zhou Yu. He dragged him to the dead tree close to the campfire and proceeded to tie Zhou Yu to it. Diao pointed to Liao. "Liao, to my tent, now," she ordered. Liao scowled at the woman but went to her tent anyway. Diao followed closely after him.
Diao's tent had to be the largest in the camp. Inside one would believe she packed her entire room, bed and all, even if she didn't. Liao took one look at it and thought the same. The bed was the center of the room. To the right were sever chests and even a wardrobe. The left side of the room was identical to the right.
"I have never seen your tent like this before," Liao commented. Diao shrugged as she walked passed him. She seems calmer all of a sudden... Diao grabbed his hand and flung him into the nearest chair. Maybe not... Liao thought.
"Well, I like to be treated like a princess, and I cannot do that every time Lord Lu Bu is here," Diao said almost sweetly. "But we are not here to talk about that." Almost being the key word.
"So why did you bring me here?"Liao asked. "Want to scream at me some now that you are done with that idiot Gou Si?"
"Hold Your tongue!" Diao yelled. I knew it. Liao thought. "We are here to talk about that!" Diao said lowly, gesturing to the door.
"'That'?" Liao repeated.
"Do not act like you do not know!" Diao chided. "I want to know what that was all about just now. 'His eyes are honest'? You have got to be kidding me!"
"I can tell he is telling the truth. Beside we have not been attacked yet. Is that not proof enough?" Liao argued.
"'Yet'! We have not been attacked yet! Who knows what will happen? We could be attacked in the middle of the night! We would all have our throats slit in our sleep!" Diao shot back. Liao went silent quickly at that. He knew all of this, but he just didn't want to believe that Zhou Yu would do such a thing. He hung his head in shame.
"I trust him," he said. This was all he could do to get Diao to see it from his point of view. "He has always been a kind man and has never done anything so treacherous to us. He would never do that lest he have no honor." Diao looked disgusted. Liao wasn't surprised. She had no empathy in her heart. Why would he even try?
"Do not make me sick! 'Trust'? 'Honor'? Since when has a man from Wu ever had any honor? Their savages!" Diao spat. "Only a fool would ever trust one of them! Even worse to like them!" Liao went silent as he stared at her in shock. Again, he looked away from her. Diao stopped her ranting at Liao's strange behavior. She thought about what she had said to cause such a reaction. Then it hit her.
"Like," she repeated. "You like him?" Liao didn't look at her; he merely turned his head away. Her eyes grew wide at this reaction. This explained everything he did when around Zhou Yu. "No. You fancy him," she corrected. When she noticed Liao stiffen, she knew it was true. Diao sat on her bed trying to process this. She couldn't see how, but that didn't take away from the fact that Zhang Liao fancied Zhou Yu. This could work to her advantage.
"Please, do not tell him," Liao pleaded. Diao looked at him and shrugged.
"Alright," she replied. Liao's eyes shot up to look at her.
"What?" he asked.
"You heard me. I will not tell," she smiled. Liao couldn't believe his ears. There has to be a catch. This is Diao we are talking about. Liao thought.
"Name your terms," Liao demanded, crossing his arms. Diao put a hand on her chest and pretended to be hurt by his words.
"Liao! Surely, you do not think I would do something so low as to blackmail you," Diao said innocently. Liao gave her the 'this is you we are talking about' look "Alright, you got me. I do have one condition."
"Name it," Liao ordered. Diao scowled at that, but she couldn't risk provoking him.
"Alright. I will not tell him if..." Diao started. Liao braced himself for the worst. "If you keep him away from Lord Lu Bu." Liao's jaw dropped. So that's why she's so irritated with Yu. She's afraid he will steal him from her... "If you can do that, I will not tell."
"How do you suppose I do that?" Liao asked, heavily irritated now.
"I do not know," Diao answered bluntly. "Spend most of your time with him, flirt with him, kidnap him- I could not possibly care less!" Diao stood and walked over to him slowly. "I do not give a shit on what you do," Diao spoke, jabbing her finger in his chest. "Just keep him away from Lord Lu Bu."
