A/N: Sorry for the late update! I'm having a hard time trying to juggle fanfiction and school!
Chapter 4: Advice and Emotions
That night, Nu Wa decided to get help from Liu Bei. When she went in the throne room to see him, it was as if he was expecting her. "Nu Wa! What is it that you want?" Liu Bei asked pleasantly. "Uh... More like advice, Uncle-King." answered Nu Wa, bowing. "Oh. Well, what do you need help with?" Liu Bei asked.
"W-well... you see... I have a 'friend' who has some love issues." Nu Wa replied. "She thinks she's in love with this 'soldier'. But the soldier had previously killed a relative of hers, and she is upset with this. However, the soldier loves my friend, ans she doesn't know what to do, love the soldier back, or get revenge. What should she do?" Nu Wa continued. Liu Bei thought for a while. "Your friend is struggling with the hardest dillema ever known. She must decide if family or true love is more important to her, then she'll have to see through the conclusion. Revenge isn't really a good idea, but on the other hand, her family... is she an orphan?" Liu Bei said. Nu Wa nodded. "Oh. Well then, though she is an orphan, family can be important." Liu Bei continued.
Nu Wa looked at him, confused. "So... what's your advice?" she asked. Liu Bei put his hands on Nu Wa's shoulders. "She has to follow her heart. Always." Liu Bei answered. Nu Wa nodded, thanked him and went away. Liu Bei gave a dry laugh. "Something tells me it's more than a friend of hers." he said smiling.
For days, she thought about her situation, and her uncle's advice. Her confusion was so troubling to her, there were nights when she would just cry herself to sleep. She rarely talked to anyone, even Liu Bei himself. Finally one day, she decided to take a ride. She took her rapier (for protection) and headed for the stables, where Ma Chao was tending his beloved horse.
"Nu Wa, haven't talked to you in a long time." he greeted. "Locked myself in my room." Nu Wa answered quickly. "Oh. Why?" Ma Chao asked. "Nothing." Nu Wa replied, inserting a saddle on her horse. "What's wrong? Don't you trust me?" asked Ma Chao sadly. "Alright, I'll tell you." Nu Wa said hesitantly, and told Ma Chao what had happened in Tian Shui, and all the conversations she'd been having with Jiang Wei. "Tch, why would you talk to Jiang Wei? He took Liu Qian's life." Ma Chao asked. Nu Wa didn't reply. Ma Chao, finally getting the point, started to laugh. "AHAH! You fell for him, right?" Ma Chao asked. "Hey, just because your love life's settled, doesn't mean you can barge into mine!" Nu Wa shot back. "Come on, you've just admitted it! "Jeez, what do you women find in him?" said Ma Chao, his hand on his hip. "I don't know... he's very smart for his age. Plus I like the way he can be himself when he's around me. Plus-"Nu Wa was about to finish, but Ma Chao finished her sentence. "He's got great hair. Keep hearing that from my wife lately. Hope he doesn't steal her from me also!" Ma Chao said. "Speaking of Jiang Wei, where is he?" Nu Wa asked. Ma Chao crossed his arms, thinking. "Err... I heard that his mother fell ill, so he went to Tian Shui to visit her." answered Ma Chao, overlooking his words. Nu Wa then mounted her horse. "I'm going to Tian Shui." she then said, firmly grasping the reins. "You've got to be CRAZY! Tian Shui's 3 days away!" cried Ma Chao, but Nu Wa ignored him and headed off. 'No more secrets. I have to tell him. The past's in the past, and I'm in the future. But somehow, why do I feel like Jiang Wei's in my future?' thought Nu Wa, as she rode past Cheng Du's gates.
Stay tuned...