Bring Me to Life
By Gingivere the Shadowreaver
~*~*~*~
Chapter Seven
~*~*~*~
The village of Wujun had not changed at all, and the wounded Da Qiao and her bodyguards looked upon it as the solid walls stood tall in front of them. Time did not seem to have any affect if its great structure, and her earliest childhood memories led to here. She could see herself, sharing the same horse as her sister and her father, entering the fortified village, being welcomed by the proud Lu family. She wondered, now, if they still settled in this humble little village, and if they knew of the Wei army marching so close to their peaceful community, holding their son as a prisoner.
When they rode to the gate, two guards, stationed at a side, lowered their pikes. The first one eyed her, seeing the blood that practically gushed out of her arm and onto the horse's sides. "State your business here."
It was rather self-explanatory, but Da Qiao was in no mood to be cocky, seeing how her wounded bodyguard was doing before answering her question. "I am Lady Qiao, daughter of Qiao Xuan and Maiden of the Wu Army. One of my men and myself are injured, and we wish to seek refuge in your city."
"Right this way, Lady Qiao." The second soldier bowed, signaling for the gates to open. As they did, the other soldier aided the bodyguard, and Da Qiao gave a sigh of relief. She hoped that Zhou Yu and Zhao Yun would arrive quickly, as the knot in her stomach grew even larger now. Passing through the gates to her was like walking down memory lane, seeing how almost nothing had changed within these great walls. Women and children crowded the streets, some gazing towards them as they moved along. She knew that some would not recognize her, as her stay within this village was rather short, but that seemed to be the least of her concerns.
They came to a pass, and there, she could see two monumental buildings. One was a shrine, and the other was a wooden castle like figure, very similar to the Japanese' pagoda. The shrine was her home, as the pagoda-look a like belonged to the family of Lu.
"Who is the Lord here?"
The soldier accompanying them answered quickly, "Lord Lu Jun still reigns here, and it shall pass to his nephew when he dies."
Raising an eyebrow at this, Da Qiao asked, "Does he not have a son?"
"Lu Yi is currently serving elsewhere, Lady Qiao, and he has came to the conclusion that his son will never return."
"I see... after I am looked at, my I talk to Lord Lu Jun?"
"I will do what I can; he's a very busy man, preparing his troops for the Wei army that was spotted. I'm afraid you chose a bad time to seek our help, especially if the army is searching for you." The soldier eyed her suspiciously, waiting for Da Qiao's obvious denial, for he knew this was not true.
Nodding, she sighed, "It's rather complicating. You see, they are recovering from a battle they had two days ago, and they too wish to seek refuge here. Do convince your Lord to see me, or take me to him now. I have valuable information concerning the Wei army that comes, and he must know them."
He saw the seriousness in her eyes, and he nodded, "First let us take care of that arm... you'll bleed to death, or get an infection if its not tended to now."
"Thank you..." Da Qiao smiled, a slight ray of hope rising in her heart. Maybe they could save Lu Xun today? It was highly impossible, but it was worth the smile.
~*~*~*~
The two officers quickly leapt off of the horse before it could hit the ground, giving one last cry before giving into the silence that beckoned it so. Zhao Yun looked at his now dead horse as its dark eyes gazed over, and he spat, wiping the horse's blood from his cheeks. "Damn... I liked that horse too..."
Zhou Yu hated to sound heartless, but the horse's death was not truly his concern right now, sheathing his sword only after making sure it was completely safe. "How many did you kill?"
"At least sixty, counting the ones killed by own soldiers. How about you?"
"Not enough..." Zhou Yu growled, now berating himself mentally for losing his cool and assaulting Zhang He. "I guess twenty or thirty... and Da Qiao... we can't forget the ones she took care of."
"So, the Wei army went from over three hundred downsized by a third! Another successful raid and, and-"
He was quickly silenced, as the Wu strategist gave a rather grim look, nothing compared to the rageful fury that possessed him much earlier. "Lord Cao Cao will not fall for this again, unfortunately. Now they will expect us next time and stay alert. We can't fool him again."
"Well, look at the bright side." The Little Dragon leaned against a tree, taking the opportunity to rest while he still could. "At least we've slowed them down a little, hopefully enough for the troops to catch up. And, not to mention we left a bruise to Cao Cao's ego."
Still, Zhou Yu did not feel any better. He should have planned better, he told himself, running a hand through his long brown hair, accidentally mixing the blood that soaked his hands into his hair, but he didn't care. He could see the thorns that were wrapped around his friend's neck, growling, "Next time, we'll leave no margin of error... but you're right. We did get their attention, and hopefully our insane assault has given Lu Xun high hopes."
"We should head to Wujun now... they will probably need time to recuperate before they march onward." Zhao Yun made the suggestion just as his soldiers began to appear, and he looked back at the dead horse, grimacing. "Unfortunately, we're without our horses, so the trek will be longer."
It didn't matter, Zhou Yu sighed, getting his bearings again and heading out to the village with the Shu at his heels. His consciousness nagged at him, and the guilt of once again failing to save Lu Xun was tearing him apart inside. But the failure wasn't the only thing on his mind, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Whatever it was, it would have to wait until after Lu Xun is safe, he thought with a frown, not particularly enjoying the Shu forces behind him all of a sudden. Unconsciously, he rested a finger on the hilt of his sword, just in case...
~*~*~*~
Lu Xun was almost rolling with laughter to hear Cao Cao's angry shouts lift into the air, venting his anger on his generals as the medics tended to the wounded. He was casually thrown aside with Zhang He's soldiers gathered around him, each holding a spear, ready to strike if he even sneezed.
He looked upon the generals as they stood in a straight line, each one stiff and emotionless as their ruler gave them the worse morale speech he could dish out. Xiahou Dun, Zhang Liao, Zhang He, and Sima Yi could only absorb his words, and they fought to keep their tongues silent and their mouths shut, knowing the penalty if they dared object when Cao Cao was right (which in this case, was no different).
