A/N: The only change I made here was I changed the names of the captured generals to made up ones. As one of reviewer Richard Trevelyan pointed out, it was a bit too early for them to die as they did something kinda useful later on. Thanks for the heads up Richard!
Zhuyue thought back to the events that just transpired. She chastised Yuan Shu for being a coward which he fully was in her mind. She gave a hallow laugh. How hypocritical it was of her to accuse someone else of being a coward when at the beginning of this battle, she had been so afraid she couldn't even move. No, there was a difference between her and him. She chose to stop being afraid. She chose to fight. He just sat there and waited for what? Help? Death? He refused to fight for his so called brother. Fucking nobles. How weak and selfish they were. She hated them with every fiber in her body despite formally being one. They were always so quick to sprout ideals and talk about what needed to be scarified but rarely were they the ones who actually did anything. It was always forced on the poor to take up arms or to sacrifice. She saw firsthand how corrupt they could be through the actions of her own father. It disgusted her. She let out another laugh. Dun truly does not know how grateful she is to him for saving her from that life. Stuck being one of the privileged who was content to sit back while others bled on her behalf. Dian had remained silent for the majority of the ride, however the random laughs she had been letting out was gnawing on his mind. The laughs weren't exactly happy ones, but it was a welcomed change from the look of pure hate she had been wearing for the majority of the ride to the front lines.
"What's so funny?" He finally asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. She looked at him thoughtfully for a few moments as she tried to decide how to answer his question. Dian was a nice enough guy, but she didn't feel comfortable spilling all her secrets to him.
"I was just thinking that I am probably going to get in trouble for my outburst back there. If not by Lord Xiahou Dun then by Lord Cao Cao for sure." She lied. Dian gave her a sympathetic smile.
"I'll tell them he provoked you. To be honest, I felt the same way you did...you just had the guts to say it." He laughed lightly and rubbed the back of his head. She smirked at him, then focused her attention back to the road ahead as they were finally upon the front lines.
Once there, they noticed something was amiss. There were a lot of injured soldiers around, struggling to get as far away from Si Shui Gate as possible. A group of soldiers still remained however, and they formed a loose circle, standing stoically watching something at its center. The tense air could be felt as they got closer. She could hear the clash metal emanating from the center. Zhuyue leaned forward on her horse, trying to get a better view. What she saw made her heartbeat quicken. Xiahou Dun was engaged in battle against one of Dong Zhou's officers. He was a beast of a man. Even from her distance, she could see his bulging muscular arms as he struck with unbridled fury at Dun with his great sword. It seemed Dun was on the defensive. He could only block the man's moves. Why is no one helping him? She thought angrily. Her anger rising rapidly seeing that his allies just stood there and watched him get beaten back. She jumped off her horse and pushed through the crowd to get to the battle. Damn them all! If none of them would help him, she would. Just before she could break through the group to the center a strong hand grabbed her shoulder. She turned to face the soon to be dead man who dared to stop her. The hand belonged to Yue Jin. She tried to smack his hand off of her shoulder but he had an iron grip.
"Peace, Zhuyue." Came Cao Cao's voice from the other side of her. She ignored it grabbing at Jin's wrist attempting to pull it off. He only tightened his grip.
"You would let your cousin die before your eyes! If you are to cowardly to help him, I will!" Yue Jin's eyes widened, shocked that she would speak to Cao Cao in such a manner.
"Peace, Zhuyue!" Cao Cao repeated. The calm in his tone was gone, replaced by a commanding one that shook her to her core. She knew immediately that she had over stepped her bounds. Cao Cao gave her a wry smile. He spoke again, his voice calm once more.
"You cannot interfere with this duel, Zhuyue. The man Yuanrang is facing is known as Hua Xiong. He was decimating Sun Jian's forces, singlehandedly pushing them back from Si Shui Gate. When we arrived, Yuanrang challenged him to a duel to avoid losing anymore of the coalition's soldiers. It would be dishonorable to interfere...regardless of the outcome." Zhuyue said nothing, her eyes fixated on Dun blocking off Hua Xiong's assault.
"Your passion to protect my cousin is admirable, but you are wrong to think he needs help. Look at his face." Zhuyue's eyes snapped up to Cao Cao in confusion then did as he instructed. She looked at Dun's face and could see...boredom? He looked absolutely bored. How could anyone look bored in the midst of battle? The concept baffled her. She looked to Hua Xiong and saw that his face was completely flushed and was dripping in sweat. He was giving this battle his all while Dun didn't even look the least bit winded. She heard Cao Cao chuckle and she looked up at him. He instructed Yue Jin to release her shoulder, confident that she wouldn't run into the battle any longer.
