A/N- I just had my first exam today... eep! I tried uploading this last night but my compy was being totally stupid :P If any of you guys have exams I wish you the best of luck and I know you'll all pass with flying colours! In the meanwhile I hope you enjoy this chapter while taking a break... good luck! And for those of you not taking exams... have fun and take care:)

Chapter 14: Aftermath

With a large dusty book Zhou Yu sat next to Taishi Ci in the library. Using an old cloth he carefully wiped the dust from the cover- it read 'Medical Phenomena Explained', and he opened it to the first page. Ci watched nervously as Yu scanned the contents page, and after glancing at each heading, eventually found the section he was looking for.

"Have you found it?" Ci asked as Yu flicked through the pages.

Zhou Yu simply nodded in reply as he stopped at the appropriate chapter, 'Unexplained Disturbances'. Using his finger he scanned through the pages, zoning in on the text as he did so to find anything about sleepwalking. Poor Taishi Ci had felt so guilty after waking everyone up, but he was grateful that he had warned about the fire. He had strenuously denied starting the fire- he couldn't start a fire when he was awake let alone asleep! He wanted to know what was causing this- he couldn't go on this way! Suddenly Yu smiled and stopped.

"Sleepwalking," he read from the book, "is the act or instance of walking or performing another activity associated with wakefulness while asleep or in a sleep like state."

"I know that…but what is causing this? Does it say? What does it say?" Ci grew more impatient.

"Hang on Ci! Ah, it says here… sleepwalking often occurs if the patient is highly stressed or has something rather pressuring on their mind… "

Taishi Ci sighed. "But I'm fine! Really, nothing is playing on my mind at all. I have no serious problems that I should be worried about. In fact, you could even say that I'm happy!"

Frantically Yu re-read the page he was on. "Well if that's not it, what is the cause?" Just as he was about to give up on playing doctor, a knock was heard on the door, and the head of Lu Xun peered through the gap.

"Is it alright if I come in?" Xun asked, nervous of the frustrated expression on Zhou Yu's face. After receiving the 'nod of approval' he entered the room, and went to sit on the other side of Taishi Ci. He immediately noticed the book…

The elder Wu strategist noticed Xun's stare. "Is something the matter Lu Xun?"

Lu Xun continued looking at the book. "That book is wrong… it's all wrong…"

"What do you mean?"

"That book is seriously outdated. One of the healers found several mistakes in there- some of them so wrong they could've proved fatal. If you want to know what's causing Ci's sleepwalking, you'd be better off talking to one of the healers, ask some of the local people… or you could consult one of my books. I have a really good medical book in my room that I could bring to show you!"

Ci and Yu looked at each other- they weren't going to refuse Xun's offer. The faster they found the solution to the problem the better…

"Alright then Lu Xun," said Ci, "we'll look in your book! Anything to stop me sleepwalking!"

With a smile on his face the younger strategist stood up from his seat and headed back towards the exit doors. He opened them and stepped out, and started walking in the direction of his room. After Xun was out of sight Yu went back to reading the book, hoping he could find something.

"What if someone has done something to me?" Ci asked anxiously. "What if it isn't my fault after all?"

"Relax Ci, we'll find out what it is soon. We just have to wait… patience is the key…"

Lu Xun picked up his pace as soon as he left the library. Knowing Taishi Ci quite well he knew that Ci would let his impatience get the better of him, and Yu would stand no chance of leaving the room with any sanity intact. He passed the conference rooms and several store cupboards until he reached one of the large staircases. Taking two steps at a time he bounded up the stairs with ease, his light frame making it easier for him. Having reached the top he took a sharp left turn and started towards his room. His room was the only place he could find peace and serenity- it was far too chaotic anywhere else.

He noticed it was very quiet. It was still warm outside so he assumed that the Qiaos would be out on a picnic on the castle grounds, the generals would be sparring or taking it easy under the sun… I can get used to this quiet he pondered as he approached his room at the end of the shadowed corridor.

