Xiulan pulled the door to Zhuyue's room closed and turned in surprise to see Xiahou Dun leaning against the wall, his arms folded across his chest, waiting for her return. He had carried Zhuyue back to her room after she passed out. Xiulan had made sure she was clean and changed her clothing, before tucking her into bed. Did he wait for her to return all this time? It had taken her a considerable amount of time to clean and change Zhuyue as she was practically deadweight. Perhaps he was concerned for her? It was after all his fault she was in the position. She cast her gaze down to her shoes, afraid of facing him directly, her back pressed against the bedroom door.
"Is there something you need my lord? Is something wrong with your room?"
"Take me to her father's room." Xiulan raised her head and stared at Dun, her eye wide.
"My lord, it is late in the evening. He is resting now."
"Take me to him..now." Xiulan bit her bottom lip. She did not want to upset her master, but this man scared her. She didn't want to risk seeing what happened if she continued saying no. Unlike her master, Dun was not feeble and weak. If he wanted to hurt her, he could. She bowed her head and lead the way to her master's room.
Xiulan stopped in front of her Master's room, Xiahou Dun on her heels. She had been gnawing her bottom lip furiously the whole time, leaving it red and bleeding. Picking up a candle by the door, she lit it and placed her free hand on the door. Not turning to face him, she spoke to Dun.
"The master has been sick for a long time. The smell can be a bit overwhelming." She slid the door open, bracing herself for the sickening stench. No matter how many times she has encountered it in the past, she could never truly prepare for the smell. As soon as she opened the door, the smell hit her hard. She struggled to not go into a coughing fit. She raised her sleeve to her nose and coughed into it as low as she could, not wanting to give her master such a rude awakening. Glancing behind her, In the dim flickering light of the candle, she could see that Dun didn't so much as make a face in the smell. How could anyone take this repugnant smell? Has he been around so much death that a similar smell didn't even phase him? The thought made her shiver. This man scared her, despite the resemblance. She frowned at that thought, her heart aching from the memory. He may resemble him, but he was nothing like him.
"You and the little one like staring. I'm guessing she picked it up from you." Dun's voice stirred her from her memories. She didn't realize she had been staring at him, so lost in thought as she was. Xiulan gazed down to her shoes feeling embarrassed at being caught.
"Well? Wake him up already." Xiulan nodded and knelt beside her master's bed. She shook him gently and he stirred from his slumber with a groan. He caught a brief glance of her face in the flicker of the candle light. Annoyed, he weakly slapped at her hand causing her to pull it away from where it rested on his shoulder. He coughed roughly.
"Master, I will get you water." She stood to leave but was stopped by his words.
"Stupid girl...why have you woken me..." He wheezed, his breathing labored. She bowed her head.
"I am sorry master, but there is someone who seeks an audience with you immediately."
"Fool. I-I..." He breathed deeply, a whistling sound coming from his throat as he exhaled slowly. He remained silent for a few moments. "I will not accept any visitors this late at night. Tell them..tell them...to come back in the morning."
Dun stepped partially into the candlelight, his face still mostly hidden by shadow. "My apologies for waking you but this audience must be now. We leave at first light." He turned his head slowly to the sound of Dun's voice and stared at the man. He wasn't a noble. His face held a hardness, an edge that most nobles would never get due to their pampered lifestyles.
"You idiot girl...you let him in? Without my permission?" He coughed again.
"I forced her to. This is urgent and as I am leaving at first light, it could not wait."
"You...you have the manner of a barbarian. I will not gra-" He wheezed as he sucked in a ragged breath. "I will not grant you an audience." Dun grit his teeth, trying to stifle his irritation.
"I am informing you that I will be marrying Zhuyue. She will be leaving with me tomorrow." Xiulan let out a loud gasp and clamped her hand over her mouth to muffle it. Dun did not pay her surprise any mind.
"You do not ask me for permission, you demand it. You do not seek my blessing, you...you are no noble."
"No, I am no noble. I am a warrior. I can provide for her. She will be taken care of."
"Fo-fool...I do not worry about whether she can be taken care of. That girl is a curse on...on this family."
"What do you mean curse?"