Liao swatted her hand away. No matter how good it sounded to have Zhou Yu in his arms, something just wasn't right. None the less, he wanted Zhou Yu and Diao wanted Lu Bu. In the end it would have to work out. "I will accept," he replied.
"I knew you would agree with me," Diao smiled evilly. Liao stood up and raised his hand to her, a gesture for her silence. Diao stared at him in confusion as he loomed over her.
"But I do not want anyone to know what was said in this tent tonight," Liao started. "If I were to find out there is someone else who knows, the consequences will be... very distasteful." Diao frowned deeply, marring her features.
"Are you threatening me?" Diao whispered angrily.
"I am not sure what you mean," Liao stated simply. This only made Diao's anger rise.
"How dare you threaten me? I am the closest person to Lu Bu! Do you really wish to die?" Diao said loudly.
"You are most definitely not the closest to him," Liao informed.
"How dare you, you trash?!" Diao raised her hand, about to strike. In a flash, Zhang Liao stood, grabbing her wrist, and leaned in close to her ear.
"I would not call myself 'trash'. Personally, I think that title should be used to describe people who whip little girls," he whispered. Diao's eyes widened.
"How did you know that? And when did you become so forceful?" Diao questioned with slight panic apparent in her voice.
"It's easy to tell when said girl flinches or backs away when her attacker gets near her," he said calmly. "And I only got like this because of two things. One, you were about to hit me. And two, I realized that if you told someone, it would eventually get to Zhou Yu. I can't have that happen." He released her wrist, watching as it dropped to her side. "Remember, if you don't tell anyone, I will keep Yu away from Lu Bu." Diao only nodded. She could tell by his serious, dark expression that she should not say anything, lest she get hurt herself.
As Zhang Liao left, he heard Diao finally speak. "So, we have a deal?" Her voice was slightly shaky.
Without turning around, he smiled and said, "Yes." With that, he left. I think I will go see Zhou Yu...
Diao sat on her bed, one hand on her wrist and the other on her ear. She was covered in a thin sheet of sweat. Her heart felt like it would beat out of her chest at any moment. Diao was still in shock, trying to believe what had just happened. Since when did Zhang Liao grow a backbone? She didn't want to admit it but she was afraid.
Diao looked to the tent flap in actual fear. It was not the normal scared like she was going to lose Lu Bu, but actual fear. This Zhang Liao was different from the normal one. This one was more cunning and sly than even herself. If this was only a glimpse of the real Zhang Liao, then she did not want to meet the full view.
However, now she knew that Liao knew about what she did. Now she would have to get rid of him, too. That's if he hasn't found a way to get rid of her yet. Diao looked out the tent. There was no point in sleeping now; it was nearly sunrise. So instead she decided to start packing up.
SXH: Yay! More plot bunnies!
Diao Chan: Y-yeah...
Zhang Liao: *just stares at the work*
Zhou Yu: *oblivious to what just happened*
SXH: You guys really played your parts well! Right, Big Bwother?
Lu Bu: Yes. I'm actually really surprised that Zhang Liao was able to get into character so well.
Diao Chan: He was scary.
Zhou Yu: Do I even want to know about the scene in the tent?
SXH: Nope!
Lu Bu: By the way, when am I coming back into the story?
SXH: Later! Not right now! I still have to set up the scenes and add more plot bunnies!
Lu Bu: Alright. Alright.
Zhou Yu: And how much more bad things are going to happen to m- *has tape over his mouth now*
SXH: *is holding a roll of tape* Shut up and get to learning your lines for the next chapter! *Points to Zhang Liao* You too! The next chapter has you two saying quite a bit to each other. So get to practicing. I've got to go make the costumes now! You guys know the drill!
Everyone: We all hoped you enjoyed this chapter! And please tell us what you think by leaving a REVIEW! And why don't you favorite if you love the story thus far! See you next time!
Bye~!
P.S.: I would like to thank all those who have reviewed and have been very loyal readers! There have been two of them who have reviewed on every chapter all the way through the story! Thanks so much Sand Dun and Princess Mist619! Your reviews have helped me this far and I hope you keep reviewing and telling me what you think! Lots of love to you two and hope in keeping you interested!
