Okay here, WARNING: CHARACTER DEATH/VIOLENCE

Also, I don't own Koei, or their characters, quotes etc.

Also, I decided to add next chapter snippets at the bottom of the page.

IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE READ THE POEM!!!!! Also, REVIEW PLEASE!!!!!!!

Also, TO MS. SLEEPING DRAGON: ARE WE TWINS? I FEEL THE EXACT SAME WAY!!!!!! I've read nearly ALL the non-yaoi Zhuge fanfics. I have pictures in my room. Gosh I'm weird! Everyone who knows about it says I'm obsessed, so maybe I am…

Anyway, thanks people for the reviews I appreciate it.

Chapter 3-The Plague

The next 2 weeks were a blur to me now, but I remember hearing many of our soldiers and generals were infected with some disease at Bo Wan Po. It appeared the Wei and even a few Wu generals were suffering from it as well. My fellow officers began calling it Wei's Revenge, probably after our victory at Bo Wan Po. I was fortunate not to catch it, Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei didn't either. Don't get me wrong not everyone was infected, just a lot of them. There were many who had died, but reports said that it was a 50-50 chance of survival. This plague ended up claiming a quarter of our men and generals.

Yue Ying was one of the unlucky ones. Zhuge Liang was immune to the disease, and I'm sure even if he wasn't, he would've still remained at his wife's side. The image kind of reminded me of a faithful dog at the heel of its master. He and I both knew down in our hearts that she would be dead in a couple of days, maybe less. I felt sorry for him; he didn't deserve this. He was too composed to cry, but I could tell in his misty brown eyes he wished he could. He was being strong for Yue Ying; I could read that in his expression. I wondered if he ever would.

In a matter of 2 days, she was dead. Lord Liu Bei gave the service, and she was buried under the only tree near our camp, even though I had the feeling we'd be leaving for a campaign in Cheng Du. That would yield many with Yue Ying's fate. The blood would soak the battlefield in crimson and the lives of many men would fade from all existence, leaving countless tales of valor and courage forever untold.

The service was over in an hour, but I remained to be with Zhuge Liang. It rained that day. He kneeled at the gravestone silently contemplating in his mind as I often saw him doing when he was stressed, or even worried. I cried for him, so he didn't have to, standing as the wind blew my hair. I may not have liked that Yue Ying had been married to Master Liang, but she was a wonderful woman, and they loved each other a lot. The tears streamed down my face, and I supposed he heard me, not that he didn't know I was still standing there.

"Aven Yu, you don't have to stay." I remained looking ahead, tears still coming, and said nothing. "My Lady." He insisted.

"No, Master Liang, I must stay, for you if no one else."

"If you must…" We remained awhile, and I didn't move until he did, which happened late in the night. I suppose he was still up when I went to sleep, because I still saw the light of a candle, and the shadow of him at his desk.

We all mourned 2 weeks, but Zhuge Liang mourned longer. One sullen line marked his face for so long. I still visited him every day. We talked of the past, and the present, and I knew—I knew that I loved him. It wasn't for me anymore—the visits, any of it, it was for him, and only for him.

Many nights in my tent, I needed to organize my feelings. I wrote a lot of poems to do it, but I only remember one. I let the brush guide my hand to compose letters, and then words. And the words into sentences, ones that described my feelings best:

Words Cannot Tell--by me (Aven Yu)

So much wiser than I'll ever be,

Strong as the wind, and calm as the sea.

Your deep brown eyes have caused me to stare,

But I'd never wish, not even dare,

To ask for your heart, I'm never to earn

But deep in my soul I can only yearn.

All that I wish is to be by your side

Living in peace I hope to abide.

I whisper my love; I wish you could know,

But in all my fear, I feel I can't show.

I wish for your heart all night and all day,

Wishing to tell you what words cannot say.

Am I too obvious? Are my feelings too clear?

Do you already know? Can you actually hear

The whispers of my heart? My innermost thought?

How much I love? How long I've sought?

I pray that you don't, but I pray that you do,

If it is that you love me, too.

But all words as these are,

Could never express, can't go very far,

To tell of my love, love only for you,

Or begin to explain, they'll never do.

So now I will sit, staring in awe

If you only knew, if you only saw…

I slipped it in my pocket the next day when I went to visit the newly elected Prime Minister. We spoke of a lot that day. He certainly had a way with people; sometimes he would strike fear into their hearts, but in the same moment comfort someone else beyond measure. Somehow, we got into talk of the past, and how we came to Shu. He told me in vivid detail of the little city that he lived in as a child that Cao Cao's army burned to the ground, killing his parents. As they died they told him to be strong, and not to shed any tears. I knew why he didn't cry for Yue Ying now, he had to be the steadfast one, he was a warlord, he had to be there for the people to listen to him, and to trust him. He spoke very little of Ying, as I expected, but he told of their little farm, and how Liu Bei's deep sincerity caused him to join their army.

That was the day that I opened up about my past, only Liu Bei and I had known of it, but I told, I had to.

"Well, I was born in 181 (which just happened to be his year of birth as well) and when I was only 3 years old Cao Cao also sent an army against the villagers because they opposed him. They burned the fields, and the homes, I didn't understand. I only remembered one, Xiahou Dun, pillaging the city, my mother and father guarded me, and they pleaded with him not to hurt their little Aven Yu. He slaughtered them with his scimitar. And I ran, and I ran, and I ran, ran until I couldn't run anymore, ran until I fell in the woods, not once looking back on the charred remains of my home. I must've passed out there, because when I awoke I saw the warm and comforting eyes of my lord Liu Bei. I held nothing back and he shushed me, telling me one day that man would be dead, and I could be the one to do it." By the time I said those last words, I couldn't speak, too many tears clouded my vision. Before I knew it Zhuge Liang stood before me with the largest smile he could muster. His calm and steady hands brushed the tears from my face, and he took me in his arms holding me tightly. He whispered into my ear 2 words, words that will remain in my mind forever.

"I'm here." I can't remember how long he held me there, but all I knew is that in his powerful arms I felt secure. It was the first time I had felt this safe since Liu Bei comforted a three-year-old girl, weeping her eyes away over the death of her parents, and the trauma of losing her home. I was there until I had settled and a little longer. As I left I dropped the poem, but I hadn't known that Master Liang found it until 30 years later.

Next chapter: Once I had crossed the bridge I turned to see my lord still at the mouth of the bridge surrounded by enemy soldiers…