A/N: I will resubmit the first six chapters in a reedited version. Please read and review the new chapters as they come up. Thnks, Mak

ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS

CHAPTER SEVEN: DIARY OF A MADMAN

In the dark hours of the morning, a young man sits at his desk. He thought now, as he almost always did, of the young woman who left here. We look back at his room; scattered papers cover the desk he sits at, the floor where he stands, and the very bed he sleeps on. His books still on his shelves are covered in dust. His inkpot is dry and his writing has vastly improved over the scribble that most people with a lot to think about have. Half-eaten meat buns and dirty chopsticks are scattered all about.

He has finished writing a new poem, in a form taught to him by Zhou Tai, a fellow officer and admirer of Japanese culture. Zhou Yu has written a haiku, in red ink so it stands out.

His regular garb is off and a more comfortable, and far more plain, light blue robe now covers him. His beautiful, light brown hair has gone awry and has lost its previous sheen and straightness. Now it sits above his head looking as ragged as a bird's nest. His piercing green eyes seem foggy and glassed over. They also have extensive baggage from his often and lengthy vigils. He lays his head down to get some much-needed rest.

As soon as our tired strategist lays down his head, his door slams open, startling him almost to the point of falling out of his chair. He looks yonder, hoping, no, closer to expecting, Sun Shang Xiang to bound out of the doorway and comfort him with her embrace. Zhou Yu gets a better look, and is immediately and severely, disappointed.

There stood a figure of medium size and build, wearing white and red pants with a scale design covering every inch. He wore bells, like the kind one would expect on a wintertime sleigh, on his hips. His broad chest was covered in a white vest. The tattoos he had adorned himself with seemed to spill out of their designated holes within the vest to cover his arms and back. In all the years that Zhou Yu had known him, he was constantly amazed at Gan Ning's ability to find new things to draw on himself. The once spiky hair was flopped down over Gan Ning's face, making it that much harder for his glossed-over eyes to see anything. Even though he had no bottle, Zhou Yu could smell the heavy sake on his breath.

Zhou Yu thought to himself, Good lord, I have to be losing it, if a drunk with bells can sneak up on me, I'm in trouble.

"What are you still doing in here? It's been four months; she's not coming back. Wise up, wise guy."

"Gan Ning, kindly find a place to sleep, leave, and go eat some food…not necessarily in that order."

"Hey, what is this," Gan Ning had found the poem Zhou Yu wrote most recently and then started his own drunken rendition of it. "Your hair is winter fire/ January embers/ my heart burns there too…What is this shit?"

"It's a poem, more specifically, a haiku. Now that you have satisfied whatever it is you came here to do, leave."

"You can't make me."

"Oh, but I will," replied Zhou Yu with increased intensity.

"Try it, wise guy," commented Gan Ning, saying it like he wanted to start a fight.

"I'll make you leave, all right. I'll make you leave the whole kingdom," yelled Zhou Yu.

"And when you do, I'll scrub toilets for a week," replied Gan Ning, with the same tone and volume.

Slowly and deeply, Zhou Yu retorted, with some hint of malice, "get your brush ready."

"NEVER!" yelled Gan Ning as he slammed the door with all his might and walked, or rather, staggered down the hallway.

As soon as Zhou Yu stopped hearing Gan Ning's heavy clomping boots, he thought to himself, Thank you Gan Ning, I finally have something else I can think about. Immediately after mentally thanking the drunken former pirate, Zhou Yu set his head down upon his paper-covered desk and slept. A far more restful slumber than the Wu strategist had had for an eternity, it seemed.

The morose winter, bleak and gray expanded endlessly from Sun Jian's window. The strong Wu king saw that the weather itself had matched the state of his thoughts. I wonder if Sun Shang Xiang is out there he thought to himself.

"Where are you?" he asked, to no one in particular.