"Now you see why there is no reason to worry." He folded his arms in front of his chest and continued to watch the bout between the two men. Dun suddenly shifted his stance and parried Hua Xiong's attack. Xiong jumped back, startled by the sudden change, wanting to put distance between them before Dun could counter. Dun didn't make any move to counter. He instead hefted his podao onto his shoulder.
"So...is that pretty much it Hua Xiong?" Dun asked in a bored tone. He looked truly disappointed but Zhuyue could not figure out why. Hua Xiong seemed impervious to Dun's indifference.
"Have you learned your lesson yet?" Zhuyue could tell that Xiong was trying his best to not sound as winded as he looked. He only marginally succeeded in this.
"You pathetic trash! You'll never pass through this gate while I stand before you!" Dun let out a sigh and brought his podao to his side. In an instant the look on his face shifted from bored to annoyed. Hua Xiong continued his tirade.
"It is laughable to think that I would let such filth even approach Dong Zhou!"
"Finished?" Dun asked as he turned his body slightly to the side, his placed his left foot in the front of the right and got into a half crouching stance. He raised his podao next to his right shoulder gripping it tightly with both hands.
"Step forward, if you want to die! While I stand, none shall breach this gate!"
And step forward Dun did, with a speed Zhuyue did not know he had. He was on Hua Xiong within seconds. Dun attacked, Xiong blocked it but he was not prepared for the force Dun had put behind the strike. As soon as Dun's blade hit his own, he felt his blade shudder in his hands so violently, he almost completely lost his grip. He was barely able to regain his grip when Dun struck twice more in quick succession, each hit harder than the last. Hua Xiong barely managed to hold on to his sword or his footing for that matter, each hit making him stumble back. His hands ached from gripping his blade so tightly in his attempt to maintain hold of it. He couldn't block anymore of Dun's attacks. He would have to dodge the next ones.
Dun suddenly stopped attacking. Xiong took the momentary pause in Dun's attack as a chance to strike back. Dun saw the attack coming, in fact, it seemed as if he was waiting for it. He knocked the side of his blade away easily with his gauntlet. Xiong stumbled backward, shocked at how easily Dun stopped his counter. He needed to back away, regroup and get ready for the next attack. He thought he had a moment to retreat since Dun no longer had both hands on his weapon but he was gravely mistaken. Dun wielded the massive blade with his right hand easily, unleashing another flurry of attacks, this time ever single one of them hitting their mark. Luckily since both of Dun's hands weren't on the blade, the power behind the attack was lessened, but not by much.
Hua Xiong stumbled backward once more, breathing heavily. His body was wracked with pain and the worst of it on his left arm. He didn't have to look at it to know that he took a bad hit there. His right leg felt like it would buckle at any minute. Dun's attacks were deadly. If both hands were on his weapons at the time, he had no doubt in his mind, he would have lost his arm and leg.
He swung his sword wildly at Dun who was forced to block. That move brought Hua Xiong time, but not enough. Dun recovered much faster than he could and once again he was on him. Both hands gripping his weapon once more, he unleashed another flurry of attacks at Hua Xiong, which he foolishly tried to block, no longer able to move fast enough to dodge. This was a poor strategy however, as he had to put the majority of strength into his right arm as his left was little more than useless. He managed to block most of the attacks but Dun suddenly changed the pattern of his attacks. On the last hit, he ducked down and made a swift attack at his mid section and followed through until he was behind him. Miraculously, Xiong was able to block most of the attack and most of Dun's sword was reflected, however, Dun's blade had bit deeply into his right side when he passed beside him.
He refused to scream in pain, instead gritting his teeth. He felt warm liquid fall from his mouth. The coppery taste a telltale sign that it was blood. His body felt weak. He was losing this battle. Perhaps he had lost from the beginning. The entire time, he thought he had Dun on the defensive, but he could see that it wasn't the case at all. Dun had lured him into a false sense of security and decided to attack when he no longer felt like playing the role. Blood was now gushing freely from his new wound. He would bleed to death even if Dun did not finish him, but he would be damned if he goes alone. With a wild look in his eye, he charged at Dun once more, refusing to give up the fight. Dun turned to face him, the murderous intent was clear in his eyes.
