Lina's note : Hoho^^ back again! (That was fast o.O) Hope this episode is okay for you guys. Thanks for your comments! Do crit more and I'll try to do much better in the future!

Sorry about the shortness again but it's either this or another looong wait TT.TT BTW,

1. Where I hail from, 'sweat-drop'-ing is a very legal term^^ It's where those HUGE sweat-drops appear at the side of the character's heads, like in anime.

2. "Wo ai Zhou Yu" means "I love Zhou Yu". Suddenly it feels fitting to add in a Chinese phrase in there instead of my usual Japanese/English phrases.

Disclaimer : I don't own them. They belong to Koei and of course, themselves who died ages ago.

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Chapter 3 : Arrival in Fan Castle

Zhao Yun threw his pack to the floor and sank himself onto the bed in his lodging room. He had finally gotten their men to settle themselves and chased Jiang Wei off with Gan Ning. At least now he had some privacy. The duo had been ganging up on him the whole time. Luckily no one else had been around to witness it except for 40 armour-clad men. Meh.

Letting his long brown hair loose, he peeled off his heavy armour and changed out of his sweaty clothes. There shouldn't be much danger in the castle, he concluded, so light armour would suffice. Anyway, it wasn't like there was a single officer here he couldn't beat the crap out off. Okay, so maybe there's one he WON'T beat the crap out of. But that's a different matter all together.

The sun was still visible in the sky by the time he was done and dinner won't be ready for at least another hour or three. Zhao Yun looked at himself in the mirror one more time. Presentable enough. Maybe he can go and look for his pretty one now.

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Evening drew nearer as the Tiger General of Shu trotted down the not-so-familiar corridors of Fan Castle but the person he seek was still nowhere to be seen. He wondered if he should ask someone. There's no harm in simply asking the whereabouts of a person, was there? No, of course not. It wasn't like he was hear to rage war. Oh, no. He just wants to find someone with very harmless intentions.

Taishi Ci appeared down the hallway as if hearing his thoughts. "Trouble, Zhao Yun?"

Zhao Yun almost jumped in surprise. "No, no. No troubles at all," he replied, hoping his nervousness won't show. "Just seeing if someone is around."

"Who are you looking for?"

". . . ." Must not fiddle fingers, must not fiddle fingers like a girl! ". . . .Zhou Yu?"

Zhao Yun felt uneasy as those cool eyes run over him. What? He couldn't have pronounced the name wrongly, right? And what's wrong about asking the whereabouts of another guy? . . . .He shouldn't have asked for help.

Just as he was about to excuse himself and begin looking on his own again, Taishi Ci said, "You look like a bunny lost in a butchery. You should relax a bit more. It's not like we're going to chop you up for dinner, sheesh."

Zhao Yun blinked. It took him a good minute to realise that Taishi Ci thought his anxiety was caused by being stuck in the territory of another kingdom. He sweat-dropped. "Oh, oh! Right. Sure. Uh, have you seen Zhou Yu anyway?"

"He's back there in the reading room with his books again. Good luck if he actually hears you."

"Uh, okay. Thanks for the help. So, uh . . . I guess I'll see you later then," Zhao Yun edged away hurriedly and waved. "Bye bye!"

In three seconds, he was gone.

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Zhao Yun was panting by the time he reached the reading room. He ran all the way to avoid anymore conversation with Taishi Ci. Honestly that man freaks him out as much as that 'possible-samurai-descendant' Zhou Tai. Must be that freaky 'cold-eye' factor.

Slowly, Zhao Yun peeked into the room from the doorway. There was no one there but a red clad man. And with those long brown hair falling halfway down his shoulders, the pretty boy didn't have to face him to be recognised. Zhao Yun stood a little straighter and wished that he could tie his heart to a rock to keep it from jumping up and down so furiously.

"Ano, Zhou Yu."

No reply. He tried calling a little louder. "Zhou Yu!"

The brown head turned a little. "Zhao Yun!" He closed the book in his hands and stood up to face his visitor. When he did that, Zhao Yun could see once again all of the beautiful features that had caught his heart before. The fair complexion, the soft brown eyes and his crown of silky auburn hair. And the thoughtful, poetic voice that came out whenever he opens those red lips. "How are you? What are you doing here? Would you not like to come in and have a seat?"

The taller man complied hesitantly. "I . . . came with Lord Liu Bei's envoy as his escort."

"Oh? I never thought you would be among them," Zhou Yu paused for a moment. "Ano, is Zhuge Liang here too?"

"Yeah, he is. He's with Lord Liu Bei and them, meeting with Sun Ce."

"Ah, sou ne."

Zhao Yun saw the change on Zhou Yu's face. He looked a little displeased. "Is something wrong?"

"Eh? No, nothing. I was just wondering what new scheme has he concocted for our next battle with Cao Cao." The smile returned on the pretty boy's lips.

Zhao Yun began to relax. "Don't worry, if I know Master Zhuge Liang, it is sure to be a real winner. You just leave it all to him, ne?"

"Yes, of course. I'm sure he'll have everything under control." Somehow, despite the laugh that resounded from the man, Zhou Yu's eyes did not share the mirth.

. . . He said something wrong, didn't he?

Was Zhou Yu jealous of Zhuge Liang? After all they are both great strategists for each of their two kingdoms. Zhao Yun racked his mind for something to say that could save his day. He wouldn't want Zhou Yu to hate him just because of something like this. If that happens he'd probably go and kill Zhuge Liang.

Zhao Yun tried changing the topic. To his delight, it managed to take the other man's mind away from his rival and the two men began chattering away for sometime. Or as Zhao Yun's mind defined it : 'bonding time'. But of course, he was probably the only one who thought of it as so.

Suddenly in the middle of their conversation, a girl came running into the room. "LORD ZHOOUUUU YUUUU!!!!!" Glomp.

" . . . o.O" Zhao Yun stared at the child in orange and blue. "Ano. . ."

The girl lifted her light colored head from Zhou Yu's arm and looked at the blue clad man in surprise. "Ah! Lord Zhou Yu's guest!" She released his hand hastily and blushed.

Zhao Yun looked back at the other man who began to laugh again, this time genuinely.



"Zhao Yun, meet the prettiest blossoming flower in all of the Three Kingdoms, Xiao Qiao," Zhou Yu said, making a grand gesture towards the girl. She blushed even harder when his gaze met hers.

"Ano . . ." the Shu general began as he eyed the child again. She looked to be around 12 years old. "Is that your sister?"

"No!" The brown haired man laughed again, his eyes seem to sparkle. "This, is Xiao Qiao, sister of Da Qiao and soon to be my wife!"

Silence.

"You're kidding, right?"

The child glomped Zhou Yu's arm again. This time a pout adorned her face. "Lord Zhou Yu promised that he will marry me! Wo ai Zhou Yu!" she declared with her cute, childish determination.

"But you're just a child!"

She stuck out her tongue at the Shu Tiger General. "I'm 13! I'm not a child anymore! Ne, ne? Lord Zhou Yu!"

Zhou Yu smiled back at the little girl, 7 years his junior. "Of course you're not, Xiao Qiao. You even came down the battlefield with me once, ne?"

"Haaaaaiiiiiiii!!!!!" The girl cheered. "And I got to ride on your horse!!"

Zhao Yun shook his head. This could not be true. "Tell me this is just a nightmare. . ." he mumbled under his breath.

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Zhao Yun : . . . . . . You're not trying to show off your Chinese, are you?

Lina : You're in luck. That's practically the only phrase I know.

Zhao Yun : Thank God.