"She...killed her own mother. During...childbirth." His words were labored and slow. "I swear on the night she was born, the moon was blood red. Misfortune has followed her since. She is to blame for my ailing health. She is a curse. She is still however the last of my line...Her only use is to integrate our dying line into another noble one...If...she...bares a son." He paused and clutched his chest. It was so incredibly hard to breath. Dun waited in silence, his eyes narrowed, boring into the frail man. He wasn't sure why, but his disregard for Zhuyue's well being irritated him.
"If she bares a son.." He continued "She will give it our family name so the line can continue once more...That...that is the price that must be paid for my fortune."
"No man would agree to that. Who would give up their son bearing their name for a few coins and some land? You can keep them both. I only want Zhuyue." He paused, reflecting on his words. He was a bit taken back by the sincerity in which he spoke. It meant nothing though right? She seemed to be a capable warrior and he would be foolish to leave such a capable warrior to remain a house wife. That was all right? He shook his head, this wasn't the time nor place to think about this. He would mull over it later.
"I...see..." He laughed, a raspy laugh that descended into coughs. Dribble sliding down his chin. Xiulan wiped the fluid from his chin, earning a weak swat at her face from her master. Luckily, he was frail and the hit was light, the gesture was still potent however. She backed away from him, retreating to a shadowed corner.
"What can I do to stop you from taking her? I am but an old dying man that no one listens to anymore. Take her if you will, but in doing so, she will be disowned. I have no daughter. She no longer has a family." He let out a raspy sigh. My name dies with me. Take the whore...She has brought me nothing but misfortune."
Dun left the room without speaking another word.
"Girl..." Xiulan went to her master's bedside and knelt beside it.
"Zhuyue brought you and your sister here. She is no longer part of this household. You and your sister are no longer welcomed here. By first light, you leave with them."
"B-but my lord! We have nowhere to go!" He gave another short raspy laugh.
"That is not my concern. Get out of my sight. Let me rest." Xiulan bowed her head and rose, numbly walking out of the room. She pulled the door closed, still in shock. She felt something wet against her cheek and dully realized that she was crying. What was she going to do? Where would they go? Sliding against the wall until she reached the floor, she pulled her knees up to her chest and sobbed quietly to herself.
A light filtered through her window. The beam splashed across Zhuyue's face, stirring her from her slumber. Instinctively she moved her hand to shield her eyes, allowing her brain time to process that it was morning. The first sensation she had the misfortune of feeling was pain. Her jaw felt swollen. She tried to open it and winced in pain. Her memory of last night rushed forward. She had fought with Xiahou Dun and...lost. She would have frowned at the memory if at present contorting her face in any way didn't cause her pain. Instead she settled for a low groan in her throat. Most likely, Xiahou Dun and his associates had left already and her father probably had the letter sent off as well. She closed her eyes, not wanting to face the day. Everything had gone wrong and she wasn't sure what to do. She should probably feel angrier about losing to Dun but she didn't. He didn't hold back when fighting her and she respected that. Yes, him not holding back ruined her chance at escape but she couldn't deny the rush she felt when fighting him. In those few moments, he showed her more respect than any man had shown her in her entire life.
She rose from the bed and stretched a little, trying to work out her sore muscles. No point delaying the inevitable. She wasn't the type to cower from her issues. The pain in her jaw was beginning to dull a bit and she was able to open and close her mouth with only minor discomfort. After cleaning and dressing herself, she exited her room, surprised to not see Xiulan waiting for her. The home seemed still and it immediately put her on edge. Cautiously she made her way to her father's room to only to see Xiahou Dun standing in front of it.
"Took your sweet time getting up." Zhuyue was stunned. What was he still doing here? She was sure he left after defeating her. She wasn't the warrior he wanted right? Her eyes cast down to the floor, feeling suddenly ashamed at her defeat. No, she shouldn't feel shame, she fought honorably. Raising her eyes, she stared at him defiantly, refusing to let him intimidate her.
"That's better." He said with a smirk. "I would have been disappointed if you suddenly turned into a mewling coward. Your extended nap wasted a lot of our time. We gotta go. Now." She gave him a quizzical look.
"I told you yesterday. Is your memory that bad?" He stroked his chin. "Perhaps I hit you a little too hard." He placed a finger on her swollen jaw, She hissed and reared back, he chuckled in reply, amused by her anger.