"Time to end this." Was the last words Xiong would hear. The voice of his murderer announcing that it was time to end his life. Dun charged forward, easily knocking his blade aside before delivering a swift front kick to Xiong's mid section. Xiong's body folded forward in response and he flew back. Dun jumped in the air, following after him and with tremendous force before Xiong's body could hit the ground, brought his blade down onto his head, ripping cleanly through his skull down the left half of his body, severing it completely. Xiong's now split body dropped to the ground into two bloody uneven halves.
Dun gave his blade a swift swipe in the air, ridding the black blade of some of the blood that saturated it. He glared at the troops that were under Xiong's command and gestured for them to step forward. The men, who were frozen in shock at seeing their general cut down before them seemed looked at each other in uncertainty. A silent agreement passed between them and unanimously they ran as fast as they could away from Dun, back through Si Shui Gate, some abandoning their weapons in hopes that they would move faster without them.
"Tsk, cowards." Dun said, grimacing.
Zhuyue dropped to her knees, suddenly feeling weak. Yue Jin and Li Dian were immediately by her side, asking if she was alright. Cao Cao also looked down to her, studying her with a hidden curiosity. At that moment, several realizations hit her. The first and foremost being that when she and Dun first fought, he took it easy on her. No, not only did he take it easy on her, he didn't try at all. It was painfully clear that she was in no way his equal in battle. All this time, she thought that she had at least been evenly matched with him. There was no doubt in her mind about this now. If he had fought her seriously, she would've been a bloody heap like Hua Xiong. It confused her. Why did he want her to join this war when she was clearly nowhere near his equal? She gave a bitter chuckle. That bastard really made her believe she was better than what she was. Or maybe she led herself to believe that. She had beaten so many others before him, she underestimated his strength. She foolishly assumed that he was cut from the same cloth as the others. How much of a fool she was. Dian looked to Jin, a frown on her face.
"She's doing that weird creepy random laugh thing again."
"Again?" Jin asked, momentarily looking away from Zhuyue to him.
"Yeah she did it a lot on the way here...And they call me crazy." Dian said with an odd grin.
"Give her space." Cao Cao said. Both men slowly followed the order, not really comfortable with leaving her in such a weird state, but not wanting to ignore Cao Cao's order. Zhuyue was oblivious to the events transpiring around her, still running through the thoughts in her mind.
This is when the second realization hit her. She had to get stronger. Not only for herself, but for him. The realization that she was so far below him in skill left a bitter taste in her mouth. She had to prove to herself and to him that she is so much more. A fire ignited in her. She will get stronger and once she was, she would challenge him again. Force him to fight her seriously. If it ended in her death, so be it. She would die with her pride which currently lay in tatters.
The third realization hit her possibly harder than the rest. It also confused her, but she could no longer deny it. Seeing him fight, seeing his skill, taking into account every single thing he did for her, the truth lay bare in front of her and even if she wanted to reject it, it wouldn't make it any less irrefutable. I am in love with him. She didn't understand how she could fall in love with someone she had only met a few weeks ago also the very same she man wanted to kill on several occasions during that time frame. She knew she had an attraction to him, but love? It didn't make since. She wasn't some flighty young girl who believed in those silly tales of love at first sight. Such a thing did not exist. But this yearning in her heart that was a borderline ache, what else could it mean? She never felt this way before, not for anyone. She tried to rationalize it, explain this feeling away as something other than love. Admiration? No, she admired other people before. It didn't feel like this. Comradeship? No. She felt something akin to that with Dian, Jin and it was in no way comparable to this feeling. She went through a list in her head multiple times and nothing could explain it. She was in love with Xiahou Dun. She wouldn't tell him of course. She couldn't. She didn't understand why he helped her the way he did, but she was certain his motivations weren't fueled by affection. These feelings would have to remain buried, and preferably ignored.
The world around her seemed to come back into focus. She felt eyes looking down at her. She looked up to see Cao Cao staring at her. The look he gave her unnerved her. Like he knew something. Her brows furrowed, the confusion evident on her face but Cao Cao didn't say a word. He merely smiled at her before turning to face his cousin who was heading their way. She scrambled to her feet not wanting to seem any weaker in his eyes.
"Well Done, Yuanrang." Dun grunted in response his eyes shifting over to Zhuyue as she got to her feet.
