A/N: I'll bet you can already guess who the "princess" is, for the Wu fans. This chapter is very "Wu-ish", to say the least.

Bow Princess

Enter, the headstrong, red-haired, tomboy princess of the Middle Land.

Creamy, almost translucent porcelain scattered with dainty, pink, plum blossoms. A beautiful bowl, orit would have been if the broken shards of it were placed together. The damaged pieces of the bowl lay, sharp edges glistening with the water it had held.

Enraged, the flame-haired princess stormed across her room, sending silky, mauve curtains fluttering in her wake.

A meek teenage boy followed her, hat knocked slightly askew by the weight of a flying curtain. Head down, he scurried after the princess.

Whirling around, "Go away, Lu Xun, before I bring my heel down onto your favourite piece of flint!"

Lu Xun gasped audibly. No! My fire! He ran in the opposite direction in a blind panic, desperate to save the fire-making tools that weren't in danger.

Well, that was easy.

A billow of pink silk whipped the side of her face, as if to punish her. Glaring at the pretty dress, she pulled out a long bladed knife. Before she could bury the blade in the dress, she stopped.

A wry smile crossed her face. Maybe she didn't want to wear the hideous thing, but maybe someone else would be able to. With a few minor alterations…

"Tongieeee…" Sun Shang Xiang sang, putting on her sweetest puppy-dog face.

Slightly annoyed at being disturbed, Ling Tong glanced up, only to see the face of the Wu princess, beaming all-too brightly at him.

"I have something that I need you to help me with. " She leant over and whispered quickly in his ear, giggling as she did so.

He dropped his pen, a black splotch of ink staining the paper. Standing abruptly, he grinned slyly at her.

"Let's go!"

"Remember, not one single word, or I'll flay you alive and dangle you by your toenails from the pagoda roof," hissed Shang Xiang.

Creeping along the wall, the trio: Ling Tong, Lu Xun and Sun Shang Xiang advanced upon their unknowing target. At a flick of her finger, Ling Tong snuck stealthily behind the spiky haired pirate, long rope in hand.

"Now!"

Sun Shang Xiang leapt enthusiastically upon Gan Ning, Lu Xun working with Ling Tong to tie him up. Pulling a pink package from behind her back, a few hasty last-minute alterations were done with a knife.

"Mmfph!" Gan Ning made his indigence known: he was not going to wear a woman's dress.

Fingers flying, powdered brushes danced across his face. Grinning madly with glee, Ling Tong plopped a sticky glob of carmine on Gan Ning's mouth, managing to smear the lot onto the surrounding skin.

"Darn, his hair too short for pigtails!"

The clink ofchopsticks against ceramic froze as the heavy wooden doors banged open. Stares were fixed upon the figure at the door.

There was a shocked silence as the scene registered. Then the room erupted in laughter.

Delicate golden hairpins were weaved into Gan Ning's short hair, hanging ridiculously from his head. His muscular body was shoved into afive sizes-too small magenta dress, the embroidered hem dangling a full foot off the ground. Sloppily done makeup was smeared across his face, adding an extra note of ridicule. To complete the masterpiece, a heavy wreath of fragrant flowers adorned his head, perched goose-like upon the hairpieces.

Hiding behind a pale handkerchief, Sun Shang Xiang nearly fell off her chair with laughter, the muscles in her face aching. Oh, Heavens... It was mean, dressing her friend up like that, but boy, was it ever hilarious!

Lady Wu snapped her painted fan in annoyance, uncomfortably shuffling her voluptuous bottom around the small chair. Really, these things should be made to accommodate everyone. And little Shangie's antics were getting out of hand. Extremely so. It was time to put her matchmaking powers to work and sabble her dear daughter with a husband or three!

Zhao Yun rolled his eyes skyward, for the umpteenth time, or so it seemed.

Heavens, can the man not stop ranting about little Boyue for one minute?

"…I ever get my hands on the little runt…" Ma Chao continued to rave.

Quietly, Zhao Yun led Xue out, followed by the saddled Hei (1). The dark horse tossed his mane, likewise annoyed by his master's unceasing ranting. Xue snorted in agreement, bobbing his head.

"Hey, oh-great-and-mighty horse general, how about a race? The horses need some exercise anyways."

"A race? I am going to make you eat dust! I am the racing champion!"

Oh bother, here we go again… Zhao Yun mounted Xue, both glad that the ranting episode was over, for the time being.

"Hyah!"

Two thundering figures galloped madly out of the camp, puffs of dust rising behind them.

"Hello, Lady Mi. It is a pleasure to meet you again," Yue Ying inclined slightly, thick auburn hair falling forwards.

"Oh! Lady Yue Ying, no need to be so formal. We're friends; no formalities needed!" Lady Mi chirped happily. "You see, I don't get much company and I love to talk."

Yue Ying smiled. Lady Mi's chatter was always fun to listen to.

"…And then there was this little bird, he landed on my finger and stayed there for a minute. Or something close to that, until Brother Zhao came to talk to me."

"Hmm, is that so? Why did he want to talk to you?" Yue Ying tried to hide her inquisitiveness.

"I think it was a dream about Hua…" Lady Mi's eyes grew large and she pressed her hand against her lips, "I shouldn't really say. It's the kind of thing Brother Zhao wouldn't want to have told to everyone. It's not really a secret, but I shouldn't be the one to tell it."

Does this have anything to do with the Hua Li girl in the old letter?

"Oh, I see… In that case, let us change to a different subject."

Night fell quickly, a goddess throwing her inky cape over the sky. Zhao Yun stumbled to his room, almost asleep on his feet, malachite eyes half-lidded with weariness. Heavens, I need sleep…

He tumbled onto his neat bed and promptly fell into a deep slumber. Drifting in and out of the peaceful oasis of sleep, Zhao Yun moved listlessly. All was well in the place called dreamland.

Until…

1. Dark, black.

A/N: The eighth chapter of E'sW ! Worry not, Hua Li has not been forgotten! She'll be appearing in chapter 9. (Which would be next chapter…) I sincerely hope the "Dressing up of Gan Ning" plot was as fun to read, as it was to write. Yes, I know the "guy in girl's clothes' scene has been done many times over. That aside, I find it harder to write E'sW than "Two Words". Maybe because "Two Words" is in a different kind of style? Anyways, later!