I'm not really sure how the Chinese got married at that period, so I kinda made this like tha Oath in the garden and all. They just make solemn vows, not the usual wedding people go to.

Summary: Ma Chao said that he would always love Xing Cai no matter what, but when Xing Cai marries Liu Shan their love is put to the test. However, Ma Chao is not ready to give up and fights to be with her even to the very end. Ma Chao x Xing Cai

My Heart Is Yours

Chapter three: Partir; the Death of Love

It was finally the wedding day and Xing Cai wore her most beautiful dress. It was a white silky dress adorned with flowers and laces. Her silky black hair mostly fell upon her shoulders except for some which were gathered up in a bun clipped by a gorgeous clip. She looked at herself in the mirror and sighed as she placed a white lily in her hair.

I ask you this, father, grant me your strength, so that I can go through with this…

She placed red paint on her lips which were curved into a bitter frown.

The night before was the last time she could be with Ma Chao and she let it slip from her. Now there was no turning back but she wanted to do so much. She knew that Ma Chao was the one she truly loved, but she still had doubts if what she was doing was the wrong thing.

As Xing Cai finished, she heard her name and she silently went outside.

As she walked down the hall all the servants were complimenting her on how beautiful she was and how she would make a good wife. She took these all with a faint smile.

She knew that they meant well, but the praise stung her heart. It was an extra burden that everyone was happy for her good luck, even though she felt that it was to her, the worst thing she could feel.

Her heart felt heavy as she walked, dragging along her heavy dress. She felt as if it would sink down and disappear. She wanted it to go away so much as her heart was filled with a sharp stinging pain.

Suddenly, her heart beat was furiously fast, drowning out all the sounds around her as she neared the door to the palace.

Finally she came to the colossal doors that were between her and the ceremony. She took a deep breath and began to think. Doubts arced through her mind. She knew that she could be wrong about this, but she was too deep into the problem. There was nothing to turn back to. Ma Chao had probably left her after what she had said to him the night before. She dispelled all the doubts when she thought of Ma Chao's anger towards her. She knew that he had risked so much to be there at that time and she threw him away. Placing her hands on the door, she opened them slowly.

All of the generals who were at attendance looked at her with much admiration as she raised her head high and walked towards Liu Shan.

Zhao Yun on the other hand who had been near the doorway looked rather sad and pained, "Ma Chao, I thought you wouldn't runaway from this..."

Zhuge Liang, accompanied by Yue Ying came up to him, "Why the long face, general? It's a joyous celebration." he said.

"Oh, yes, I know, but I…Well, something else saddens me…" Zhao Yun sighed.

"Yes, I too am saddened…"

"I-I don't understand…"

"Don't think you are the only one that knows of Ma Chao."

"So you know?" Zhao Yun asked, "I told him that he shouldn't run away, but…"

Liu Shan smiled as Xing Cai came up beside him.

"You look so lovely, Xing Cai." he told her, as he held her hands in his, "From this day forward, I will forever protect you, Xing Cai. I will forever love you above all else."

She nodded silently as the ceremony began.

Liu Shan's voice went on, yet her mind wandered off. She had no idea why, but she couldn't bear to listen. She kept trying to drive her attention away from the situation.

It went through smoothly, then finally, Liu Shan turned to Xing Cai and he asked her, "Xing Cai, do you solemnly vow to these bonds of mutual love that we will both stay by each other's side forever to love each other even to the death?"

This was it. It was the moment that could change her life. This was the moment when she would honor her family by giving herself up for the Zhang family. But this was the moment that she would lose him forever…

She felt all sorts of emotions race through her as she opened her mouth to speak.

"XING CAI!"

Everyone turned towards the doorway to see Ma Chao who had slammed open the doors.

She looked at him shocked, but somehow, in her heart she felt joy. A little piece of her heart felt joy because of Ma Chao and she didn't know why. She held her chest and felt it. She felt the stone that Ma Chao gave her during that evening that she would never forget. It was there, near her heart.

"Xing Cai, don't go through with this!" Ma Chao begged, reaching out to her.

Liu Shan was angered by the sudden outburst and bid his guards to restrain Ma Chao until the ceremony was over.