"Zhang Liao, where were you? You were suppose to be guarding the rear; how is it that your men didn't see Zhao Yun's troops?" Cao Cao demanded, standing directly in front of the general.
Zhang Liao answered truthfully, "I was rendered unconscious, sir... I was mounting my horse when one attacked me, and I must have hit my head on the way down. I cannot express my shame right now, sir..."
They stared at one another for a little while longer, before Cao Cao decided to move to his next victim. Zhang Liao lowered his head slightly, a look of pure anger lighting his face. 'Show yourself again, Zhao Yun... dare show your face when I am ready...'
Cao Cao's next victim was Sima Yi, and the man flinched when he snapped, "And you! A disgrace... the rat was leaving a little trail of breadcrumbs right under our noses and you had not noticed his missing swords and hat?"
Sima Yi felt naked without his fan, unable to hide his face. He was afraid of Cao Cao, but he, like Zhang Liao, knew the fate that awaited him if he dared keep the truth to himself. With a deadly glare to Lu Xun, he replied, keeping his voice down. "I will be more observant next time, my Lord... I will not slack again, and I am sure Zhang He will keep him on a shorter collar."
The man looked up when he heard his name, and he noticed the bitter slang when he had said it. Was he STILL angry at him, he wondered, before Cao Cao turned his attention to him now. He didn't sound half as angry as he was with the other two, fortunately for Zhang He. "He's right; you have been entirely much too nice to the kid. Have you taken him as prisoner, or for something else, because you're leaving even me confused with THAT right now!"
"Sir, if I were to strike and tear apart his throat all the time, it would not give him time to speak, am I not correct?" Zhang He inquired, taking both Cao Cao and Sima Yi by surprise by the obvious smoothness of his tone. His face remained the same, not wanting to walk upon his own death by his words alone. "I am doing a slightly different approach, one that I would tell you when the child is not within hearing range."
Cao Cao looked to Lu Xun, who quickly looked away. The emperor sneered, turning back to his officer and nodding, saying nothing more to him. Xiahou Dun was next, and arm resting along his bleeding flank that Cao Cao had just noticed. "What happened to you?"
"I was attacked from the East by Da Qiao and her archers. I was able to strike one and I injured her, but they were able to destroy my troops." Xiahou Dun hated for himself to say it aloud, especially since Lu Xun looked upon him, mixed feelings burning inside of him. "Her forces retreated to the East, supposingly towards a village."
'Da Qiao...' Lu Xun's eyes widen with horror and Cao Cao was upon him in an instant, kicking him directly in the gut. The pure force of the kick made the smaller man leave the ground, hitting the ground with just as much impact of the kick did. He grunted, only after the Lord stomped a foot over his slowly healing arrow wound.
"Now, before I add enough pressure to pop your head right off, tell me how far the village is! And, if the Maiden is there already, will she tell the troops there of our presence?" Cao Cao demanded with a snarl before stomping again, getting an even louder cry from the suffering man.
Lu Xun shouted, the pain in his voice made Sima Yi grin deepen, wishing for more of it from him. "Yes- the troops will know of you- and they will fight back before allowing your passage!"
The foot did not move, only getting heavier until Lu Xun felt his chest about to crack. "You forget your position here, Lu Xun, and if you were half as smart as they said you were to be, you'd realize how much of an advantage we have over Wu, even greater in your village."
"They'll kill me first!"
"And who would replace you? Zhou Yu?" Cao Cao laughed, slamming the foot down again. "He is blinded by rage now, something a strategist should never allow himself to be controlled by. The Wu would not allow your death, nor would they find a suitable replacement for either of you."
Lu Xun gave another cry, slamming his eyes shut to try to stop the tears. "My father- my father will kill you!"
All that did was bring a cold, cruel laugh from Lord Cao Cao, throwing his head back to let his echo. He removed his foot, turning to his troops. "I would like to see him try, dear child. We march East, to the city of Wujun! When we arrive there, be alert, but do not kill anyone unless they strike back."
They saluted, and, looking down at the defeated officer, he grinned, giving one last order. "And if you should find the Qiao Maiden and her men, kill them! They will pay for their attacks and the men they have killed!"
As the troops saluted again, Lu Xun shouted, his heart taking over his words before his brains could. "NO! DON'T!"
Cao Cao turned upon him for a second before turning to Zhang He, who nodded. The troops began their march, and Zhang He half forced, half helped the almost sobbing man to his wobbly feet. He heard Lu Xun growl as he held him up, hearing his pain through words. "Damn you... don't even touch me..."
"Then I shall drag you on the collar-"
"Just don't... don't talk to me..." Lu Xun pushed himself away, standing well on his own. "Don't try to fool my with your sympathy! Just shut the hell up and do whatever your Lord orders you to do..."
Zhang He would have pulled the rope, but he did not, unable to bring himself to do so. He was not like Cao Cao, and somehow, when he did not have the badgering eyes of his Lord and the jealous ones of Sima Yi upon him, he would tell Lu Xun his real objections. But that was to be for a different time, and he followed the troops with his silent prisoner in toe.
~*~*~*~
Liu Bei missed his gray horse greatly, but it was not like him to complain. This horse he rode was quite, timid, and much slower than his own, and the fact that it was much shorter did not help at all. But still, he did not complain verbally, as the troops quested through the woodlands in search of revenge against the Wei army.
Walking alongside his Lord, Ma Chao commented, glancing back at the Wu army behind them. "Do you really think we can trust them, Lord? They have us outnumbered..."
He was given a deadly look, one that no one could stare back at, forcing himself to turn away as Liu Bei spoke bitterly. "This is our payment for their services, Ma Chao, and though I would not trust them entirely, we have the same goals at the moment."