Perhaps she is gone. "No, don't think that." Well, consider it, you barely escaped the rock avalanche trap. Sun Ce struggled to survive after an arrow nearly took his jaw. And Sun Quan, by great luck got away from the bridge trap. Perhaps some horrible misfortune got a hold of her. "NEVER! She is too much like her mother. Lady Wu…" Sun Jian said this last with a tone of pain, like remembering her had hurt him physically.

A tear slowly crawled down his cheek. He remembered the promise he made to her.

But now is not the time. Zhou Tai had walked up and talked to Sun Jian some days earlier, commenting on the leader's inattentiveness. Sun Jian had no idea what Tai was talking about. The psuedo-samurai calmly explained to the Sun patriarch, that he looked blank during War Council and had no response to the matters of planning for war.

One of the strategists had even suggested surrender to see if he was listening, he wasn't. Zhou Tai suggested that Sun Jian go home, and try to get whatever troubles he had out of his head.

Sun Jian had agreed. He would make the announcement today.

Zhou Yu was barely out of the bath and had drawn for himself and had almost enough time to dry off when he heard the Crier yelling. "There is to be an announcement. All officers of Wu to the Grand Hall!"

Zhou Yu quickly threw on his formal wear and ran as fast as his feet could possibly go.

The Grand Hall was quite a sight. The ceiling stretched easily forty feet above their heads. The room itself was five hundred feet long, carefully acoustically toned so that even one at the back could hear the one speaking at the front. The hall was designed to accommodate the entire army. The problem was that not enough lumber could be secured at so remote a location from the Wu Kingdom capital, Jian Ye. The solution was to build a smaller Hall. Huge, rich, deep crimson curtains hung down from the highest rafters, each had the symbol of Wu at the top and bottom. The décor was a dull yellow and orange, so that once inside, one looked like they had walked into a giant bonfire.

It was here that Sun Jian would deliver his speech to his officers.

Sun Jian stood atop the stage, his regal cape billowing in a soft breeze. His clothing was formal, His red shoulder guards closing around his chest. The Sun family crest on the elbows and knees of his armor. His helmet was under his arm. Twas, a regular helm with a cushioned inside and a spike coming out the top with a red tuft. He walked without weapon, a very uncommon occurrence. The scene and the look of the Wu king made the entire setting surreal.

"I thank you all for coming. As you all know, my daughter left camp four months ago. Since then I have been unable to concentrate on matters of war. In my loss of focus, many men may die. I refuse to have such causalities as an exchange for my inability to intensify on the matter at hand. As such, I have decided to return home to Wu."

Though Zhou Yu appeared emotionally unchanged, he was raging in his mind, NOOOOOOOO!!! HE CAN'T! I'll never find Sun Shang Xiang again. If that old windbag decides to leave I won't be able to find her! A new, deeper, more powerful voice rang in Zhou Yu's mind. Calm down, Zhou Yu, if you lose control, then you can't get anything done. In a feeble attempt to maintain his panic he mentally replied, But I'll never find her. Calm down. Think. The voice had asserted itself to him, so Zhou Yu took a deep breath and thought…hard. Then a smile graced his lips. He rarely smiled these days, but when he did, it was a great joy to all who saw him.

I thank you, whoever you are, you have helped me greatly.

Just as the message struck home with Zhou Yu, it hit most other officers, if somewhat differently. Some like Huang Gai simply stood there and remained stoic; others like Gan Ning—

"Well, I wonder who advised him. ZHOU YU?!" Yelled out a very hung-over Gan Ning.

Calmly replying, Zhou Yu stated, "if you had been paying attention, you would notice that I have not been near our lordship for over four months. My advice has yet to reach his ears. I will put in a word that Gan Ning, the drunken pirate still wishes to fight."

Zhou Yu looked around, the faces were familiar, and so were the people. Lu Meng, his glaive absent, still looked more like a warrior than the great mind that he was. His ponytail was let out and the hair simply hung straight over his shoulders. His deep red robe with the gold trim still around him, he looked regal. And he smiled. He won't back me, thought Zhou Yu.