"Yes, I couldn't have done any better myself!" The group turned to see a man clad in red and gold armor approaching them. She could tell he was an older man, but he still had an aura of power surrounding him. She took in his appearance, he had light golden skin which told her he must have originated somewhere from the south. His neatly trimmed full black beard was in stark contrast to his white hair which, stopped just above the nape of his neck. He ran a hand through his hair, a few unruly strands fell to the sides of his face. He gave them a grin, as he stabbed his blade into the ground before him, the rings lining the side of his blade making a jingling sound as he did so. He bowed to the group. Cao Cao returned the bow and Dun jerked his head in acknowledgement. Zhuyue, Dian and Jin followed Cao Cao, bowing to the newcomer as well.
"I am glad to see you are well, Sun Jian." Cao Cao said. His voice sounded strange to Zhuyue. It didn't hold the same fondness as when he spoke with Dun or anyone else under his command.
"It would take more than one man to stop the Tiger of Jiangdong, Cao Cao!" He responded with a hearty chuckle. This man had a booming voice and he didn't seem to care to temper it even though he stood a mere few feet away from the people he was addressing. After his laughter died down, he continued.
"That said, I do appreciate the timely arrival of your man here. My forces were taking a beating and with the lack of supplies, we were forced to retreat. If he hadn't arrived when he did, the front line would have fallen. I'm glad you are on our side. Indeed, you may be equal to strength to my own officers." Dun grunted in response. This didn't seem to bother Jian as he merely let out another boisterous laugh in response.
"You are truly a great warrior. Might I know your name?" After a few moments of silence in which Dun debated speaking at all, he finally responded.
"Xiahou Dun, style name Yuanrang." He said, bowing as he spoke. Jian's flattery apparently chipping away slightly at Dun's normally standoffish demeanor. Sun Jian nodded and returned the bow.
"I will not forget it." He stroked his chin. "I would love to see you fight against Lu Bu. That would be a quite the sight..." Dun's eyes seem to spark at this comment. The anticipation of such a battle seemed to awaken something inside of him.
"Yes, it would." A smile graced his lips at the thought of crossing blades with LuBu once more. Zhuyue heard a soft hmph from a few feet away. She turned her head to see Guan Yu listening intently to the conversation, stroking his long beard. Guan Yu noticed Zhuyue's eyes on him. He looked at her and bowed his head slightly before turning away from the group. She watched him go, wondering what his interest was in the conversation before focusing her attention back on the group of men in front of her. They were now speaking about the supply lines. Cao Cao had turned his attention her and Dian.
"Mancheng, Zhuyue. Any news on Yuan Shu and the provisions?" Cao Cao asked.
"The provisions should be on the way, my lord." Dian responded.
"Good! We could scarcely hope to continue with this war without them. What exactly caused the delay?" He asked, one brow raised. Zhuyue bit her lip, willing herself to not comment and hoping Dian would pick up on her silence and continue to answer in her stead. Dian gave a nervous chuckle.
"Um...Lord Yuan Shu's garrison was surrounded and he thought it would be best to conserve his forces and wait for a rescue instead of engaging the enemy?" Dian's voice betrayed him. It was apparent that he didn't even buy his own explanation.
"In other words, he hid like a coward until you two saved his sorry ass." Dun stated, reading between the lines of Dian's fluff. Another nervous chuckle escaped Dian. This time Zhuyue decided to answer.
"That is exactly right, my lord. By the way...he may have some choice words regarding me due to my expression of displeasure at his...tactics after the battle." To her surprise Cao Cao let out a chuckle, while Sun Jian barked out a loud laugh. Dun gave off a heh which she imagined was about as much levity as someone such as he could muster.
"I wish I could be there to hear it! It's always a good laugh to see how the mighty nobles had their feathers ruffled this time." Sun Jian said, resting his hands on the pommel of his blade. He looked her over and smiled seeing the dried blood still splattered on her face and her mussed up hair.
"You look like you have some fire in you girl." He shifted his head to Cao Cao. "Is she a relative of yours? She might be a good match for one of my sons."
"She's taken." Dun ground out, bereft of the levity he had mere moments ago. Jian raised his hands defensively in acknowledgement.
"I meant no offense." He flashed them a grin. "It was good speaking with all of you." He bowed to them once more. All except Dun returned the bow but, Jian didn't let on that it bothered him in any way.
"I shall see you all later I'm sure." He pulled his blade from the ground, the rings jingling once more and walked away from them. The smile that was on Cao Cao's face dropped the instant Sun Jian's back was to them. He turned to face the others.