Finally he had reached his door, and he took off his hat. Xun knew he shouldn't be wearing it in this heat but he always ended up feeling so naked without it. It was as if the hat was part of him… Out from one of the inside flaps of the hat he took out a large brass key- the key to his room. He inserted it into the keyhole and turned it to the right to unlock it. As he turned it he realised that nothing was happening. The key just stayed in the same position! He tried turning again even harder, but still nothing. That's odd he thought, I remember locking it when I left this morning…He took the key out of the hole and decided to twist the handle.

To his surprise it was open… he always locked the door behind him in fear that one of the sneaky generals would go into his room and read the diary where he kept all of his thoughts. The last time that had happened a drunken Gan Ning had found it and had proceeded to read them out while everyone was eating dinner. Xun didn't know that the generals would find his personal troubles so entertaining! He slowly opened the door- was someone in there? He didn't think anything of it so entered his room.

Just as he stepped his left foot into the room he felt something- or someone- grab hold onto his neck and pull him in. Xun then felt a strong hand over his mouth. He tried to make a noise but the force was too strong. He struggled but another pair of hands grabbed his legs and started to tie them up. Lu Xun didn't know what was happening to him, and he wasn't strong enough to free himself from the tight grip. The next thing he knew he was being blindfolded and he could hear, in the midst of the noise, a voice…

"We got 'im!"

As each minute of Lu Xun's absence passed, Taishi Ci grew more and more impatient. When was that boy going to come back? He tapped his fingers hard against the table out of boredom while gazing out of the window. He glanced at Zhou Yu who was also sitting there waiting for the younger strategist to arrive, and it seemed that he was taking his time. Usually Xun would be quick and efficient whatever task he was given- it was very rare that he'd be late. Nearly half an hour had passed, and it was evident that Xun had either not found the book and hadn't bothered to tell them that, or simply something happened along the way to retrieve the book. Whatever had happened, it was time to do something else.

"Hey, Zhou Yu?"

Yu looked up from staring at the book. "Yes?"

"How about we go to the kitchens? I don't know what it looks like yet- you guys have kept me under close supervision since last night and locked me in here like an animal."

"We only want to make sure you're okay Ci. We can go to the kitchens, yes. We might even see Lord Sun Jian there as he and Ce are investigating the cause of the fire." Yu shut the book and stood up. Deciding that Lu Xun wasn't going to come back he led the way out of the library.

They couldn't see any sign of Lu Xun as they walked out of the library and to the burnt kitchen. As they suspected all was quiet, and they wondered how Sun Shang Xiang was doing. They had heard briefly from Sun Ce that she was awake now and had lost her voice, so that was one possible explanation to why it was so quiet. The pair slowed down as the blackened kitchen came into view…

"This doesn't look good…" Ci said with a hint of nervousness in his voice. Did he do this? He wanted to know- he would never do anything to harm anyone in the castle!

"I know it doesn't Ci, but we have to wait and see." Zhou Yu entered the smoky room first and Taishi Ci followed. Surrounding them was the charred remains of tables and chairs, the stained walls, and some of the smoke still lingering in the atmosphere. Through the mess they could see Sun Jian and Sun Ce walking around the rubble, searching for any clues.

"Any luck?" Zhou Yu called out.

"Hey there buddy!" Ce popped his head around a cupboard door and greeted his sworn brother. "Ah, so I see you're up now Ci! Feeling better?"

Taishi Ci shook his head as he took a walk around the kitchen. It looked atrocious- the fire had blazed through it and touched all parts of it, leaving nothing in its original state. The generals were now using a makeshift kitchen on the other side of the castle and they were all eating outside due to the smoke spreading to the dining hall.

"We couldn't find a solution to his sleepwalking," Yu continued. "It could've just been a one-off occasion… but I did think of another theory. Maybe it was something he ate…"

"But I've eaten the same as everyone else and you guys haven't started sleepwalking, have you?"

