A/N- First off, I apologise for my extreme lateness… I've been doing my A-levels this month and they've only just finished. Whee, no more school! Just the long wait for my results and the start of university. Oh joy :P But while I'm waiting for that to happen, I am here! I am not dead! I hope this makes up for making you guys wait… and I'm sorry again!

Chapter 16: Love Blooms

"Pretty pretty flowers for my Zhou Yu!"

Xiao Qiao skipped around the courtyard picking small yellow flowers for Zhou Yu. She was in her usual hyper girly mood, and what better way to show Zhou Yu how much she loved him by picking him some flowers! He was always happier when she bought him gifts… the last time she had impressed him by bringing him some home made lunch and showing off a new dance she had learned. Her face just lit up whenever he praised her and she would do her best to keep it that way.

"Yellow, pink, purple… all for Zhou Yu!"

As the younger Qiao plucked flowers straight from the flowerbed she began to hum a tune to herself, oblivious to the fact that the sun was starting to set and the sky was turning a warm shade of orange. She skipped through the small flowers and started to sing to her hearts content, occasionally stopping to pick another dainty flower to add to the ever-growing bunch that was in her hand. Butterflies flew around her as she selected the posies that would eventually make it into a vase for her Wu strategist husband. From the corner of her eye Xiao spotted a beautiful yellow rose that had just come into bloom. It looked so magnificent and wonderful… it was like any pretty object that Xiao laid her eyes on- she wanted it. It was the only rose that had bloomed out of the whole bush, so surely no one would notice it too much? Xiao leant forwards and reached for the flower…

"OUCH!"

She recoiled back in pain and screamed as a thorn pierced through the skin of her thumb. Tears fell down her cheeks as she saw a drop of blood emerge from the small hole. The surrounding skin turned a deep shade of pink as the blood rushed to the surface, and Xiao felt helpless. It was a small injury, but she needed comfort. Where was her Zhouie to kiss it better? Still clutching her bunch of flowers she walked back to the castle to find some help. She didn't like to think of herself as weak, but sometimes she just wanted to feel like a little girl again. Settling down into married life had been hard for her, but Zhou Yu had helped her in whatever way he could, and she just wanted to repay him by showing how great a wife she could be!

"Xiao? What are you doing outside? Dinner is nearly ready!"

Hearing the familiar voice of her older sister Xiao turned around to greet Da. Her sister looked flustered, as if she had been running around. "Da!" Xiao thrust her thumb out to show the injury. "I hurt myself… can you help me?"

"Xiao, that is just a thorn prick! It's nothing really… just a little bit of blood."

"But it hurts…" The younger Qiao sister pouted and watched as Da sighed to herself.

"You know Xiao," Da said as she took a small cloth from her pocket and began to wipe up the blood, "you need to learn how to rely by yourself sometimes. Zhou Yu can't be everywhere at once you know. You need to be stronger."

"I just want to be a good wife for him!"

"Yes, but by showing him that you can be strong can also be a way of showing that you are a good wife. He'd be so proud of you if you'd just- hey! Are those my flowers?" Da darted her eyes towards the flowers that Xiao was clutching in her hand. "Those are the flowers I planted! Have you been picking them again?"

Xiao looked nervously towards the castle entrance hoping that someone would come and get her out of this sticky situation. "I'm… sorry? They're so pretty though, in all the shades of the rainbow! Plus they'd look so pretty on Zhou Yu's desk! They smell nice, they'd help him work better! And that way he can help lead Wu to victory…"

"So you're telling me," said Da quite unconvinced, "that the flowers that you picked, the flowers that I spent hours planting to make the castle more attractive, are going to lead Wu to victory?"

"… yes!"

Da sighed again. Xiao was so naïve sometimes and always acted of her own accord. She had tried on countless occasions to get the girl used to unfamiliar situations, but Xiao would always rely on someone else to help her. Her mind seemed to be fixed on making her 'Zhouie' happy. "Are you coming to dinner Xiao?" The girl nodded her head and followed her sister into the castle, forgetting about the short lived pain and skipping quite happily with her husband's gift. Xiao was always so upbeat, and part of Da envied this. Why couldn't she be like that with Sun Ce?

