Romance of the DW pairings
Sun Ce and Da Qiao
His father would have been alive to see him conquering Jiang Dong. The wedding still didn't make him happy after a series of dances with Da and talking to Zhou Yu about their future plans in securing the south lands.
In his home, he's alone holding the Ancestral Sword or in other words…Lone Tiger. He watched his father fight Hua Xiong at Si Shui Gate if it wasn't for Yuan Shu's lack of securing the supplies, Sun Jian would be the hero of the Coalition, not Yuan Shao. Damn him and damn Liu Biao and Yuan Shu for provoking the tiger's fury and lure him to his demise on the conquest for Jing. Jing, that land was a curse to his father's ambitions. It started when the Ten Ennuichs stationed him at Chang Sha there along with He Jin's edict to vanish the bandit Qu Xing.
"Father, it's never the same without you. The duel with Taishi Ci, Wang Lang's treachery, and the chaos in Jiang Dong after you died," Sun Ce mourned at his father's grave. He always visit it before he gets into a council meeting with his brother, Zhou Yu, Cheng Pu, Zhang Zhao, Huang Gai, and the others.
"It shouldn't be, all things changes time after time, my lord," Da Qiao spoke out of nowhere.
"Uh, Da. It's kind of embarrassing of you to see me talk to myself," Sun Ce shrugs.
"It's alright, by the way, why are you alone out here at a time like this?" Da Qiao asked.
"Paying respects for my old man's debts. Sigh, it's always like this. Without him, I don't have the finest leadership in his name, but everything I did and tried to equal to him, it's just isn't enough. Huang Zu fooled him into surrendering only to get my father in a wild goose chase by luring himself in a trap. And he said he wouldn't need help from Yuan Shu. Why would he even tried to accept that coward's proposal to attack Liu Biao?" Sun Ce said.
"War brought a series of ties as my father taught me," Da Qiao said.
"I hate to admit the Sun family's ties with the Yuans…" Sun Ce muttered.
"All that had come to past. You are now the famous Little Conqueror. There is nothing that can stop you as long as you carry out that debt. Continue securing Jiang Dong and you'll avenge him. I mean, killing Liu Biao isn't going to change anything, but expanding Jiang Dong will. You obtain new officers every month. Lu Meng, Zhou Tai, Dong Xi, Ling Cao, Yu Fan, Zhuge Jin, and among other people to serve you," Da Qiao hugged him in comfort.
"You're right, with these people, I shall not falter. My father is gone, but his legacy has not extinguished, not with all the supporters of the Sun Family. Heh, Liu Biao and his snakes Cai Mao, Wen Pin, Huang Zu, the Kuais, and others better watch out!" Sun Ce grinned.
"Don't forget Zhou Yu and my sister Xiao," Da Qiao added.
"Our swore brother and sister. Come to think of it, Da. We make one incredible family. It's all I can ever have to move on from here," Sun Ce smiled as he looks at his father's tombstone again.
Da Qiao can't help but awe of the sword her newly wed husband wields. This is indeed the legendary Ancestral Sword. Too bad, Ce keeps his hard knock overlord tonfas.
"Well, we better meet with the others back in Mo Ling," Sun Ce spoke in serious tone. He can be wild and funny, but as a ruler, he's serious and well thought especially with Zhou Yu, his right hand man.
"I don't want to get involve with your meetings, but my sister couldn't help herself going with Zhou Yu on those," Da Qiao sighed.
"Of course, your sister has the better war, but you have the better politics," Sun Ce corrected.
Da Qiao put a grunt and follows him back to the castle. They have all the time in the world.
At Mo Ling castle…
"Do you really think it's a good idea to join this campaign provided by Yuan Shao?" Cheng Pu asked.
"After all this time between him and Lord Sun Jian, he now wants our help against Cao Cao?" Zhu Zhi looks puzzled by the solution.
"My lord, you should refuse. I heard Cao Cao defeated the Mighty Lu Bu at Xia Pi," Zhang Zhao advised.
"He did so with that flood trick. It never surprised me consider Xu is closes to the coast waters," Zhou Yu said unimpressed.
"I don't fear one thing about flood attacks, but the rising power of Cao Cao is another. He possessed the emperor's protection, but how he go by it is questionable," Sun Ce said.
"Then lets put our power to test, young lord," Huang Gai said.
"But, we still lack any information on what Cao Cao could do against us if we rush right now," Taishi Ci said.