"And, what would that be sir?" Not really wanting to question his Lord's orders, Ma Chao was very hesitant, and he explained himself. "They want their captive officer back, and how shall we fight a war when they expect him to be unharmed. After they get their office back, they will abandon us."
Liu Bei narrowed his eyes, keeping his head forward. "And your point is? I know this already; they live a far more peaceful life then we do, and it was never their intention to be brought into this struggle."
"But saving the kid is their problem; why must we help?"
"Because that kid took the impact of the arrow for me, and I consider this to be the honorable thing to do."
And that was the end of the argument. However, another had already started, and Gan Ning whined in a playful manner. "What? No way... you NEVER sang for me!"
Sun Shang Xiang smiled brightly, laughing at the disappointed look on the ex-pirate's face. She knew how much he loved to hear her sing, but she wasn't going to do it now, as they were marching in pursuit of the Wei army. "Yes, I did, but YOU were asleep, you silly goof!"
"You COULD have woken me up..." Sighing, Gan Ning let it go, stretching and giving a lazy yawn. He hated this silence, and though he didn't necessarily mean to look for trouble, he did want some kind of action. "It's almost too quite here..."
"Don't tempt fate..." Taishi Ci snapped, quickly turning to face the pirate. "Have a little patience, Gan NINGGGGGGG!"
A twig snapped, and the next thing that happened was pure chaos, as Taishi Ci's foot flew into the air with his body following closely. Liu Bei heard his shout, coming to a halt and turning to see the rather humorous sight of the Wu general dangling from a nicely set trap. He would have laughed if there wasn't another trap set, capturing Ma Chao. Gan Ning had already withdrawn his sword, but it was too late, a boomerang smashing against the side of his temple, rendering him unconscious.
That was when the enemy troops appeared out of no where, each holding a spear in their hands and pointing them directly at the now trapped forces. Liu Bei recognized them instantly, but it was Sun Shang Xiang who sneered their names. "Nanmans... here?"
She was answered by a fellow woman, as Zhu Rong walked through the clearing, wielding her boomerang in her hands as she looked upon the army she had just captured. Her long blonde hair covered most of her bare shoulders, and she stood practically half-naked, proving to be a beautiful sight if it were not for the harsh predicament they were in. She noticed Liu Bei first, and she grinned, enjoying the look of anger written on his face. "Lord Liu Bei of Shu... what brings you here? A campaign?"
Liu Bei said nothing, and seeing that neither of them were going to cooperate, she barked orders, "Cut those two down and tie them up. Someone carry the pirate. We're going to allow them a little visit to my dear husband."
They quickly obeyed, and Liu Bei sneered, glaring down at the women. "This is not your land, woman... you WILL pay dearly for this act."
"We shall see... I'm sure my husband will have fun with you..." Zhu Rong smiled almost evilly, her bright blue eyes sparkling with enlightenment, taking the head of the troops as they were forced into making the little detour.
~*~*~*~
Lu Jun was almost an exact splitting image of Lu Xun, and if you were to set eyes upon him, there wouldn't be a doubt in your mind that this man was definitely the father of the Wu strategist. The only difference between them was the obvious age difference, and Lu Jun wore a light brown goatee. Other then that, Da Qiao forced herself not to shout the name of the one she knew closely.
The soldier that accompanied her saluted to his Lord, and Da Qiao nearly trembled when Lu Jun's cold dark eyes set upon her. That was another difference between the two, as she vaguely remembered him. He was a harsh man, strict, and often considered to be a cold, ruthless monster to his enemies. Those eyes were not Lu Xun's, for his was soft, caring, and wise, so full of life.
"Sir, Lady Da Qiao of the Wu Army has requested an audience with you." The soldier answered, as Lu Jun eyed her suspiciously, slight recognition lighting up in his face.
Lu Jun recognized her as she bowed, and he smiled warmly, taking her hand and giving it a light kiss as he returned the bow. "Lady Qiao... I hope to hear that you're father and sister are doing well?"
She smiled, relieved as the tension seemed to die away slowly. "We're just as good as any, Lord. However, though I'd wish to talk with you about the good times, I'm afraid we don't have much time left. I've come to talk to you about the Wei forces heading this way."
Then his face went hard again, and he nodded, gently releasing her hand and calling forth a soldier, who gave him a helmet that was traditionally passed down from his grandfather. He looked ready for war, and it didn't take a genius to know that he was planning on defending his village. "Yes; we've spotted them at noon. We're not sure why they're in Wu territory, but since Sun Ce has failed to do away with them, it appears we must do his dirty work for him."
Da Qiao knew of the tension between the Sun family and the Lu of Wujun, starting from Lu Kang. Apparently, after Lu Xun was accepted into the services, things between them should have settled down. Apparently, Lu Jun still held a little grudge. "Sir, there's something else about the army you should know about; it involves your son."
"Lu Yi?" He asked, and it took Da Qiao a few seconds before remembering the name change. She nodded, and he asked, "What about him? Have they killed him?"
She quickly answered, knowing the news she brought was no better. "No, sir. Instead they're holding him as a hostage and are probably attempting to extract information out of him. I'm horribly sorry to tell you of this news, but they will try to hold him against you to seek refuge in your city."
He looked to her before putting on the helmet, the long blonde horsehair sliding and covering the armor on his shoulders. She had never seen him in battle before, and it appeared that now she would have her chance. "What proof do you have, Lady Qiao?"
Oh, Da Qiao did have proof, and she showed it to him, going to the bodyguard that accompanied her and taking the bloodied clothes from him to give to the unbelieving father of the man of her heart. He eyed them before accepting them, slowly unwrapping them. The look on his face when he saw the twin sword, soaked in blood, frightened her, and he gripped them both, one in each hand, the enraged look only looking more insane now. "Yes... these swords... he took these before joining the services of the Sun family..."