Gan Ning helped himself to more food as he grinned at Lu Meng from the other side of the table. This plan was going well, he had to admit it. He could see the absolute horror in Lu Xun's face as Meng had asked 'him' questions about how 'she' found Wu. Ning had to force back fits of laughter as Xun put on a high, almost shrill lady-like voice, covering up any masculine tones. It seemed that Xun was getting used to this! And Lu Meng was looking like he was getting into the date quite well. The wine had gone down quite fast since the last time Ning had topped up his cup, and the ex-pirate knew that he hadn't drank that much. Either Meng was starting to loosen up with the alcohol or Sun Shang Xiang was turning into a drunk…

"Lady Li," Meng started after eating a mouthful of rice, "you look like a strong woman… am I right in saying that you practice with a weapon?"

After a brief pause, Xun answered "Yes, that is correct my Lord."

"Which weapons do you like to use?"

"I use…" Xun tried to think. Not sabres, that was for sure! What other weapon? "… a spear."

"A spear? Ah, a wise choice. I myself use a halberd. We must compare techniques on one occasion!"

Lu Meng took a sip from his cup, noticed that it was now empty, and poured himself some more wine. He had started to drink extra as he was initially angry at Ning for setting this up in the first place, but it couldn't be helped now. He was sitting in the date; he had to get through it, wine or no wine.

Ning grinned. "I'm sure everyone would enjoy that! Wouldn't we Shang?"

Sun Shang Xiang nodded away happily, still unable to use her voice. It was funny watching poor Lu Xun suffer- wearing a dress AND having to 'date' Lu Meng must have been hard for him. Even though she was also wearing a dress she was enjoying herself. This was her first date, even if it was a joke one intended for Xun and Meng. She was on a date with Gan Ning, and it was starting to feel like one. While Meng and 'Lady Li' were conversing she would have a 'conversation' with Ning- he would talk and she would listen and nod. Ning always had something interesting to talk about so she wasn't complaining- she just didn't want to let him know how much she was actually enjoying it, but she couldn't deny that her feminine side was starting to take over.

"Oh no, I'm afraid that I won't be able to join you for that occasion!" said Lady Li as she covered her mouth with a fan that had just been opened and spread out. "I'm not good enough to practice with such a talented general such as you!"

"Nonsense my lady!" Lu Meng grasped one of her hands. "We can practice and make you stronger, and besides, the only person I go hard on is the egoistic pirate sitting opposite me."

Gan Ning rolled his eyes. "Egoistic? Me? Pfft, I don't know where you got that from…" He drank some of his wine and turned his gaze towards Shang Xiang just to make sure she was alright. She had been quiet- well, that was expected, she had no voice. But she was keeping herself to herself which wasn't usual for her. "Are you alright Shang?" he asked as Meng carried on talking to his date.

She fiddled with her cup as she nodded and tried not to blush. This was all so new to her. She wasn't used to all these 'girly' emotions. Shang would see Xiao getting all giggly over something that Zhou Yu would say to Xiao, and she just wouldn't understand. But now she was sitting so close to Ning and she was experiencing a new feeling. She couldn't describe it to herself, but why was she feeling like this? He was her friend! No other guy had made her feel like that before… it was all too confusing for her so she drank a bit more. Maybe it was just the wine she wondered as she smiled at him, or were there more possibilities other than just friendship?

KNOCK KNOCK!

Zhou Yu looked up from his desk in his study and towards the door. He closed the book he was reading- it was the one that Xun had recommended to him, and he was searching for the solution to Ci's sleepwalking. There was the answer that it was just a one-off, and it wouldn't have been such an issue if the fire hadn't started and Ci hadn't woken the entire castle up with the gong. It just seemed rather odd, and Yu preferred to tie up loose ends instead of leaving them hanging.

Just as he was about to stand up and answer the door, it opened and in entered Xiao. She beamed at him and bounded over, clutching a small bouquet of delicate flowers.

"These are for you Zhouie!" she said as she put them out in front of her to show him. She grinned as she watched a smile form on his face.

"They're beautiful Xiao!" He took them from her and planted a kiss on her cheek. She gave a little giggle and smiled back, delighted that he had liked her present. "I think I'll put them on my desk, they'll brighten it up a bit."

