Good news! You'll finally learn what happened to Zhou Tai! This chapter is mostly character hoo-ha, but it's kind of important to the story arc.
I'm going to be honest with you: I've been going through an obsessive Naruto phase lately (btw, go for the fansubs...the American voice work sucks). But there is no way in all the circles of hell that I'm going to stop writing this story. I'm having way too much fun with it!
And I know I'm a bit late with this, but thanks a billion and one to all my reviewers. You spin me right-round...like a record. No, seriously, I love you guys.
Disclaimer: I'll admit, my reality check is in the mail. But I'm still sane enough to know that I don't own Dynasty Warriors.
Chapter 8: Fates
The thrill of the allied army's victory was tempered for Shang Xiang; her brother had lost a lot of blood and spent most of the return to Jian Ye unconscious. Fortunately, he had made it back alive. There was also the matter of her little shouting match with Gan Ning. Finally, there was Zhou Tai. Gan Ning was the second person to mention him in as many days.
The name was strange. Every time she heard or thought it, Shang Xiang felt safe and at home. A bodyguard, maybe? Or something else? She sighed and gave up trying to recall who or what he was. She lowered herself to the ground, leaned against a tree, and closed her eyes, happy for a moment's peace.
She wasn't sure how long she had been day dreaming when she heard someone call her name. She opened one eye to see who it was. Gan Ning, looking peeved. Shang Xiang sighed lightly and opened her other eye, waiting for him to continue. "Zhou Yu wanted me to tell you that Sun Quan is back from the south." His message delivered, the ex-pirate turned on his heel to leave. After a few seconds, Shang Xiang stood to follow him. He didn't wait for her like he usually did.
"Ning, wait!" She called after him, dropping the surname as a sign of friendship. He still didn't stop. Rolling her eyes, she ran to catch up and placed herself in front of him. He halted and raised an eyebrow at her quizzically. Shang Xiang paused for a moment herself. Why did I run after him?
"What?" Gan Ning asked impatiently.
"I, uh, I guess I wanted to apologize for what I said after the battle. And," she paused again, wondering why this next thought came to mind. "I wondered why you wanted to kill Zhang Bao so badly." At this, Gan Ning folded his arms across his chest and looked at the princess of Wu with a new curiosity.
"On some level, you still love him, don't you?" He said after a long moment, ignoring her apology. "So my revenge is yours, too." With an air of finality, he stepped around her and resumed his walk. "Your brother's waiting." He called back casually.
Shang Xiang met her second brother in one of Jian Ye's waiting rooms for the first time since her memory loss. He didn't seem surprised to see her, which was a source of confusion.
"Zhou Yu explained everything." The older man offered upon seeing his sister. He seemed detached, as if he didn't want to see her. There was a moment of awkward silence between the two before he spoke again. "Anything else?"
"N-well, just one thing. And it's going to sound odd but...who's Zhou Tai?"
Sun Quan stiffened and glared at his sister. "Who was Zhou Tai?" He asked rhetorically, emphasizing the past tense. "He was good friend of mine, a man who, though he died honorably, died before his time." Another silence. "Is that all?"
Shang Xiang's nerves were wearing thin under the coldness her brother was showing her. "I could ask you the same question." She snapped.
"It's all I'm willing to tell you." Sun Quan answered in an equally impatient tone.
"Fine. Goodbye, brother."
He didn't answer, so she showed herself out. Once out of sight, Shang Xiang leaned against a wall, one hand on her forehead and the other clenched in a fist. She wondered what, exactly, had merited her brother's brusque and unforgiving attitude. From what she was able to gather from their sparse conversation, it had something to do with Zhou Tai. She felt herself growing increasingly annoyed at how his name kept popping up everywhere. Well, she thought, filled with a new determination, I'll just have to settle this once and for all.
Late that night, the princess of Wu crept through the halls of Jian Ye. Earlier, she had mentally mapped out the most efficient route to the palace's archive. In her first months back home, she had been told how meticulously the records were kept, how adamant Wu was about maintaining its history.
Such an extensive anthology was bound to have the answers she wanted.
Once she found her way to the room, Shang Xiang lit a single lantern, revealing the work of countless bookkeepers. The walls of the round chamber were divided into shelves, half of which were full. On a single long table in the center were even more records. Inhaling deeply and wishing she had begun her search earlier, Shang Xiang set to work.
After minute after monotonous minute of pouring over the records, she finally found what she was looking for—a thick, worn volume whose spine read simply 'deaths.' She found the name she was looking for in the top right corner towards the middle of the book.
General Zhou Tai. Subordinate of Lord Sun Quan. Killed in battle.
The utilitarian and impersonal record had told her little more than she already knew. Given that he was a general under her second brother, however, Shang Xiang assumed the two had developed a friendship. That, she decided, certainly explained Quan's attitude.
"What are you doing here?"
Shang Xiang jumped, startled by the voice. She looked to the door with wide eyes to find Zhou Yu holding a lamp in one hand and rubbing one eye with the other. "Oh, I-I just wanted to know something..." she trailed off, not sure she should tell him everything. The two men did, after all, share a surname.
"I see." Zhou Yu moved into the room and set his lamp down. "This place can be eternally confusing if you don't know what you're looking for. Speaking of," he peered at her sternly, "just what were you looking for?"
If anyone knew this place, it would be the strategist. "Since Sun Quan wouldn't tell me anything, I was trying to figure out exactly who Zhou Tai was and this seemed like the best place to look."
"Oh," the strategist said, obviously surprised. "What, exactly, did you want to know?"
When she thought about it, Shang Xiang wasn't really sure herself why she wanted to know anything beyond what the death ledger had told her. "Anything, I guess."
"Beyond the books, I assume? Well, he fought tooth and nail for this kingdom. But more than that, he fought for the people in it." Zhou Yu sighed. "He died the day you were taken by Wei, trying to keep you from being captured. You're sure you remember none of this?"
"If I did, why would I be here?"
"Of course. I trust your curiosity is satisfied?"
"Why did he do it?"
Zhou Yu lifted his lamp from the table and began to leave, pausing in the door way. "Because he loved you."
Shang Xiang sat back heavily. It accounted for everything: the phantom feelings of safety, the falling out with her brother, the compulsion to know, and the tears that now stung the corners of her eyes.
"You don't even remember, and yet it hurts." Sao Li stepped into Shang Xiang's field of view, seemingly from thin air. "I told you to remember the pain. This will work to your advantage."
"Not now." Shang Xiang hissed in her mind.
"Listen!" Sao Li commanded sharply. "You don't have much more time. The most recent battle turned the enemy back, but it also made them more intent on crushing you. You have to act now."
"The army won't be able to march again for another week, at least."
"Not the army. You. You have to kill the one you fought in the battle."
"If it's one man, then surely it can wait."
"Do what you will and in your own time, but don't let your hesitation be the doom of all you love."
--
Can't believe I killed Zhou Tai? Heck, even I can't believe I killed Zhou Tai... 0.o I love the pseudo-samurai to death, really I do. Eh, the world goes on.
Oh, and when I said I had a pairing, I didn't mean it was going to be SSX/Zhou Tai. There's still a pairing in the works...heh.
Today's Deep Thought comes to you courtesy of Douglas Adams:
It is a mistake to think that any major problem can be solved through the use of potatoes.
(puts on a fire resistance ring) Okay, bring on the flames for killing Zhou Tai...
Please review!