Da Qiao was with her sister for hours in the meeting. It didn't bore her sister, but now she is starting to feel worry of what is going to happen to her Sun Ce. Da Qiao wishes to speak her words at the meeting, but there is no ear to listen to a woman's opinion.
Sun Ce soon looked at his wife's worrisome look. And finally put his attention on a woman, which disturb his men alittle.
"Is there something you wish to speak with us, Da," Sun Ce asked. All eyes are on the older Qiao sister.
"Huh? Oh, it's nothing. I'm sorry to have you see me worried, but I guess my sister and I should leave you from our distraction. Come on, Xiao, even Zhou Yu doesn't want us to distract them," Da Qiao takes her leave.
"But, I don't have a problem with it and why should I leave with you? I'm not a child anymore," Xiao protested.
"Oh be quiet and come on…" Da Qiao said annoyed.
Sun Ce is at a lost of words. He is going to give her this chance of speaking her voice out for him on the solution. But, if she didn't want to get involve, then what will be the greatest regret of not always being with him?
After the council, Sun Ce ordered his army to station at Lu Jiang to prepare for the invasion on the Central Plains. Before he go, he went to see Da Qiao to tell her why she left the meeting all of sudden.
At Ye…
Yuan Shao sees his messenger has return from traveling to Sun Ce to accept the alliance. He is not surprise of the son of the Tiger of Jiang Dong rise to power, but as soon as he finish off Cao Cao, he'll deal with the Sun brat afterwards.
Back in Mo Ling…
"Da, why the sudden refusal? My men are interested in hearing out to you. I'm giving you this chance though since you look worried," Sun Ce asked.
"It's nothing, just forget what happened. You're going to Lu Jiang right? So, I shouldn't bother you, my lord," Da Qiao excuse herself.
"Aw cut the my lord, crap. You're not a concubine and I don't take you like that. You are a scholar of the famous scholar Qiao Xuan. Act like one, Da Qiao!" Sun Ce argued.
"Do you have to shout at me, my lord?" Da Qiao said.
"….." Sun Ce let it all go by taking his things and prepare to leave for Lu Jiang. Fine, if she didn't want him to share her thoughts then so be it.
As he left, Da Qiao tears brust. She kneeled and wipe. Her cold heartness at Sun Ce is so not like herself.
The next day…
She and her husband are alone in separate paths, but now she wants to rejoin him at Lu Jiang. She packs her things and wrote a note to Xiao then put it on the table when she visits.
She mount on her horse than getting on a carriage, because she likes to ride there as a female warrior and wife of the Little Conqueror. He never took her as just some concubine. He was right all along. He loves her a lot.
At Lu Jiang…
"We receive little information on Cao Cao, however Shou Chun is vacant, so we should try to occupy that city before we prepare for battle," Zhou Yu confirmed.
"Lets not go there yet, I want to think over this for some time. Brother Zhou, I'm not feeling too well right now," Sun Ce struggled.
"It's Da Qiao right?" Zhou Yu assumed.
Sun Ce can only nod.
"I think you should talk her out into joining with us. I wouldn't mind telling Xiao, but how am I going to calm her down on that temper," Zhou Yu said.
"No offense, but you also have something in common with Xiao on losing your cool," Sun Ce smirked.
They both laughed like brothers.
"I think I'll go for alittle hunting," Sun Ce got up after feeling alittle better with some brotherly chat with Zhou Yu.
"Want me to join you?" Zhou Yu asked.
"Nah, I'm fine with this alone. Tell my men that I'll be at the war council in the afternoon and tell Gong Man, we'll settle another sparring," Sun Ce referring Gong Man to Taishi Ci.
"Heheh, Gong Man, you never change Ce," Zhou Yu chuckled.
After a while, Da Qiao arrived Lu Jiang the afternoon. Strange that Sun Ce's vassals have been waiting long for him to return. She went to meet Zhou Yu.
"Lord Zhou Yu, where is my husband," she took him by surprise.
"Ah! Da, I didn't expect to see you here. Sun Ce at the woods hunting, however it seem to prolong our waiting for him to return to the meeting," Zhou Yu said.
Da Qiao look concerned, but soon it alarm her. He went to hunt alone. However, something else is bothering her when she noticed a group of men near where she mount her way to Lu Jiang are heading to the same direction where Sun Ce was hunting.