"Now, my warriors, Si Shui Gate is secured, let's push on to Hulao gate. I refuse to be left behind." He spoke with that commanding tone once more. The tone that told Zhuyue that this was not an optional request. It was one that needed to be followed to the letter. Cao Cao had something to prove in this battle and despite the seemingly friendly nature between he and Jian, they were not truly comrades. He was competition.
A messenger ran up to Cao Cao and dropped to one knee before giving him a deep bow. "My lord!"
"Report." Cao Cao responded.
"Word has gotten to Yuan Shao that Si Shui Gate is secured. He has decided to march to Hulao Gate and wants our troops to fall back to reinforce him." Cao Cao's eyes narrowed as he glared at the messenger. The man feeling the intense stare shrank back, afraid that Cao Cao would strike him.
"You are to return to Yuan Shao and tell him that I have already moved on. You could not find me." The messenger looked clearly uncomfortable with this.
"But, my lord-"
"You could not find me. Do you understand?" Cao Cao's voice was low and held a hard edge to it. The messenger gulped audibly and nodded quickly.
"Then get out of my sight." Cao Cao spat, making the messenger give a hasty bow before running off.
"Yuan Shao isn't going to believe that." Dun said, watching the messenger scurry away.
"He won't be able to prove otherwise and if that messenger delivers the message as instructed, I have deniability on my side. It doesn't matter. I will deal with the matter when the time comes. I refuse to be left behind." Dun, shrugged at this comment.
"Not like we will be friends with him forever." Cao Cao gave his cousin a smirk.
"One battle at a time Yuanrang...for now, we march onto Hulao Gate." Cao Cao moved to mount his horse only to be stopped by Dian's voice.
"Um, my lord?" The glare Cao Cao leveled him with made him put up his hands in defense. He gave off a nervous chuckle.
"Do you have a problem with how I handled the situation, Mancheng?" Dian gave Cao Cao and innocent look and pointed at himself.
"Me? Oh no no no, not at all, my lord." He waved his hands in front of him frantically and laughed nervously again.
"Spit it out already." Dun barked, the sudden command almost making Dian jump.
"Oh, um I just wanted to suggest that I think we should send a scouting party ahead before we bring our main forces through Si Shui Gate."
"And why is that?" Cao Cao asked, his patience wearing thin.
"Um...this will sound pretty silly, I know but I just have a feeling..."
"You want me to invest men into scouting based on a feeling you have? Do I have that correct, Mancheng?" Dian paled. This wasn't going well. He should have brought it up before but the messenger had to delivery that bad news before he had a chance. He really did have a feeling something bad would happen if they didn't scout the area before hand but how could he relay this to him?
"I will go, my lord." Yue Jin said bowing before him. I should be able to slip by without drawing any attention.
"I will go as well." Zhuyue spoke up.
"It couldn't hurt, cousin." Dun said. Cao Cao waved his hand dismissively, signaling for Dun to handle this as he mounted his horse.
"Mancheng, Wenqian. You two will scout ahead. Take a small handful of soldiers with you. Not enough to draw attention. If someone is lying in wait for us, we don't want to tip our hand. Don't take your horses. You move more quietly on foot. " Zhuyue glared at Dun, noticing he left her out of the planning.
"And what of me? I volunteered to go."
"You're with me."
"But-"
"That's an order."
"It's a stupid order! I volunteered t-" Dun grabbed her face with his right hand and squeezed it hard, as he yanked her forward.
"I distinctly remember telling you that I didn't want any of your arguing or your defiant bullshit. I gave you an order. I only give them once. Question me again and I'll cut you down and move on. Do you understand me?" Zhuyue balled her hands into fist, her anger blazing in her eyes as she glared at Dun.
"Do you understand me?" He repeated, increasing the pressure of his hold on her face."
"Yes, my lord." She hissed through grit teeth, purposely making the word lord seem more sarcastic than respectful." He released her face, pushing her back a bit as she did so. She wanted to attack him. Right then and there she wanted to unhook her weapon from her armor and bury it in his throat. She must be insane to think she loved this man! Her temper was flaring. Even if she was in the wrong, she hated that he had to discipline her in front of the others like that. It embarrassed her and made her feel even more inferior to him. She would remember this moment.
"Is there a reason why you two are still here?" Dun asked Jin and Dian as he held Zhuyue's gaze while she glared daggers at him. Both men shook their heads and jogged off, grabbing a few troops as they made their way past Si Shui Gate.