"And Zhou Yu has his hat... he and Zhao Yun of the Shu should be arriving shortly..."
Lu Jun held one of them to his face, and his eyes were brimmed with insanity as he spoke like one possessed. "Bastards... they dare take my son?! I will make them pay dearly, for every scratch, there will be a river of BLOOD in return! BASTARDS!"
She swore she could see fire in his eyes; how could this man have the same blood as Lu Xun?! So violent, vengeful, such qualities that Lu Xun never shared with him. And to think, from the rumors she heard, his grandfather was twice as vicious!
A soldier ran in, out of breath, and he bowed to his lord, "Sir, the Wei are just beyond our gates! Lord Cao Cao is with them!"
"Tell the forces to prepare for battle; have the archers stationed to the wall. I will join them their shortly; do not open fire until I give the order... I wish to speak to Lord Cao Cao..." Lu Jun's voice was deadly serious, and he turned to Da Qiao, making some final adjustments to his armor. "You're still injured, Lady Qiao; if you do not wish to fight, then gather your men and go to the shrine. If they should break into this village, you will be safe there. Take as many villagers as you can, and please, try to protect them."
She shook her head, "I will help them into the shrine, even help them flee the city if need be, but allow me at your side, please."
"I trust my people with you... they will panic at the sounds of the war drums, and they will need your strength." He took her hand again, kissing it one last time, almost begging now. "I do not wish for you to be harmed, Lady Qiao... now please, see that they are safe."
How could she refuse? Feeling defeated, she bowed, releasing her hand and leaving the building just as the drums began. The citizens were slightly alarmed as soldiers marched through the streets, carrying sword and spears, but Da Qiao was there, quickly catching their attention. She was sure they knew the drills, but it was obvious that this village had not seen many fights. "Villagers, please stay calm; gather in the Shrines and stay quiet. There is nothing to fear! Follow me!"
With no arguments, they quickly obeyed, as Lu Jun emerged from his pagoda-looking building, his bodyguards at his side. He could see the Maiden helping his people, and he nodded, feeling relieved that the innocents would not get involved in this. As the drums got louder, he could hear the excitement rising from beyond the gates, and as he made his way up the spiral stairs, his archers waited for his command.
That was when he saw the troops. Had to be only two hundred men there, and perhaps his cockiness got the better side of him as he laughed softly, looking down upon the army. His fake horsehair and the capes he wore draped in the wind, and Cao Cao instantly spotted him. They stared at one another, each wearing a smile, and Lu Jun was the first to shout, his archers reeling back on their weapons. "Lord Cao Cao of the Wei Kingdom, why do you bring yourself here? You are not on your own land, and you know the penalty of that!"
As the archers eagerly waited for their orders, Cao Cao looked to them, then back at Lu Jun, seeing the deathly glare in his eyes. He shouted back, his voice much calmer than his current enemy's. "I've come to seek revenge in your village, sir Lu Jun, rival of the Sun family and father of the man I am holding hostage. I was hoping we could avoid any loss of life tonight, as you hold villagers and we are weary of battle. We wish no more death to this day."
When Lu Jun nodded, Cao Cao knew, grabbing his sword and deflecting the arrow that was aimed to his heart. Lu Jun did not seem too surprised by his quickness and intuition, and he grabbed a bow for himself, glaring down at him. "You mistake me for a fool, Lord Cao Cao. Release my son... then we'll talk."
Cao Cao looked back to Zhang He, who came forth with his prisoner in toe, guided by the thorn collar and rope. He threw Lu Xun forward, forcing him to kneel as he pulled out his bow, aiming an arrow directly at the back of Lu Xun's head. The anger on Lu Jun's face rose, as Cao Cao spoke coldly, "I was hoping we would not come to this, Lu Jun. Allow us into your village, or your son, as well as many more lives, will be thrown away."
"Fa-father?" Lu Xun dared himself to look up, seeing the sight of his father made him quiver. He was too shameful to look at him, and Lu Jun could see it, but he ignored it, diverting his arrow now to Zhang He.
"Stay silent, Lu Yi..." Lu Jun hissed. He shouted back to Cao Cao, "Release him now, Cao Cao... or your entire front line, including yourself, will eat dirt with the worms!"
The sounds of bows' strings being pulled harder, and Zhang He did the first thing that came to his mind, releasing the arrow and puller the bow through Lu Xun's head, pulling and forcing the young man up. Then, he rested a claw filled hand under his chin, causing his father to curse. Cao Cao sneered, "Allow us refuge... I can see it in your eyes that you do not wish to see your son's death, am I correct?"
No one moved, and Lu Xun shouted, the bow's string cutting his airway off a bit. "KILL THEM, FATHER! DON'T LET THEM HAVE WUJUN! KILL THEM!!!"
And Lu Jun looked as if he was going to do so, reeling back on his arrow for a third time, determined to slay either the beast that held his son or the Lord. Save his son and allow them in, or kill his son and risk even more death. After looking at his son once more, he made his decision, lowering his weapon and shouting to the gatekeeper. "Open the gates... no one is to harm anyone there... first man to strike them will face my punishment! Now open the gates!"
Laughing in victory, Cao Cao ordered his troops forward, keeping their weapons to themselves. Lu Xun was released, but he could not bring himself to stand, hanging his head low to the ground as the Wei forces advanced into his city. Zhang He's voice was in his ears, and he turned them away, grasping the dirt in his hands as he quivered. "It's good to see your father will risk your village over your life... he must really love you."
"Shut up..." Lu Xun could only muster those words, and as the general forced him up, he avoided looking at his father, who gave him the same reaction. 'You're a fool, father... I... I would have rather died than to risk the lives of the people of my village... you old fool...'
Lu Jun was fighting his own pride, feeling defeated and deciding to go greet his 'guest'. He was thankful that he ordered the villagers to the Shrine, otherwise the chaos would have been insane...
