Lu Xun was so excited to see Zhang He that he threw his arms around him and hugged him the second he saw him.
"Whoa! Easy kid!" Zhang He laughed.
"I remembered more!" Lu Xun grinned.
"That's wonderful!" Zhang He sang, prising the affectionate boys arms from around his waist and continuing with his dance.
"I'm not on you're side, I was fighting against you…" Xun said but suddenly paused. If he was under another lord, that meant that Zhang He And Zhang Liao were his enemies too.
"…I'm you're enemy…" Xun said.
Zhang He paused his dancing and looked at the boy. There were tears welling in Xun's eyes.
"Swallow… its alright…" Zhang Said but Xun took off, running as fast as he could until he found Zhang Liao's empty room. He slumped on the table and cried. These two people had shown him nothing but kindness, yet he was an enemy! He may have killed their friends, captured there villages… In war, there was any number of terrible things he could have done, and still they wanted to help him after all the evil… If he did get home he'd only end up having to fight them… maybe… kill them…
"Swallow?" The gentle voice echoed around the small room in the dark.
Xun attempted to dry his eyes and turned around. Zhang He was standing in the doorway, his face troubled with a concerned expression.
"Don't look at me, I'm a monster!" Xun cried, burying his head in his hands.
"Swallow, its alright…" Zhang He said walking closer but Xun stuck out his arm to halt Zhang He's move.
"No! I'm you're enemy!" Xun spat.
Zhang He smiled. "We're not enemies, we are just fighting for a different cause, we all obey our master's wishes, that is the way of battle. No one is truly evil, evil is only a perspective."
Xun stopped crying and turned around slowly. Zhang He always seemed to know what to say to make him feel better.
He stood up and rubbed his eyes dry. Zhang He smiled and Xun smiled back. The two seemed like best friends.
"I should go back to work…" Xun said.
"Ok, I'll see you later." Zhang Smiled.
Lu Xun left and headed down the corridor and stairs, into the storeroom.
He spent the rest of the day working and when night came Locust showed him to the servant's quarters where he would be sleeping. It was one small room with about eight quilts on the floor. Many girls were already asleep.
"You're over here," Locust Whispered, showing Xun a quilt in the corner.
He thanked her and tucked himself up.
It was cold. The floor was hard. The quilt itched and smelt of bad meat. He lay for a few hours trying to get comfortable, his back and neck ached. He couldn't do it.
He looked around to make sure the girls were all asleep and quietly left the room, taking his hat. He tiptoed up the stairs. It seemed some officers were still awake as Xun could hear music down the corridor. He crept quietly down the hall until he came to his destination. Zhang He's room was the only place he felt safe.
Zhang He was fast asleep on the couch facing the wall. Xun sighed quietly and got in next to him. He didn't want to damage Zhang He's reputation anymore but he needed the sleep and this was the only place he could. With the last flicker of moonlight vanishing in tired eyes and the sweet scent of peach blossoms all around, he quickly fell asleep.
Zhang He awoke late in the night. He needed a drink. He leaned over to pull back the covers and saw the red and gold hat on his table. He shook his head and lifted up the covers. Xun was fast asleep curled up into a little ball next to him. Zhang He laughed quietly. He carefully lifted himself up, so not to wake Xun and got himself a drink. Then when he returned went to sleep on the floor. Xun needed the couch.
Xun awoke in a cold sweat. He had been dreaming about the battle, everything was how he remembered but in every soldier he cut down, he saw Zhang Liao and Zhang He's faces. "That is the way of battle…"
He pulled the covers off his head and looked around. It was early. The birds were just beginning their dawn chorus and Zhang He lay asleep on the floor near the table. He donned his hat and quietly shifted off the couch. He needed to wash so he went to the room where he had woken up that second time with the girls cooing over him.
The baths were only a few doors away and no one else was around so he slipped of his clothes and bathed. The water was relaxing. It was like all his worries were momentarily washing away.
He heard something from the other side of the room, there was talking and soon, Xiahou Dun and Zhang Liao walked in, reminiscing about the hunt. They must have just come back. Xiahou Dun was laughing boisterously. Zhang Liao's face was splattered with blood, presumably from a deer they shot. The two took off their clothes and bathed in the other bath pool. They hadn't noticed Xun, so he quickly dried and dressed and left before they did.
He felt so much better after a wash, he felt like having another crack at food. He went to the storeroom and found a fresh meat bun. "You're not going to get the better of me this time!" He thought taking a bite. It was nice and he didn't feel sick. In fact, he was hungry. He finished the whole thing, then a small portion of rice. He couldn't remember ever feeling so good. He was preparing a pot of tea when Locust strolled in, yawning and stretching. She looked like a tired tiger.
"Swallow, You're up early!" She yawned.
Xun smiled and poured her a cup of tea. She thanked him and drank deep. Soon all the girls were awake, darting back and fourth around the room like insects on the surface of a pond.
"Lord Zhang He will be awake soon and he'll want tea, why don't you take it to him Swallow?" One of the girls giggled.
"Enough!" Locust snapped.
"Its ok Locust, I'll do it." Swallow said.
"I knew it! Can't resist his charms can you!" The girl said slyly.
"Nothing happened!" Xun laughed taking the tea tray in his arms and heading out the door.
Zhang He was still asleep when Xun arrived but awoke as soon as he could smell the tea. He looked up, blurry eyed at Xun standing above him.
"Oh! Morning Swallow." He slurred, rubbing his head and shuffling into an upright position.
"I brought you're tea." Xun smiled pouring a cup and Passing it to him.
"Will you join me?" Zhang He said raising his cup.
"Dare I refuse?" Xun laughed, pouring himself a cup. Xun raised his too.
"A toast to recovering your memory!" Zhang He said taking a sip.
Not long after this, Zhang Liao walked in with a grin on his face. "Who shot a bigger stag than Xiahou Dun?" He grinned and fell about laughing.
"Oh Lord Cao Cao will be pleased, he has been looking for a good set of antlers with which to decorate his room!" Zhang He said.
Zhang Liao turned to Xun and smiled wide. "Morning Swallow, I've got one last task for you, I can't help you on this one because I'm in desperate need of sleep!" Liao laughed.
"What do you want me to do?" Xun sighed playfully.
"It's a pretty grim one, the stag I shot is down in the preparation room next to the store room, I need you to take it, Skin it, cut off it's head, scoop out it's skull and prepare the Antlers for Lord Cao Cao, then when they are ready, take them to him, do you think you can do that?" Liao asked.
The idea made Xun's stomach turn. "I Think so…" He winced.
"Get to it then! The quicker you get into Cao Cao's room the quicker you can find that last piece of the puzzle." Liao said. "And as for me, I'm going to bed!" Liao yawned. Liao headed off down the corridor and Lu Xun looked worried and turned to Zhang He. He shrugged. "You have to go prepare the deer now." Zhang He smiled.
Xun Shivered at the thought but was quickly on his way
