Dark Pleasure
By Natsue Arishima
Chapter Two: Grey
Xiahou Dun roared in rage, lunging forward again. Slightly off balance, his scimitar bounced harmlessly off Enforcer Rod.
"Damn!" Trembling with rage, he slammed Kirin Fang into the ground. Wordlessly, he fell to his knees, hands clenched and shaking.
His brother looked quietly at him, not knowing what to say. He just stood, staring down with a sympathetic face.
Xiahou Dun clawed at his wounded eye, hissing slightly in anger. This was hopeless. He could no longer fight.
Quieting down, Xiahou Yuan leaned over. "Brother?" he asked tentatively.
"Yeah..." was the dull reply.
The slightly big man squatted near his previous opponent. Staring intently at the bandaged eye, he sighed. "You need patience."
Xiahou Dun didn't reply immediately. Instead, he slowly shifted his dangerous, one-eyed gaze to the two orbs of his brother's.
"Patience," he spat, "has long forsaken me. As well my strength in battle." Silence followed, and he smiled grimly to himself. "But no matter. With skill or without, I will place Lu Bu in his proper grave."
Xiahou Yuan merely sighed, shaking his head. He had long ago learned that it was not possible to change his fierce brother's mind.
Overwatching them, Cao Cao turned around, back facing his window. His face distressful, he slowly walked away.
"My Lady..."
Zhen Ji looked up, her slender lips inches away from her flute. The gentle music stopped abruptly.
Her dark eyes slowly opened, and a gasp escaped her throat as she saw the man before her.
"Cao Zhi..."
Her husband's brother strained a smile at her before walking forward. Zhen Ji stood up as well, and inches away, they embraced.
"I've missed you..." she whispered, her cheek against his chest. He ran a hand through her long, silky hair.
"I know... but I can't stay here long. If Cao Pi were to find out..." He left the sentence unfinished. The Lady didn't move, her arms still around her beloved.
"Cao Cao wanted me to send you a message."
Zhen Ji pulled away, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "What about?"
Cao Zhi sighed, looking at her lovely face. "About our incomplete battle with Lu Bu."
"He hasn't... no..."
"Cao Pi is heading out to Xia Pi."
She smiled, her face still tense. "It serves that bastard right, at least."
"But... I'm also being sent out, in the place of Xiahou Dun. We leave in two days."
She stepped back, her face horrorstruck. There was a dull thud as the Dark Moon Flute slipped from her fingers.
"The Lord wants you to do something for him." Cao Zhi's eyes were downcast, examining at his hands uselessly. She stared at him, intent. Slowly, he raised his eyes. "You are not to be leaving."
"What-?"
"Instead, you are to stay here and help Xiahou Dun."
Zhen Ji was quiet. Gracefully, she bent down to grab her flute. "Why me?"
"General Xiahou Dun has long lost his usual power in battle. He is gruff, and has no patience. Cao Cao has believed that perhaps you could help him."
"Does... does Xiahou Dun know of this?"
"He has accepted it badly."
Zhen Ji lowered her eyes, staring intently at her dress. At last, she shook her head and looked up. "I will try my best, my love. And in the mean time, be careful."
Cao Zhi grinned, running a hand through her hair again. "I'll miss you." He turned, and slowly walked away. At the threshold, he paused, and then whispered quietly, "Don't cry. No matter what happens."
And then he was gone.
Xiahou Dun stared glumly out the window. The troops of Wei were assembled, and he could see Cao Cao at the front, flanked with Dian Wei and Zhang He.
I should be there...
He clenched his fist.
I need to be there...
Cao Cao turned around on his steed, and Xiahou Dun could have sworn that the ruler had sent him a forgiving look.
Frowning, the general abruptly stood up and walked away. He didn't need sympathy right now. He wasn't a damn weakling! He could still defend himself...
Stop lying to yourself...
He could still faintly hear Cao Cao yell commands to his troops. A heavy drone of hoof beats echoed throughout the kingdom, and Xiahou Dun closed his eye as the sound faded away.
He breathed deeply before leaning back onto the window.
The Wei troops were gone.
"Damn..." he hissed. A breeze lifted, whipping through his long ebony hair.
Looking across the ground, he could see a single figure, standing still and facing the horizon.
Lady Zhen Ji.
Anger erupted through him again. Why was he to stay here, and have a woman help him? Women were weak... They always felt pain for their opponents...
No... Don't think about her... She's dead... Not coming back...
Sighing, he stared at her slender form for a few more seconds before walking away.
His shape soon faded into the billowing shadows.
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A/N: 2nd chapter up! Sorry the updates are so slow, but I'm busy writing other stories as well! ^^;; And I didn't proof-read this that well, so sorry if there are errors. Please R&R!
--Natsue Arishima