By Gingivere the Shadowreaver
~*~*~*~
Chapter Seven
~*~*~*~
The village of Wujun had not changed at all, and the wounded Da Qiao and her bodyguards looked upon it as the solid walls stood tall in front of them. Time did not seem to have any affect if its great structure, and her earliest childhood memories led to here. She could see herself, sharing the same horse as her sister and her father, entering the fortified village, being welcomed by the proud Lu family. She wondered, now, if they still settled in this humble little village, and if they knew of the Wei army marching so close to their peaceful community, holding their son as a prisoner.
When they rode to the gate, two guards, stationed at a side, lowered their pikes. The first one eyed her, seeing the blood that practically gushed out of her arm and onto the horse's sides. "State your business here."
It was rather self-explanatory, but Da Qiao was in no mood to be cocky, seeing how her wounded bodyguard was doing before answering her question. "I am Lady Qiao, daughter of Qiao Xuan and Maiden of the Wu Army. One of my men and myself are injured, and we wish to seek refuge in your city."
"Right this way, Lady Qiao." The second soldier bowed, signaling for the gates to open. As they did, the other soldier aided the bodyguard, and Da Qiao gave a sigh of relief. She hoped that Zhou Yu and Zhao Yun would arrive quickly, as the knot in her stomach grew even larger now. Passing through the gates to her was like walking down memory lane, seeing how almost nothing had changed within these great walls. Women and children crowded the streets, some gazing towards them as they moved along. She knew that some would not recognize her, as her stay within this village was rather short, but that seemed to be the least of her concerns.
They came to a pass, and there, she could see two monumental buildings. One was a shrine, and the other was a wooden castle like figure, very similar to the Japanese' pagoda. The shrine was her home, as the pagoda-look a like belonged to the family of Lu.
"Who is the Lord here?"
The soldier accompanying them answered quickly, "Lord Lu Jun still reigns here, and it shall pass to his nephew when he dies."
Raising an eyebrow at this, Da Qiao asked, "Does he not have a son?"
"Lu Yi is currently serving elsewhere, Lady Qiao, and he has came to the conclusion that his son will never return."
"I see... after I am looked at, my I talk to Lord Lu Jun?"
"I will do what I can; he's a very busy man, preparing his troops for the Wei army that was spotted. I'm afraid you chose a bad time to seek our help, especially if the army is searching for you." The soldier eyed her suspiciously, waiting for Da Qiao's obvious denial, for he knew this was not true.
Nodding, she sighed, "It's rather complicating. You see, they are recovering from a battle they had two days ago, and they too wish to seek refuge here. Do convince your Lord to see me, or take me to him now. I have valuable information concerning the Wei army that comes, and he must know them."
He saw the seriousness in her eyes, and he nodded, "First let us take care of that arm... you'll bleed to death, or get an infection if its not tended to now."
"Thank you..." Da Qiao smiled, a slight ray of hope rising in her heart. Maybe they could save Lu Xun today? It was highly impossible, but it was worth the smile.
~*~*~*~
The two officers quickly leapt off of the horse before it could hit the ground, giving one last cry before giving into the silence that beckoned it so. Zhao Yun looked at his now dead horse as its dark eyes gazed over, and he spat, wiping the horse's blood from his cheeks. "Damn... I liked that horse too..."
Zhou Yu hated to sound heartless, but the horse's death was not truly his concern right now, sheathing his sword only after making sure it was completely safe. "How many did you kill?"
"At least sixty, counting the ones killed by own soldiers. How about you?"
"Not enough..." Zhou Yu growled, now berating himself mentally for losing his cool and assaulting Zhang He. "I guess twenty or thirty... and Da Qiao... we can't forget the ones she took care of."
"So, the Wei army went from over three hundred downsized by a third! Another successful raid and, and-"
He was quickly silenced, as the Wu strategist gave a rather grim look, nothing compared to the rageful fury that possessed him much earlier. "Lord Cao Cao will not fall for this again, unfortunately. Now they will expect us next time and stay alert. We can't fool him again."
"Well, look at the bright side." The Little Dragon leaned against a tree, taking the opportunity to rest while he still could. "At least we've slowed them down a little, hopefully enough for the troops to catch up. And, not to mention we left a bruise to Cao Cao's ego."
Still, Zhou Yu did not feel any better. He should have planned better, he told himself, running a hand through his long brown hair, accidentally mixing the blood that soaked his hands into his hair, but he didn't care. He could see the thorns that were wrapped around his friend's neck, growling, "Next time, we'll leave no margin of error... but you're right. We did get their attention, and hopefully our insane assault has given Lu Xun high hopes."
"We should head to Wujun now... they will probably need time to recuperate before they march onward." Zhao Yun made the suggestion just as his soldiers began to appear, and he looked back at the dead horse, grimacing. "Unfortunately, we're without our horses, so the trek will be longer."
It didn't matter, Zhou Yu sighed, getting his bearings again and heading out to the village with the Shu at his heels. His consciousness nagged at him, and the guilt of once again failing to save Lu Xun was tearing him apart inside. But the failure wasn't the only thing on his mind, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Whatever it was, it would have to wait until after Lu Xun is safe, he thought with a frown, not particularly enjoying the Shu forces behind him all of a sudden. Unconsciously, he rested a finger on the hilt of his sword, just in case...
~*~*~*~
Lu Xun was almost rolling with laughter to hear Cao Cao's angry shouts lift into the air, venting his anger on his generals as the medics tended to the wounded. He was casually thrown aside with Zhang He's soldiers gathered around him, each holding a spear, ready to strike if he even sneezed.
He looked upon the generals as they stood in a straight line, each one stiff and emotionless as their ruler gave them the worse morale speech he could dish out. Xiahou Dun, Zhang Liao, Zhang He, and Sima Yi could only absorb his words, and they fought to keep their tongues silent and their mouths shut, knowing the penalty if they dared object when Cao Cao was right (which in this case, was no different).