"Zhou Yu! Quickly, get the men! Our Lord is in danger! I last saw a group of men during my journey that they're heading to the same woods where my husband was!" Da Qiao ordered.
"Are you sure those men you saw could be…no…it can't be! We must hurry!" Zhou Yu gets Cheng Pu, Han Dang, and Huang Gai and quickly follows with the lady to the woods.
During Sun Ce's lone tiger hunt….
"Have I always told myself that this place is so quiet? It's like when the darkness surrounds me during my nightmares," Sun Ce said to himself. He prepares one last shot at the predator lurking at the wilderness.
Suddenly, the group of men that Da Qiao was talking about hide themselves on the bushes. They're not nice as the expression on those men eyes. They're angry of Sun Ce for executing their master, Xu Gong. Previously, Xu Gong was going to rebel Sun Ce when he send a secret letter to Cao Cao with the words "Beware Sun Ce of Jiang Dong" Liu Biao give these men a chance to redeem their master by going with the plot to assassinate the Little Conqueror. They're amused of the youngster's reckless in hunting the woods alone.
"Arise the bow, once we strike, this fool shall embrace his fate with his father in hell!" one man spoke.
The three men prepare to strike at the same time. The sound of the arrow is so silent that even Sun Ce didn't notice it's darting ahead of him as he prepare to strike his own bow at the predator he's hunting. Suddenly, sounds of flaming crimson wind shoot near his position right at the arrows that almost started his early death.
"What the..?" Sun Ce turns and sees the figure he always wanted to see. It's Da Qiao with her long fans of great beauty.
"My Lord, those remnants of Xu Gong are trying to assassinate….ARGH!" Da Qiao felt from an arrow that shot her back.
"DA! You bastards, prepare to feel the Wrath of the Tiger of Jiang Dong!" Sun Ce charged at the three assassins. He's not using his father's sword, but his own two Conqueror tonfas. One man charge at him, but Sun Ce is prepared for this by striking him three times from the left and right then somersault kick him to the air, then not looking at the second one behind him, he did a terrible roundhouse with deadly aura surrounding him.
"Uh…." The third one backed away slowly.
"Do you think you can hunt the tiger's own cub by giving him the same treatment as all those who robbed the Sun family glory with just bow and arrows! You should know who I am. I am my father's better!" Sun Ce's wrath has hit the third assassin as he felt the ground shaking with fear.
Da Qiao is still groaning in pain by the arrow that injury her. Sun Ce quickly went to her aid following by the arrival of Zhou Yu and the rest of the officers. They quickly seize three men by arresting them. Sun Ce carried Da Qiao for medical attention at Lu Jiang.
"Ce…" Da Qiao spoke weakly.
"Don't speak, save your strength till we get a doctor," Sun Ce said.
Later that night…
"Sun Ce, the three arrows that Da Qiao stopped were poison ones, however, you can rest assure that Da Qiao will recover from the one that wasn't poisoned," Zhou Yu said.
"Those men tried to poison me instead? Just three single arrows out of a hundred or thousands of them that can kill my father…" Sun Ce relived.
"I'm glad you're alright, if it was you…Ce, I don't know what would become of the army without you. I understand you can't live a life without Da Qiao and she is resting at her bed with Xiao watching her," Zhou Yu said.
Sun Ce just looks down at the mat with both hands on his head. His angry with what happened to Da Qiao and angrier that Liu Biao can go that low by even harming the one he loves.
"Zhou Yu, cancel our deal with Yuan Shao, we'll focus on Liu Biao and only Liu Biao. The Yuans were a distraction to us for years now…" Sun Ce ordered.
"Yes sir!" Zhou Yu went to prepare the orders.
Sun Ce entered the room where Da Qiao is resting. He's happy that she still loves him and saved his life. To repay this, he wants to give her something in return, but couldn't because right now they have a lot of issues to work out on their relationship.
"Lord Sun Ce…" Da Qiao woke up.
"That's me alright. How are you feeling my flower?" Sun Ce asked.
"Great, I experience what war really feels like by getting hit from an arrow," Da Qiao smiled.
"Heh, you did scare the hell out of me out there, but thank you for saving my life," Sun Ce said.
"I'm a wife of the Little Conqueror and also a vassal," Da Qiao said.
They both kissed passionately, but it was longer and nobody bothered to disturb them. Watch out everyone, because Sun Ce still lives and now with the flower of Jiang Dong still blooming.
Next pairing: Zhuge Liang and Yue Ying