"No, but what have you eaten or drank outside of meal times? You did drink an awful lot of wine at my party…"

Ci laughed. "So did you 'Party Boy'! I believe you had more than I did!"

Zhou Yu looked annoyed as Sun Ce joined in with the laughter. He didn't need to be reminded about that! He did seriously think that the elevated levels of alcohol had triggered the sleepwalking attack- Taishi Ci was still on medication for the bruises he had sustained at the hands of Huang Gai during sparring, and as everyone knew, alcohol and medication was not the best of mixtures.

"Hey, I think I've found something!"

The three younger men looked in the direction of Sun Jian, who was knelt over a blackened object. The slowly approached him, treading over the other remains on the floor.

"What is it Pops?" asked Ci, trying to peer over Jian's shoulder, trying to look and see what was there.

Jian looked closer, and was shocked when he began to recognise it. It couldn't be… "This… this… this is one of Huang Gai's bombs!"

"WHAT?" was the unified response. If this was Gai's bomb, then was it him who planted it and set it off? Huang Gai was a senior and very responsible member of Wu though, and it just wasn't like him to do anything like that.

"Huang Gai was asleep at the time though!" said Ce. "And since when has that man done anything bad? He's practically a saint!"

"Yes, and he's my most trusted general and aide… I don't believe that it was him." Jian stood up and sighed. "I think someone either accidentally set it off or someone from outside the castle is trying to put our lives in danger. We'll ask everyone what they know at dinner, but for now, we just need to concentrate on getting everything back to normal. Understood?"

Sun Ce, Zhou Yu and Taishi Ci nodded in unison as Sun Jian proceeded to leave the room. It would take a lot of work to get this sorted out, but they knew that with everyone's combined efforts it could easily be achieved.

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING TO ME?"

Sun Shang Xiang giggled as she tied the last knot in the rope used to bind Lu Xun to a chair. He kept on struggling but the knot was tight, so no escape! She patted his head like an animal and went to stand by Gan Ning. She had a smirk on her face- Xun looked so helpless, and his struggling only made her want to laugh more!

"Now Xun," Ning started, "you may know that our good friend Lu Meng is in a time of trouble. As his most trusted friends we should be there to help him, don't you agree?"

"Of course I agree but I don't see how tying me up like this is going to achieve anything!"

Ning grinned as Xun became more and more agitated at the position he was in. "Shouting will get you nowhere Xunie boy! Now, about the type of trouble Meng is in… he is having woman troubles. You see, his mother is concerned that he spends too much time involved in his work to enjoy the company of the opposite, so Shang Xiang and I are going to set him up with a lady friend. We'll show him the other side of life!"

"You silly pirate, can't you see that if you want you set him up with a lady you actually need one! Go outside and get a female!" Lu Xun struggled some more. "Why you guys tied me up I don't know…"

After hearing some snickering coming from the pair Xun looked up and noticed their devilish smiles. He watched in horror as Ning pulled out from behind him one of Shang Xiang's dresses. Slowly Ning and Shang walked closer to him, and suddenly Xun found himself in an impossible to escape position. He tried to shout out but Ning had now covered his mouth, and Shang Xiang was doing something to his face. He could feel some brushes on his cheeks and he could smell the faint smell of jasmine… He closed his eyes and tried to think of a way out of this.

"That's it Shang! Make his cheeks a little bit rosier!" Ning encouraged Shang Xiang as she made up his face with some of the Qiaos' makeup. She didn't spare on the blush and made him look even more feminine than he already was. Xun could see the mischievous glint in her eye as she used him like a blank canvas and Ning watching as he held him down.

After the Wu princess had finished her job, she went to get the dress that Ning had left on the floor. She picked it up and showed Xun what he'd be wearing. She jokingly held it up to her and twirled around with it, before bringing it over. She nodded to Ning and he nodded back.

"Well Xun," he said, "it's time to give Lu Meng his surprise!"