"I lost. Why would you still want me?" She asked, the act of speaking hurt but she bared with it.
"You lose one fight and you consider yourself unworthy?"
"I just thought..."
"Don't...We had a deal, I am willing to honor it, but you have to make a choice."
"What choice?"
"I spoke with your father last night. He will allow you to come with me, but in doing so, you will be disowned. You can come, or you can stay and be his pawn. Your choice. I don't care either way but the decision has to be now."
She remained silent for only a few seconds before spinning on her heels and heading back towards her room, leaving Dun to stare at her with a look of disappointment as he watched her walk away from him. It seems as if she made her choice and he couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed in her answer. She stopped in front of her door and looked over her shoulder.
"Give me a few moments to pack a few things. I will pack light don't worry. I know we have a long journey ahead of us."
Dun stared at her, he could feel the corners of his mouth threatening to tug into a smile but he refused to give into it. He instead shook his head and went outside to join the Jin and Dian.
"So...you and Lady Zhuyue are getting married?" Jin asked, his face the picture of confusion with Dian grinning beside him.
Dun glared at him, not bothering to give him response. Since he had come out and told Dian and Jin that Zhuyue was joining them on their trip, they have been harassing him with questions. He had been enduring it with an icy silence but Jin was not taking the hint. That stupid grin from Dian wasn't helping either.
"That servant said she would marry anyone who beat her right? And you beat her so that means you two are getting married right?"
Dun growled, irritated by the constant questioning. He knew it would be worse once they got back to camp. He would have to come up with how he would answer that question eventually but it was too damn early to think about it now. He just wanted to get on their way. What was taking her so damn long? As if reading his mind, Zhuyue emerged from the home. As promised, she only had a small sack slung over her shoulder. The item hooked to her belt in at her back is what caught his eye.
"What are those?" He gestured to them earning him a smirk from her.
"My weapons, wouldn't be wise to go into battle without them right?" He circled around her to get a better look. They looked like Mandarin Duck blades but they were a bit different. They were bigger than the typical blade and had an extra points jutting out of them.
"Why didn't you fight me with these?" He asked, his hand passing along the blades as he stared at her. Her breath hitched at his sudden closeness. She stared at him, the intensity of his glare made her heart beat faster.
"I didn't have time to get them. I made do with what I had."
"Hmm..." Was his only reply as he continued to stare at her, his eyes roaming over her face. She was attractive...he couldn't deny that. Even with a slightly bruised jaw, she still had a beauty to her. He could do much worse than to marry someone like her.
"I knew it! You two are meant for each other! My instincts told me so!" Dian who could no longer hold tongue blurted out. Dun glared at him, trying to convey all his anger in a single stare. It worked, Dian lowered his head in apology quickly. Dun moved away from Zhuyue and to his horse.
"That's Yue Jin and that idiot-" he made sure to emphasize the word idiot "Is Li Dian." He concluded. Both men cupped their hands in front of them and bowed to her. She returned the gesture.
"Please, call me Wenqian..and he is Mancheng. " Dian nodded weakly, still feeling the sting from Dun's words.
"Yue Wenqian, Li Mancheng, it is an honor to travel with you." She looked to Dun. "Before we travel, I must find Xiulan and Xiaolian and say good bye to them."
"We are right here mistress." They turned to see Xiulan and Xiaolian exiting the home, both carrying sacks similar to Zhuyue."
"Xiulan...what are you doing?"
Xiulan frowned and bit her bottom lip. "The master has disowned us as he has disowned you. We no longer have a home here."
"What? But why?" Zhuyue asked alarmed.
"You were the one who took us in. He wants nothing to do with you any longer." Zhuyue frowned. In her selfishness, she hadn't thought of what her actions would mean for them.
"I'm so sorry Xiulan, Xiaolian." She looked to Dun.
"My lord...we must take them with us."
"No." he responded, not bothering to give any further explanation on the matter.
"But my lord! "I cannot leave them here. They are my family. Please! They will serve you and your house hold. They are loyal."
"I said no! We are not going for a fucking stroll. We are going to a war! It is no place for a child and a weak woman who jumps when a man gets too close to her." Xiulan bowed her head in shame and gnawed at her bottom lip at his words.