"WHAT!" Dong Zhou stood from his throne stomping his feet and ordered the messenger killed. The messenger tried to run away but was cut down by one of the guards at the door. Diaochan gasped and turned away from the grotesque scene, squeezing her eyes shut and willed herself to stop hearing the man's screams. Lu Bu watched Diaochan, wanting to go toward her and comfort her. His gaze hardened and moved towards Dong Zhou. Again that fat piece of shit managed to make her sad. Damn him! Unable to contain his rage, he spoke out.
"What the hell was the point of that? He didn't kill Hua Xiong! He died because he was weak! I told you to let me go guard Si Shui Gate but you wouldn't listen and this is what happens!"
"How dare you speak to me in such a tone, Fengxian! Did you forget who I am?" Lu Bu growled, his fist balled. He was ready to snap.
"If I may, my lord." Jia Xu stepped forward and bowed to both men. "I believe what Lord Lu Bu is saying is that now would be the best time for him to confront our enemies. If they make it past Hulao Gate, there will be nothing stopping them from reaching Luoyang." Lu Bu grunted, his eyes still watching Dong Zhou but said nothing more.
"I think it is time for Lord Lu Bu, Master Zhang Liao and myself to move out and intercept the enemy." Dong Zhou flopped back into his chair.
"Fine, go. I will not accept failure." Lu Bu left before he finished speaking. All of the other soldiers scrambling out of his way, wanting to avoid his wrath. Zhang Liao and Jia Xu bowed respectfully to Dong Zhou and followed. Dong Zhou waited until the men were gone before calling forward another one of his vassals.
"Wang Fang, I have a task for you."
Dun and Zhuyue remained rooted in their spot. Neither wanting to give the other the satisfaction of looking away first. Cao Cao watched the exchange, trying desperately not to laugh. These two were ridiculous. They were both two of the most stubborn individuals he has ever known. Leave it up to Dun to find a female version of himself.
"Do you two think you can stare at each other at the garrison? I would like to resupply and head out to Hulao Gate as soon as possible. We should also be prepared to back up Mancheng and Wenqian should they need it. While we are at the garrison, I suggest you get your arm looked at, Zhuyue."
This comment caused Zhuyue to break her gaze from Dun and down to her arm. She could see the back of her hand slick with blood, overlapping dried blood which already stained her hand. When did this happen? Her eyes moved up her arm finding the source of the blood in a deep gash on her upper arm. She didn't even notice she'd been hit, let alone feel it. She put a hand over the cut trying to staunch the blood that was still flowing. Her realization of the wound also brought the pain and she winced feeling like a thousand needles suddenly punctured the exact area she was now holding. How did she not notice this?
"Mount up." Dun said. She looked up to see him on his horse next to Cao Cao. She did as he ordered with a little difficulty, trying to not put any more pressure on the arm than necessary. They moved out to the supply garrison, Dun and Cao were in front of her as she trailed behind at a slower pace holding the horse's reigns with on hand only.
"Interesting relationship you two have." Cao said after looking back and ensuring they were out of earshot of Zhuyue.
"She's a pain in my ass." Dun muttered.
"But a pain you seem quite fond of. That is why you didn't let her go scouting isn't it? You saw the wound on her arm and wanted it taken care of? I must admit cousin other than Miaocai and myself, I do not believe I have ever seen you display concern for someone else's wellbeing." Dun's only response was a scowl and a hmph. He felt slightly irritated that Cao could read him so easily. Cao smirked, knowing he was correct in his assessment.
"Perhaps though, in the future, you should find a gentler way to express your concern?"
"We're seriously not talking about this now are we? In the middle of a battlefield?"
"If I recall, you and the others prevented me from moving forward so there is a lull in the battle. This is the perfect time to talk about this. I need something to help me with my idleness." Dun groaned. So that was it. Cao was getting him back for siding with Dian and agreeing to the scouting.
"As I was saying, she is a fierce warrior but she is still a woman. If you want this relationship to blossom, you need to nurture it a little better. Your...bluntness might be a little off putting to her rather than endearing."
"Having ten wives does not make you an expert on relationships, cousin." Cao laughed at this.
"Of course it does. I couldn't keep them happy if I didn't know anything about relationships and women. And I only have seven wives." Dun shook his head.
"How the hell do you keep up with that many?" Cao laughed again.
