The Reluctance of Loyalty

Sometimes, one must submit or die...

"Who are you?"

Angrily, Jiang Wei lashed at the Prime Minister, Blink curving in a deadly arc. The sharp rasping of steel, flicked from its sheath, and the swish of a scythe met Jiang Wei's spear.

Emerald eyes and russet orbs met Jiang Wei's copper ones, asserting him to back off. As if pulled by strings, he jerkily lowered the Blink.

The woman with the scythe; who is she? Zhao Yun's wife, I'm guessing…

Seemingly oblivious to the fact that he could have been impaled, Zhuge Liang waved his fan at Yue Ying and Zhao Yun. Weapons glimmering faintly in the torchlight, he continued calmly.

"Jiang Wei, you are an intelligent boy. Do you not think it is wiser to surrender, than to meet your demise here?"

Zhuge Liang's robes rustled softly, as he rose from his carriage to stand, unprotected, in front of Jiang Wei. His placid voice lowered to an ominous murmur.

"Besides… You are thought of as a traitor to Wei. Even if you do not die here, you can never return."

A traitor… I can never return… I…

Unspoken sorrow welled up, deep in his innocent soul, aching him.

I never wanted it to be like this…

Zhuge Liang's voice returned to its usual placid tone, "And only you, Jiang Wei, are fit to carry on my work."

I have no choice…

The Blink spear fell to the ground, slight cloud of dust rising. Kneeling, his dark hair fell untidily over his brown eyes, as he spoke quietly.

"I… surrender… to the kingdom of Shu-Han…"

Poor boy… This must be hard for him.

Yue Ying's eyes met Jiang Wei's, a kind smile curving her lips. The young man returned it, making his way towards her.

"Hello, Jiang Wei. I'm Yue Ying." She offered, politely.

Shyly, "Hi… Yue Ying. Nice to meet you."

He's so cute… In a good kind of way, that is.

The officers are nice enough, so far. Or at least Yue Ying is.

"Hi… Zhao Yun." Jiang Wei meekly offered his hand in greeting.

Zhao Yun met his eyes, catching the insecurity. Shaking Jiang Wei's hand, he raised his eyebrow.

"I won't bite, you know."

A hesitant smile turned the corners of Jiang Wei's mouth at Zhao Yun's words. Maybe, just maybe, Shu would not quite as evil, or bad as he thought it would be.

Just maybe…

"Imbeciles…"

The quiet voice spat out, malicious with contempt. Awkward silence crept up the necks of the council members, whispering into their ears and prickling their backs.

"How… painful is your ignorance. One such as yourselves should not have fallen for such a child's trick."

Tension, thick as fog, followed his words. Clearing his throat with the slightest discomfort, Cao Cao sliced the silence, much to the others relief.

"Ah… Sima Yi… I'm sure it was a… mistake. Never fear, things will be put straight," He glanced at his strategist's face.

Standing up abruptly, a single night-black feather floated leaf-like to the table in his wake. The dancing shadows thrown by the lamps cast a skeletal pattern on his face, ominous.

"Yes… They will be put straight…"

So many unfamiliar people… This seems as if a dream. Maybe I wish this were a very lucid nightmare and that I will wake up. Then everything would be the same.

But it's not a dream. It's all too real.

Alone. Scared.

Jiang Wei's fingers, clutching the Blink spear, whitened with apprehension. Zhao Yun felt, rather than saw, his reluctance at entering the camp. Reining in Xue, he turned to face him.

"Jiang Wei…"

I will be brave… I will not be left outside… Who am I kidding? All I want to do is cling to someone's shoulders and hide.

Taking a deep breath, Jiang Wei willed his nerves to calm down. With a tone of cheerfulness that was not there, he replied.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go."

"Well, well… If it isn't a Wei rat, scared of death. Is the poor widdle boy scared?"

Sneering, Ma Chao greeted Jiang Wei with a less-than warm welcome. It was a known fact the horse general hated Cao Cao with smoldering rage. That, and anything or anyone in connection with Wei.

Considering the fact that Jiang Wei recently defected from Wei…

Go away, you idiot.

Glaring, Jiang Wei shot back, "No. I'm not scared, and I'm not a little boy."

The beauty of silence, broken only occasionally by the trilling of a sparrow, was wonderfully pleasurable, especially after the din of the dining hall. Alone, curled up on the bench with a scroll, Zhao Yun was swept into the fantasy world of fiction. The sunlight, warming the bench, lulled him into light sleep.

Slinking silently, golden eyes blinked at him, eyeing his chest. Leaping with padded paws, the cat landed softly on him, velvety tongue licking him.

"Oh, it's you, Ai (1)." Now awake, Zhao Yun stroked Ai's silky coat absently. Purring, she snuggled into him, clinking the bamboo scroll aside. A slight smile crossed his lips.

Strains of harsh shouting pierced the morning, growing in volume. Mewing, Ai kneaded her needle-like paws on his arm.

"Alright, kitty. We'll go see what's causing this vexation."

How silly of me, talking to a cat. It is not like Ai can reply back. Oh well.

With the white and brown cat cradled in his arms, Zhao Yun set off, rather reluctantly, towards the argument.

"You bastard of Wei! How dare you call me stupid!"

"I never did. You just called yourself that."

"You… You little… I'm going to…"

Zhao Yun, with Ai perched daintily on his shoulder, surveyed the scene ahead of him. Ma Chao, being older and larger, could easily pound the smaller Jiang Wei into a bloody mess.

It's time to intervene…

In a smooth leap of brown and white, Ai leapt onto the red painted ledge and slinked off. Stepping out from where he was sitting, Zhao Yun forced authority into his normally calm voice.

"Ma Mengqi! Jiang Wei!"

The anger in Zhao Yun's voice was real, for Ma Chao, gripping the young man by his shirt collar, was only a word away from pounding Jiang Wei into the dirt.

The icy fire in his words froze the quarrelling duo, retorts caught in their throats. Under the piercing glare of the elder officer, Ma Chao, face crimson, unceremoniously dumped Jiang Wei on the ground.

"Tell me… Why were you two fighting?"

(1) Love.

A/N: Not exactly an evil cliffie… The chapter title is a bit on the disturbing side, if you know what I mean. (smiles and winks) Thank you, Mufy-sis, for telling me E'sW was leaning to the corny side. Some of the phrases are corny and clichéd, but the "melodramatic" feel is still there. I hope. Well, I hope Jiang Wei's entrance into Shu was not… corny, for the lack of a better word. Oh, and Ai the cat belongs to Lady Mi. Until later, my readers...