"Zhang Liao, where were you? You were suppose to be guarding the rear; how is it that your men didn't see Zhao Yun's troops?" Cao Cao demanded, standing directly in front of the general.
Zhang Liao answered truthfully, "I was rendered unconscious, sir... I was mounting my horse when one attacked me, and I must have hit my head on the way down. I cannot express my shame right now, sir..."
They stared at one another for a little while longer, before Cao Cao decided to move to his next victim. Zhang Liao lowered his head slightly, a look of pure anger lighting his face. 'Show yourself again, Zhao Yun... dare show your face when I am ready...'
Cao Cao's next victim was Sima Yi, and the man flinched when he snapped, "And you! A disgrace... the rat was leaving a little trail of breadcrumbs right under our noses and you had not noticed his missing swords and hat?"
Sima Yi felt naked without his fan, unable to hide his face. He was afraid of Cao Cao, but he, like Zhang Liao, knew the fate that awaited him if he dared keep the truth to himself. With a deadly glare to Lu Xun, he replied, keeping his voice down. "I will be more observant next time, my Lord... I will not slack again, and I am sure Zhang He will keep him on a shorter collar."
The man looked up when he heard his name, and he noticed the bitter slang when he had said it. Was he STILL angry at him, he wondered, before Cao Cao turned his attention to him now. He didn't sound half as angry as he was with the other two, fortunately for Zhang He. "He's right; you have been entirely much too nice to the kid. Have you taken him as prisoner, or for something else, because you're leaving even me confused with THAT right now!"
"Sir, if I were to strike and tear apart his throat all the time, it would not give him time to speak, am I not correct?" Zhang He inquired, taking both Cao Cao and Sima Yi by surprise by the obvious smoothness of his tone. His face remained the same, not wanting to walk upon his own death by his words alone. "I am doing a slightly different approach, one that I would tell you when the child is not within hearing range."
Cao Cao looked to Lu Xun, who quickly looked away. The emperor sneered, turning back to his officer and nodding, saying nothing more to him. Xiahou Dun was next, and arm resting along his bleeding flank that Cao Cao had just noticed. "What happened to you?"
"I was attacked from the East by Da Qiao and her archers. I was able to strike one and I injured her, but they were able to destroy my troops." Xiahou Dun hated for himself to say it aloud, especially since Lu Xun looked upon him, mixed feelings burning inside of him. "Her forces retreated to the East, supposingly towards a village."
'Da Qiao...' Lu Xun's eyes widen with horror and Cao Cao was upon him in an instant, kicking him directly in the gut. The pure force of the kick made the smaller man leave the ground, hitting the ground with just as much impact of the kick did. He grunted, only after the Lord stomped a foot over his slowly healing arrow wound.
"Now, before I add enough pressure to pop your head right off, tell me how far the village is! And, if the Maiden is there already, will she tell the troops there of our presence?" Cao Cao demanded with a snarl before stomping again, getting an even louder cry from the suffering man.
Lu Xun shouted, the pain in his voice made Sima Yi grin deepen, wishing for more of it from him. "Yes- the troops will know of you- and they will fight back before allowing your passage!"
The foot did not move, only getting heavier until Lu Xun felt his chest about to crack. "You forget your position here, Lu Xun, and if you were half as smart as they said you were to be, you'd realize how much of an advantage we have over Wu, even greater in your village."
"They'll kill me first!"
"And who would replace you? Zhou Yu?" Cao Cao laughed, slamming the foot down again. "He is blinded by rage now, something a strategist should never allow himself to be controlled by. The Wu would not allow your death, nor would they find a suitable replacement for either of you."
Lu Xun gave another cry, slamming his eyes shut to try to stop the tears. "My father- my father will kill you!"
All that did was bring a cold, cruel laugh from Lord Cao Cao, throwing his head back to let his echo. He removed his foot, turning to his troops. "I would like to see him try, dear child. We march East, to the city of Wujun! When we arrive there, be alert, but do not kill anyone unless they strike back."
They saluted, and, looking down at the defeated officer, he grinned, giving one last order. "And if you should find the Qiao Maiden and her men, kill them! They will pay for their attacks and the men they have killed!"
As the troops saluted again, Lu Xun shouted, his heart taking over his words before his brains could. "NO! DON'T!"
Cao Cao turned upon him for a second before turning to Zhang He, who nodded. The troops began their march, and Zhang He half forced, half helped the almost sobbing man to his wobbly feet. He heard Lu Xun growl as he held him up, hearing his pain through words. "Damn you... don't even touch me..."
"Then I shall drag you on the collar-"
"Just don't... don't talk to me..." Lu Xun pushed himself away, standing well on his own. "Don't try to fool my with your sympathy! Just shut the hell up and do whatever your Lord orders you to do..."
Zhang He would have pulled the rope, but he did not, unable to bring himself to do so. He was not like Cao Cao, and somehow, when he did not have the badgering eyes of his Lord and the jealous ones of Sima Yi upon him, he would tell Lu Xun his real objections. But that was to be for a different time, and he followed the troops with his silent prisoner in toe.
~*~*~*~
Liu Bei missed his gray horse greatly, but it was not like him to complain. This horse he rode was quite, timid, and much slower than his own, and the fact that it was much shorter did not help at all. But still, he did not complain verbally, as the troops quested through the woodlands in search of revenge against the Wei army.
Walking alongside his Lord, Ma Chao commented, glancing back at the Wu army behind them. "Do you really think we can trust them, Lord? They have us outnumbered..."
He was given a deadly look, one that no one could stare back at, forcing himself to turn away as Liu Bei spoke bitterly. "This is our payment for their services, Ma Chao, and though I would not trust them entirely, we have the same goals at the moment."