"It is not as hard as you may think. Fun too." He gave Dun a lecherous smile, which caused him to shake his head. To Dun's relief they reached the garrison and Cao was forced to abandon the conversation. Dun got off his horse and waited for Zhuyue to enter the garrison. He offered his hand to her in an attempt to help her off her mount. She eyed it suspiciously before ignoring it and sliding down on her own. Dun growled and shot Cao an look. Cao was grinning and gestured for him to go forward. Dun sighed and turned back to Zhuyue.
"Let me help you with your arm."
"No." Was her blunt reply. Damnit this woman was frustrating! He wanted to choke her. Couldn't she see he was trying to help her? Why did she have to be so difficult.
"It would be easier if you have someone else take care of it for you. We don't have time for you to fumble with taking care of this yourself." He said, trying to keep his voice even.
"Is that an order, my lord?" She did it again, made the word Lord seem so damn disrespectful. He took a deep breath, trying to control his anger.
"It is a request."
"Then no." She said, turning away from him." Okay, that was enough. This friendly shit wasn't going to work. Dun grabbed her uninjured arm and pulled her with him.
"Now it is an order." He could see Cao shaking his head in the corner of his eye but ignored him. He pulled her over to a nearby crate. He released her arm and instructed her to sit on the crate before walking off to gather some supplies. She didn't budge. When he returned, he saw her still standing.
"It's an order." He said, growing very tired with this game. She still didn't move. He stood in front of her with the intent of making her sit down onto the crate himself when she did something he did not see coming. As soon as he was in front of her, before he could lift a hand to push her down, she cocked back and hit him with her right fist. She put everything she had into that hit and it showed. Her fist crashing into his face. She reeled back and shook her fist a stream of curses flowing from her mouth. Hitting his face was like punching a rock. It hurt like hell but it was worth it. She fully expected him to go berserk at that moment. Probably beat the hell out of her, but she didn't care. She owed him for what he did to her on that battlefield and now she considered that debt repaid.
Several soldiers within the garrison stopped what they were doing. A collection of surprised faces now watching the interaction between them with interest. Cao groaned and turned away, not wanting to see the beating his cousin was about to unleash on Zhuyue. Dun ran his tongue over his lip and tasted his blood. She managed to split his lip.
"I don't care if you are my master. I will not be disrespected in front of my comrades by you or anyone else." He stared at her in silence for a few moments. She had that fire in her eyes again. He spat his blood out.
"Done?" She blinked, startled by the calmness in his voice.
"Yes..." This reminded her of his fight with Hua Xiong. He was probably going to kill her now. She did after all just embarrass him in front of many people, including Cao Cao. She held her head high, ready to accept her fate.
"Can you sit on the crate now?" She blinked. He wasn't going to hit her? She sat down eyeing him wearily, not trusting his calm. He knelt down beside her and carefully rolled up her sleeve then began to administer aid to her wound. The onlookers got bored and went about their work, no longer interested in their squabble. No words were exchanged between them. He worked in silence and she watched him. He was surprisingly tender as he took care of her wound. Once done, he stood.
"Be ready to leave." She nodded and watched as he walked over to his mount, getting it prepared for battle once more.
"She's still alive..." Cao Cao mused, standing beside him. Hmph was Dun's only reply as he focused on his horse.
"I'm proud of you cousin. I thought you were going to kill her. I'm glad you are taking my advice!" Dun stilled his hands and looked at his cousin. The look in his eyes clearly told Cao he wasn't in the mood for his prodding. Cao grinned at him before leaving his cousin to his work.
They passed Si Shui Gate. Luckily, Cao's forces took less damage than the others so he was able to regroup quickly and move out before the rest of the coalition. They came upon Jin and Dian as well as two generals on their knees in front of them. Jin and Dian bowed.
"What's the situation?" Cao asked.
"My Lord." Dian responded. "We came upon an ambush. We slaughtered their troops and captured these two generals. Thought you might want to question them." Cao nodded and stroked his chin.
"So that intuition of yours was right I see." Dian grinned and rubbed the back of his head. "Good work, both of you." Cao focused his attention to the two generals.
"Is Dong Zhou still in Luoyang?"
"I am Mao Xing, Son of-"
"Right, shut up." Cao said cutting him off. He looked to the second general.
"And you. Will you tell me anything?"
The second man held his head high. "I am Shi Xu, proud warrior of Dong Zhou's army. I will tell you nothing! You will die here, Cao Cao. Lord Lu Bu will decimate your forces!"