The guards obeyed immediately and rushed for Ma Chao. They held his arms and struggled to bring him down, but they were no match for Ma Chao, who was used to taking on multiple foes at once.

Ma Chao staggered from their grasp, "XING CAI!" he yelled, pushing the guards off his body, "Xing Cai, I-I…"

He managed to knock of most of the guards and he continued to walk forward so slowly, "Xing Cai…" he wailed, "XING CAI, I LOVE YOU!"

The entire assembly of court officials and generals were shocked and scandalized.

Xing Cai's heart beat painfully. She knew it. Even if she had banished his undying love from her heart the night before, she knew it.

She still loved him.

"Xing Cai, please don't do this, for not merely my sake, but yours too!" he cried out, "Was that night we spent together really nothing for you? Was everything I have done nothing?"

Liu Shan blew his top, "Take him away!" he yelled to his guards.

Zhao Yun wanted to help Ma Chao, but he what could he do?

"General Zhao Yun, do you want to help him out?" Zhuge Liang asked, fanning himself with his white feather fan, "There's more than one way to do so…"

"I cannot just stand here!" Zhao Yun lamented, "But I cannot disobey our lord…"

The Sleeping Dragon sighed, "Yes, you cannot, but don't give up hope on our Ma Chao. Maybe, he could turn her around, yet I must warn you, Xing Cai is firm to upholding her father's honor."

"Husband, may I say something?" Yue Ying spoke up as Zhuge Liang nodded. "Go ahead, Yue Ying."

"If we disobey our lord," she said, "I think it will be for his own good. He will not be happy if his wife is not."

"You may be right, Yue Ying, but acting merely on emotion can lead to ruin…"

Xing Cai's eyes were filled with tears. "Ma Chao, I…"

Then Liu Shan turned to Xing Cai, "Ignore him, Xing Cai, now please just say yes. Say it and the ceremony will be over. Say it and you will honor your father."

She looked at Ma Chao who was still shouting her name amidst the guards that tried to drag him down.

"Xing Cai, say yes, for if you do not, you will put that man over your own family! What can you become with him? I have known you since you were a child, yet he knows not of you!" Liu Shan exclaimed "Don't tell me that you are willing to shame your own family for that general! Xing Cai, you must say yes!"

She averted her eyes from his and even if it hurt so much, she knew that she had to do it.

Ma Chao, I'm sorry…

"Yes, my lord, I accept your solemn vow!"

As Ma Chao heard those words he felt as if his world was collapsing. He felt everything sink beneath a void of darkness. His heart was like it was on fire; it burned with the most pain he had ever felt.

Why? Why did she do it? I loved her so much and I thought she loved me as well…

Finally, the guards knocked Ma Chao down.

Liu Shan was smiling at Xing Cai as he held her hands, "You've made me the happiest man alive."

The guards then moved away from Ma Chao who was lying on the floor and readied their weapons at him.

Suddenly, the Five Tiger General stood himself up on his knees, but he fell down once more. Rage surged through him, but when he saw the sorrow in her eyes, he lost all his energy to fight back.

Liu Shan looked at Ma Chao and snorted with disgust, "General Zhao Yun, I trust that you will not find difficulty in bringing him out."

Zhuge Liang looked at Zhao Yun who looked rather dazed as he walked over to Ma Chao who was on his hands and knees.

"Master Ma Chao…"

Reaching for Zhao Yun's pant leg, Ma Chao muttered, "Please, finish me. There's nothing left for me anymore…" Zhao Yun looked shocked at what he said.

"Excuse me…I don't-"

"I said kill me!" Ma Chao yelled at Zhao Yun, "Just kill me damn it!"

General Zhao Yun, do you want to help him out? There's more than one way to do so…

Zhao Yun shook his head, "No…"

And with that Ma Chao collapsed on the floor. Zhao Yun picked him up and bowed to Liu Shan before bringing Ma Chao outside the palace.

Poor Ma Chao, anyway, I'll get to writing chapter four soon. You didn't think it was over did you? In the next chapter, Ma Chao is going to try to get Xing Cai back still. What a persistent man…