"And, what would that be sir?" Not really wanting to question his Lord's orders, Ma Chao was very hesitant, and he explained himself. "They want their captive officer back, and how shall we fight a war when they expect him to be unharmed. After they get their office back, they will abandon us."
Liu Bei narrowed his eyes, keeping his head forward. "And your point is? I know this already; they live a far more peaceful life then we do, and it was never their intention to be brought into this struggle."
"But saving the kid is their problem; why must we help?"
"Because that kid took the impact of the arrow for me, and I consider this to be the honorable thing to do."
And that was the end of the argument. However, another had already started, and Gan Ning whined in a playful manner. "What? No way... you NEVER sang for me!"
Sun Shang Xiang smiled brightly, laughing at the disappointed look on the ex-pirate's face. She knew how much he loved to hear her sing, but she wasn't going to do it now, as they were marching in pursuit of the Wei army. "Yes, I did, but YOU were asleep, you silly goof!"
"You COULD have woken me up..." Sighing, Gan Ning let it go, stretching and giving a lazy yawn. He hated this silence, and though he didn't necessarily mean to look for trouble, he did want some kind of action. "It's almost too quite here..."
"Don't tempt fate..." Taishi Ci snapped, quickly turning to face the pirate. "Have a little patience, Gan NINGGGGGGG!"
A twig snapped, and the next thing that happened was pure chaos, as Taishi Ci's foot flew into the air with his body following closely. Liu Bei heard his shout, coming to a halt and turning to see the rather humorous sight of the Wu general dangling from a nicely set trap. He would have laughed if there wasn't another trap set, capturing Ma Chao. Gan Ning had already withdrawn his sword, but it was too late, a boomerang smashing against the side of his temple, rendering him unconscious.
That was when the enemy troops appeared out of no where, each holding a spear in their hands and pointing them directly at the now trapped forces. Liu Bei recognized them instantly, but it was Sun Shang Xiang who sneered their names. "Nanmans... here?"
She was answered by a fellow woman, as Zhu Rong walked through the clearing, wielding her boomerang in her hands as she looked upon the army she had just captured. Her long blonde hair covered most of her bare shoulders, and she stood practically half-naked, proving to be a beautiful sight if it were not for the harsh predicament they were in. She noticed Liu Bei first, and she grinned, enjoying the look of anger written on his face. "Lord Liu Bei of Shu... what brings you here? A campaign?"
Liu Bei said nothing, and seeing that neither of them were going to cooperate, she barked orders, "Cut those two down and tie them up. Someone carry the pirate. We're going to allow them a little visit to my dear husband."
They quickly obeyed, and Liu Bei sneered, glaring down at the women. "This is not your land, woman... you WILL pay dearly for this act."
"We shall see... I'm sure my husband will have fun with you..." Zhu Rong smiled almost evilly, her bright blue eyes sparkling with enlightenment, taking the head of the troops as they were forced into making the little detour.
~*~*~*~
Lu Jun was almost an exact splitting image of Lu Xun, and if you were to set eyes upon him, there wouldn't be a doubt in your mind that this man was definitely the father of the Wu strategist. The only difference between them was the obvious age difference, and Lu Jun wore a light brown goatee. Other then that, Da Qiao forced herself not to shout the name of the one she knew closely.
The soldier that accompanied her saluted to his Lord, and Da Qiao nearly trembled when Lu Jun's cold dark eyes set upon her. That was another difference between the two, as she vaguely remembered him. He was a harsh man, strict, and often considered to be a cold, ruthless monster to his enemies. Those eyes were not Lu Xun's, for his was soft, caring, and wise, so full of life.
"Sir, Lady Da Qiao of the Wu Army has requested an audience with you." The soldier answered, as Lu Jun eyed her suspiciously, slight recognition lighting up in his face.
Lu Jun recognized her as she bowed, and he smiled warmly, taking her hand and giving it a light kiss as he returned the bow. "Lady Qiao... I hope to hear that you're father and sister are doing well?"
She smiled, relieved as the tension seemed to die away slowly. "We're just as good as any, Lord. However, though I'd wish to talk with you about the good times, I'm afraid we don't have much time left. I've come to talk to you about the Wei forces heading this way."
Then his face went hard again, and he nodded, gently releasing her hand and calling forth a soldier, who gave him a helmet that was traditionally passed down from his grandfather. He looked ready for war, and it didn't take a genius to know that he was planning on defending his village. "Yes; we've spotted them at noon. We're not sure why they're in Wu territory, but since Sun Ce has failed to do away with them, it appears we must do his dirty work for him."
Da Qiao knew of the tension between the Sun family and the Lu of Wujun, starting from Lu Kang. Apparently, after Lu Xun was accepted into the services, things between them should have settled down. Apparently, Lu Jun still held a little grudge. "Sir, there's something else about the army you should know about; it involves your son."
"Lu Yi?" He asked, and it took Da Qiao a few seconds before remembering the name change. She nodded, and he asked, "What about him? Have they killed him?"
She quickly answered, knowing the news she brought was no better. "No, sir. Instead they're holding him as a hostage and are probably attempting to extract information out of him. I'm horribly sorry to tell you of this news, but they will try to hold him against you to seek refuge in your city."
He looked to her before putting on the helmet, the long blonde horsehair sliding and covering the armor on his shoulders. She had never seen him in battle before, and it appeared that now she would have her chance. "What proof do you have, Lady Qiao?"
Oh, Da Qiao did have proof, and she showed it to him, going to the bodyguard that accompanied her and taking the bloodied clothes from him to give to the unbelieving father of the man of her heart. He eyed them before accepting them, slowly unwrapping them. The look on his face when he saw the twin sword, soaked in blood, frightened her, and he gripped them both, one in each hand, the enraged look only looking more insane now. "Yes... these swords... he took these before joining the services of the Sun family..."