A look at Huang Gai, he stands, tallest of the officers around him, and eldest. His short Mohawk of hair on his bald head stands proudly. His large buckler is on, but his rod is gone. His armor has a mirror like quality to it. He appears emotionless as ever. Maybe, maybe not.

Before Zhou Yu went to dissuade Sun Jian, he spared a glance at Zhou Tai. Truly the largest man in the kingdom, his clothing is specially tailored. The crimson pants are a little baggy for comfort purposes, but not loose enough to be caught by weeds or weapons. He wears a western chest plate, and a short cape; the plate is thick and heavy, the barbarians sure know how to weigh themselves down. His helmet is very odd, to say the least. The helm is close-faced, with a cross cut in so he can breathe and see. The entire helm is a silver color, except for he face plate. It is gold and has fringes coming out the side, almost like a fire. His weapon is always on his belt, and this is no different. The katana lays against his leg, that weapon has become as famous as the wielder.

Zhou Tai is talking to the newest Wu officer, Kojiro. This one is a good head shorter than the samurai. He wears a chest cover made of white tiger skin and some brown baggy pants. His hair is tied in a topknot. His weapon is not visible.

"I don't believe this!" yelled out the shorter man.

"Don't lose your head, there will be other battles."

"But how long? How long will I be an unproven? How long must I stay at the bottom?" Whined Kojiro.

"Now listen here. I wish to fight as well, but I will honor the master's wishes. As shall you."

"Fine, Zhou Tai. But I won't like it."

Perfect, thought Zhou Yu. He thought that word like an evil dictator who has found the solution, and drawing it out for suspense.

After having a short walk past the pavilion, Zhou Yu heads to Sun Jian's small fort. There is a long hallway to the room and Zhou Yu's steps echo off the floor. Soon Zhou Yu hears odd voices coming down the hallway towards him.

"Who was that?" asks Zhou Yu.

There is no reply, "I suppose that my footsteps are echoing oddly. Oh, there's the door. How long have I been walking?"

Zhou Yu presses his ear against the doorway and hears the sound of a cry ending.

Sun Jian's booming voice creeps past the door and catches Zhou Yu off guard "Come in Zhou Yu."

Zhou Yu opens the door and is bewildered. "My lord,"

"Only you would talk to yourself coming down the hallway," interrupted Sun Jian, "what did you want to discuss?"

"Well, most honorable one, I do believe that if Shu finds us retreating when there is no fight, they will pursue. And worse yet, if Wei finds out, they will try to conquer. Show weakness and one will be punished."

"You have my utmost attention, Zhou Yu."

"If you leave me with several thousand troops, I will hold back Shu. We also can send some spies into both opposing kingdoms."

"Do you really think , that in your state of mind, you will manage the troops better than I?"

"…" Zhou Yu only stood, speechless.

"I thought so, Zhou Tai will stay with you. Now, who do you suggest we send?"

"I know that Gan Ning wants to spy in Wei, and we can send Kojiro to Shu."

"A new officer?" questioned Sun Jian.
"The officers of Shu don't know him," replied Zhou Yu.

After mulling it over for awhile, Sun Jian gave in, "fine, it will be done."

"Thank you my lordship."

"Good luck. And stop talking to yourself," said Sun Jian.

Zhou Yu was out the door before Sun Jian's message crossed the room. He went to tell the officers of their tasks. Kojiro was giddy with joy at finally being able to prove himself. Gan Ning was at a loss for words, a rarity and great one at that. Zhou Tai had already heard from Kojiro and was uncertain and rather fearful for his young ally.

Zhou Yu walked into his room, cleared the massive stack of papers from his desk and took out his journal to write. He remembered that he hadn't consciously written in the log for some time, he looked on the days past. He immediately closed the book. With a look of absolute horror on his face, he crept to the practice field, dug a pit and burned the book there.

"No one shall ever learn what was written therein. For the sake of my soul, I hope I won't remember."

Later that night, Zhou Yu would be found in bed, tossing and turning. And at midnight, he let out a great and ghastly scream.