"Then I will not go with you either." Zhuyue said defiantly.
"Fine." Dun responded, mounting his horse. Zhuyue's eyes narrowed as he settled himself in his saddle. She unhooked her blades and ran forward. Dun knew she was fast, but the woman moved with incredible speed. Surprising considering the beating she took yesterday. He didn't have time to react to what she did next and he was genuinely surprised when she slid her blade across his horse's legs, causing it to collapse with Dun still on top of it. Luckily for Dun, he fell backward as the horse fell forward, narrowly missing the large beast collapsing on him with its full weight. He let out a loud grunt as his back hit the floor, and before he could blink and process what just happened, Zhuyue had her blade to his throat.
"Are you fucking crazy?" He asked through gritted teeth. He was seeing red right now. He wanted to wring her neck with his bare hands.
"They come with us or I end your life here." She responded, her voice filled with conviction.
"I'm going to kill you woman."
"We have two horses." She continued, ignoring his taunts. "I will ride with you and Xiulan and Xiaolian will ride the other. They come with us or you die."
Dian and Jin looked between the two, not exactly sure how to react.
"We...we should do something..." Jin said finally.
"Move from that spot and I will kill him." She said, her voice controlled, hand gripped tightly on her weapon, ready to strike at the slightest movement.
This woman was fucking insane. She just rendered his horse useless and threatened to kill him and she thinks she can get away with it? He glared at her, his eye finding hers and he could see her conviction. She was serious about it. Her face showed no emotion, she wouldn't hesitate to take his life. For some reason, that turned him on. What the fuck was wrong with him? Dun laughed, struck by the absurdity of it all. This woman...she was definitely interesting...Dian and Jin looked at each other, confused by Dun's laughter. Had he gone mad?
"Fine." Dun finally said, his laugher subsiding. "But I'm not going to go slow for them. We have a war to get to and we can't be held back. If they can't keep up, that's their problem."
Zhuyue moved her blade from his neck. They can keep up, don't worry. Zhuyue nodded her head to Xiulan and she ran to her mistress side. . The both of them went to retrieve the two horses as Dun picked himself up off the ground.
"Mistress...was that wise?" Xiulan asked once they were out of earshot. Her lip was freshly bleeding from the biting she had done to it.
"I'm not leaving you to fend on your own. You are my sisters. I do not take that oath I made to you lightly."
"But mistress."
"Enough Xiulan...and stop calling me mistress. We are no longer in that household. You no longer have to put up such a front. You are my sister. Call me such. I will deal with whatever consequences my actions will cause. Do not worry."
She gave her a smile but Xiulan could tell it was forced. Zhuyue was still on edge from what just happened. After a few moments, they came back. Zhuyue pulling a black horse behind her while Xiulan led a brown one. Zhuyue led the horse to Dun who had just finished retrieving his saddle from the fallen horse. Zhuyue noticed that Dun had killed the fallen horse to end its suffering. She pulled the black stallion to a stop in front of Dun who in turn looked at her for a long moment before fixing the saddle on the black horse. It was a strong steed at least. Dun finished fixing the saddle and he turned back to Zhuyue, her weapons in her hands. She didn't trust him. He smirked. Smart woman.
"You plan on riding with that in your hands the entire time? Might make things a bit difficult. I said I would bring them along and I meant it. I am a man of my word." Zhuyue studied him, searching his face for clarity on whether he was telling her the truth. She finally fastened her weapons behind her once more. As soon as she did so, Dun was on her, his hand wrapped around her throat, lifting her in the air effortlessly.
"Pull some shit like that again and I will fucking kill you woman." He squeezed her throat to emphasize his point. He expected her to struggled, to claw at his hands, instead he felt something press against his side, where his armor did not cover. He looked down to see a dagger pressed against him, threatening to puncture him. He laughed and released her. She landed shakily on her feet, sucking in breaths and rubbing her neck with her free hand. He climbed into the saddle and extended a hand to her which, she accepted. He lifted her onto the horse, her dagger still in her hand while her free arm wrapped around him. This woman...he thought to himself as he set off. Yes...she was worth the trouble.