"And Zhou Yu has his hat... he and Zhao Yun of the Shu should be arriving shortly..."
Lu Jun held one of them to his face, and his eyes were brimmed with insanity as he spoke like one possessed. "Bastards... they dare take my son?! I will make them pay dearly, for every scratch, there will be a river of BLOOD in return! BASTARDS!"
She swore she could see fire in his eyes; how could this man have the same blood as Lu Xun?! So violent, vengeful, such qualities that Lu Xun never shared with him. And to think, from the rumors she heard, his grandfather was twice as vicious!
A soldier ran in, out of breath, and he bowed to his lord, "Sir, the Wei are just beyond our gates! Lord Cao Cao is with them!"
"Tell the forces to prepare for battle; have the archers stationed to the wall. I will join them their shortly; do not open fire until I give the order... I wish to speak to Lord Cao Cao..." Lu Jun's voice was deadly serious, and he turned to Da Qiao, making some final adjustments to his armor. "You're still injured, Lady Qiao; if you do not wish to fight, then gather your men and go to the shrine. If they should break into this village, you will be safe there. Take as many villagers as you can, and please, try to protect them."
She shook her head, "I will help them into the shrine, even help them flee the city if need be, but allow me at your side, please."
"I trust my people with you... they will panic at the sounds of the war drums, and they will need your strength." He took her hand again, kissing it one last time, almost begging now. "I do not wish for you to be harmed, Lady Qiao... now please, see that they are safe."
How could she refuse? Feeling defeated, she bowed, releasing her hand and leaving the building just as the drums began. The citizens were slightly alarmed as soldiers marched through the streets, carrying sword and spears, but Da Qiao was there, quickly catching their attention. She was sure they knew the drills, but it was obvious that this village had not seen many fights. "Villagers, please stay calm; gather in the Shrines and stay quiet. There is nothing to fear! Follow me!"
With no arguments, they quickly obeyed, as Lu Jun emerged from his pagoda-looking building, his bodyguards at his side. He could see the Maiden helping his people, and he nodded, feeling relieved that the innocents would not get involved in this. As the drums got louder, he could hear the excitement rising from beyond the gates, and as he made his way up the spiral stairs, his archers waited for his command.
That was when he saw the troops. Had to be only two hundred men there, and perhaps his cockiness got the better side of him as he laughed softly, looking down upon the army. His fake horsehair and the capes he wore draped in the wind, and Cao Cao instantly spotted him. They stared at one another, each wearing a smile, and Lu Jun was the first to shout, his archers reeling back on their weapons. "Lord Cao Cao of the Wei Kingdom, why do you bring yourself here? You are not on your own land, and you know the penalty of that!"
As the archers eagerly waited for their orders, Cao Cao looked to them, then back at Lu Jun, seeing the deathly glare in his eyes. He shouted back, his voice much calmer than his current enemy's. "I've come to seek revenge in your village, sir Lu Jun, rival of the Sun family and father of the man I am holding hostage. I was hoping we could avoid any loss of life tonight, as you hold villagers and we are weary of battle. We wish no more death to this day."
When Lu Jun nodded, Cao Cao knew, grabbing his sword and deflecting the arrow that was aimed to his heart. Lu Jun did not seem too surprised by his quickness and intuition, and he grabbed a bow for himself, glaring down at him. "You mistake me for a fool, Lord Cao Cao. Release my son... then we'll talk."
Cao Cao looked back to Zhang He, who came forth with his prisoner in toe, guided by the thorn collar and rope. He threw Lu Xun forward, forcing him to kneel as he pulled out his bow, aiming an arrow directly at the back of Lu Xun's head. The anger on Lu Jun's face rose, as Cao Cao spoke coldly, "I was hoping we would not come to this, Lu Jun. Allow us into your village, or your son, as well as many more lives, will be thrown away."
"Fa-father?" Lu Xun dared himself to look up, seeing the sight of his father made him quiver. He was too shameful to look at him, and Lu Jun could see it, but he ignored it, diverting his arrow now to Zhang He.
"Stay silent, Lu Yi..." Lu Jun hissed. He shouted back to Cao Cao, "Release him now, Cao Cao... or your entire front line, including yourself, will eat dirt with the worms!"
The sounds of bows' strings being pulled harder, and Zhang He did the first thing that came to his mind, releasing the arrow and puller the bow through Lu Xun's head, pulling and forcing the young man up. Then, he rested a claw filled hand under his chin, causing his father to curse. Cao Cao sneered, "Allow us refuge... I can see it in your eyes that you do not wish to see your son's death, am I correct?"
No one moved, and Lu Xun shouted, the bow's string cutting his airway off a bit. "KILL THEM, FATHER! DON'T LET THEM HAVE WUJUN! KILL THEM!!!"
And Lu Jun looked as if he was going to do so, reeling back on his arrow for a third time, determined to slay either the beast that held his son or the Lord. Save his son and allow them in, or kill his son and risk even more death. After looking at his son once more, he made his decision, lowering his weapon and shouting to the gatekeeper. "Open the gates... no one is to harm anyone there... first man to strike them will face my punishment! Now open the gates!"
Laughing in victory, Cao Cao ordered his troops forward, keeping their weapons to themselves. Lu Xun was released, but he could not bring himself to stand, hanging his head low to the ground as the Wei forces advanced into his city. Zhang He's voice was in his ears, and he turned them away, grasping the dirt in his hands as he quivered. "It's good to see your father will risk your village over your life... he must really love you."
"Shut up..." Lu Xun could only muster those words, and as the general forced him up, he avoided looking at his father, who gave him the same reaction. 'You're a fool, father... I... I would have rather died than to risk the lives of the people of my village... you old fool...'
Lu Jun was fighting his own pride, feeling defeated and deciding to go greet his 'guest'. He was thankful that he ordered the villagers to the Shrine, otherwise the chaos would have been insane...