3 Days
The sun rose and crept into his room. Slowly the sunlight crept closer and closer to where he had passed out last night. Bottles littered the room, his clothes half off and half on his body as displaying his bandaged body.
'He looks so peaceful. Just like the man I love. The man I gave up hope on. The man who beat me but I still love him because of that. Maybe if I go through with this…' Xiao thought as she tightened her grip on her small blade. She was in his room despite the fact that many had tried to tell her not to go and Da had pleaded with her.
Xiao looked back to the last 3 days. The simple thought him being so near yet not wanting to see her made Xiao feel terrible. This feeling made her think of how childish and immature her actions were. It also made her feel small and unwanted. Xiao knew many men would kill just to see her yet the only man she ever wanted didn't want her and to her his opinion was the only thing that mattered.
They met a few times in the halls. Every time she would pass him she would look in his eyes and see sorrow underneath the disappointment and smoldering anger that burned in his eyes.
Xiao told Da about this and cried and begged for advice but even Da didn't have any good advice for her younger sister. After those 3 days Xiao couldn't take it anymore. Zhou Yu was leaving to his death in trying to defend Wu for the last time and today was the last chance Xiao had to see him.
As she slowly made her way over to his sleeping figure she hesitantly hefted her dagger.
Zhou Yu knew that Xiao was in the room. The wind had carried her unique scent to him and he had sensed her presence. He always could tell when she was near; he just couldn't help but know where she was. Whenever they passed in the halls he could see regret, shame, and a pleading hope in her eyes. She would walk swiftly past with her head down and be gone as quickly as she could.
Despite what the room may suggest Zhou Yu was not drunk. He had drunk until he had passed out the first night but then he hadn't had a drink. He had come to the conclusion that drinking would never make his problems go away. He had spent the last two days with a clear head and had met with several officers and Sun Jian. From the castle Zhou Yu had managed to get 50 volunteers to go with him when he left to defend Hin Gi Gate. Even so many of the officers tried to talk Zhou Yu out of it but he wouldn't listen. He knew that now he had firmly lost Xiao with his rash actions and that she would never forgive him. So the only reasonable thing he could think of was to die doing one last service for Wu by dying on the field defending Wu against Wei.
Sun Ce had tried to talk Zhou Yu out of it. He had told Zhou Yu that none of the beddings had blood on it and made a case that Xiao really wanted him back. Zhou Yu had made up his mind however and didn't think that he even deserved Xiao even if she wanted him back. With a set mind and not wanting to disappoint the men he already had at Hin Gi Gate Zhou Yu stood fast in his decision. He was to go and fight one last time.
Zhou Yu felt the bed sag as Xiao climbed onto it. His eyes fluttered open and turned to face her. A smile almost escaped unto his lips but then he saw the dagger.