Xiao nodded as she watched her husband put them in a vase that had just been emptied earlier that day. "Look Zhouie, I hurt myself…" She lifted her red thumb in the air to show him the miniscule injury.

"Do you want me to kiss it better?" Yu asked as he returned to her. She nodded again, so he took hold of her hand and kissed her thumb just where the thorn had pierced her skin. As soon as he had finished she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him as tightly as she could, so tight that the poor strategist was nearly knocked off of his feet. He simply hugged her back and held her close. "Feeling better now?"

"Yes!" Xiao exclaimed, and then gave him a kiss in return. "You always make everything better!" She giggled again before cheerily skipping out of the room to go and find something to do. Yu smiled as she left and went back to sit at his desk.

Why was it so hard to find a simple answer to a seemingly simple problem? For any other medical condition there was a straight forward answer! Yu found himself becoming even more frustrated, so he pushed the book to one side and stood up again. Maybe a walk would clear his mind- it usually worked, so maybe he could find Xiao and spend some time with her before dinner. He began to hum to himself as he headed out of the door.

"Well, I think they enjoyed themselves!" Gan Ning said as he sat in one of the two small boats floating near the Wu coast. The couples had decided that the perfect way to end the date would be to float along the coast taking in the spectacular view. The sun was beginning to set over the horizon, and it couldn't be a more picturesque scene.

Sun Shang Xiang smiled as she watched the sun go down and sighed. She looked behind her shoulder to see Lu Meng and the dressed up Lu Xun in the other boat, conversing away. She could still see the slightly horrified look on Xun's face, and she knew that it wouldn't be too long until Meng found out. Shang had guessed to herself that the reason Ning had suggested the boat in the first place was so that he could make an easy getaway… give the ex-pirate a boat and he was well away! Luckily for her he was the one steering the boat.

Ning grinned back at the princess and continued to steer, trying to move the boat to where the view was at its most beautiful. It was hard to understand what Shang Xiang was feeling, but from the beam on her face he knew she was happy. "And I think you're enjoying yourself too!" She nodded back, still gazing out at sea. "Yeah… I'm sorry you've had to put up with me for this! I know you'd probably prefer to be with someone like… I don't know, Lu Xun."

Shang shook her head, trying to say no. With one hand held on her heart she touched his arm and smiled. She didn't want to be on a date with Lu Xun, especially not when he was in the state he was in. Even he was normally dressed she would've still preferred to be with Ning. There was just something about the ex-pirate which she couldn't quite put her finger on.

"Really?" Ning replied, a bit surprised. "Well, I'm glad you're having a good time with me, because I am too. If you put the joke with them aside I'd say the night's been great. You, me, and a boat. What more could I ask for? The night's been perfect, what d'ya say princess?" He put the oars down and looked out, just as he felt a kiss on his left cheek. He turned to see Shang Xiang facing him, smiling and blushing.

Neither knew what to say as they gazed into each others eyes. What was to happen next? Had that much changed? Friendship could easily turn to love providing it was with the right person, and they both felt the same way. They felt themselves grow closer to each other, their eyes starting to close as they relaxed and let their feelings take over. Their lips silently touched each others…

"YOU CURSED PIRATE!"

Ning quickly opened his eyes and jumped as Meng's halberd flew towards his small boat. It had shot straight for the lower side of it, making a hole form. Water began to flow into the boat, and it started to cover Ning and Shang's feet.

"How DARE you play such a prank on ME!"

Infuriated, Lu Meng steered his boat as fast as he could towards Ning, and when he was close enough, stood up from where he sat and jumped over to the other boat. His weight made the boat capsize and Ning and Shang were sent overboard and straight into the water. Meng found himself collapse and join the now soaking wet pair. His eyes burned with rage as he began to swam as fast as he could towards Ning, but unfortunately for him Ning had foreseen this and had already started his escape.

Bouncing on the surface of the water, Shang Xiang watched as the two generals swam away. Lu Xun was in the other boat, completely red in the face and on the point of breaking down. He couldn't have looked anymore embarrassed. Shang, however, grinned to herself. She was soaking wet, unable to speak… but she was happy. She was in love!