"Lu Bu eh?" Cao smiled. "Dong Zhou's favorite lap dog. He wouldn't move anywhere without him. Thank you so much for confirming his presence for me. Kill them." Before the men had a chance to protest, Yue Jin had placed his hook blades under each throat and pulled, ripping them out. He gave them a quick albeit painful death. Cao nodded at the efficiency in which his order was carried out, impressed with the warriors Dun had recruited.
"Onward, to Hulao Gate." They pressed on, battling through Dong Zhou's troops. They arrived at another garrison. The last one between them and Hulao Gate. Defending the garrison was Zhang Liao. He stood in its center, his two axes in hand his eyes surveying the army before him. He was about to give the order for them to charge when Xiahou Dun stepped forward.
"You look different from the rest of the fools we cut down on the way here. Who are you?" Zhang Liao eyed him. The confidence he exuded reminded him of Lu Bu. But something was different. His Lord Lu Bu only seemed to fight for strength. This man he could tell from the look in his eyes that he had other motivations. He fought for more than just the pleasure of fighting.
"I am Zhang Liao and it is my honor to guard this garrison for my lord, Dong Zhou."
"Care to test your skill against mine? I have some anger I got to work through." Zhuyue couldn't help but feel that comment was directed at her. Zhang Liao pointed one of his axes at Dun.
"I accept your challenge. Come, show me your strength."
The fight between the two men was completely different that the one Dun had with Hua Xiong. It was easy to see that Zhang Liao was a better fighter than the other generals they had met. They matched each other, blow for blow, not giving the other any leeway. Both men had such power behind their hits, sparks flying from their weapons as they clashed. Both men broke apart. Exhaustion on their faces but they were smiling, glad to find a formidable match in battle. Dun relaxed his stance and Zhang Liao did the same.
"This has been fun Zhang Liao, but in the interest of time, I think we should finish this." Zhang Liao nodded.
"I agree, it has been an honor to fight you. Might I know your name?"
"Xiahou Dun." Zhang Liao nodded.
"Come, let us finish our duel." Xiahou Dun made his way over to his horse, he kept his eye on Zhang Liao in case he moved against him. Zhang Liao did not move against him, waiting until his opponent was ready. Dun slid his podao into its sheath on his mount and withdrew another weapon. He faced Zhang Liao again, this time with a scimitar in hand. Zhang Liao rose a brow at the change but was confident he could handle it. Dun rolled his shoulders and smirked.
"Okay with your weapons there? You can change if you want. I'll wait."
"I'm fine, thank you." Zhang Liao responded, getting back into his fighting stance, anxious to get back into the fight. Dun also got into his stance though it was different than the one he took with his podao. He only kept one hand on his weapon his stance fairly relaxed. The men began to circle each other, waiting for the other to make the first move.
Zhang Liao moved first, bringing his first axe bearing down on Dun and was going to follow up with the second once he blocked. Dun did not respond as he anticipated. Instead of blocking, he jumped to the side and with his free hand, grabbed Liao's second axe before he could attack with it. Liao tried to wretch his weapon from Dun's grip but he had a steadfast hold onto. He attacked with his scimitar forcing Liao to block. Dun kicked Liao's gut and as he expected, Liao did not budge from the blow. He used Liao's body as leverage to push him back as he pulled his weapon. Liao's grip on his weapon slipped and Dun stumbled back, falling to one knee tossing the axe behind him. Liao was immediately on Dun before he could recover. He brought his axe down on Dun, forcing him to block with his blade. Liao continued to bear his weapon down on him. Dun had to use his hand on the back of his blade to prevent its decent. Liao lifted his leg to kick Dun, knowing that since Dun was blocking, he could not prevent the hit and he would have took a kick to the face. To his surprise, Dun removed the hand which was holding the back of his blade and grabbed his foot, stopping it from hitting him. Liao blade was finally able to descend on Dun, he moved to the side to avoid taking the hit to his face and instead the axe bit into his shoulder, partially blocked by Dun's scimitar.
Dun ignored the pain and yanked Liao's foot forward. He lost his balance and fell backward, losing grip of his second axe as he flailed his arms when he fell. Dun swiped at Liao as he fell, the tip of his blade slicing into one of his legs. Dun stood, both men were breathing hard. He leveled his weapon to his fallen foe. Zhang Liao let out a laugh.
"I am defeated. It was a good battle. I accept my defeat at your hands Xiahou Dun. I only ask that you give me the honor of a swift death." Dun lowered his blade.
"I don't feel like it." He turned away from Liao who sat up confused.
"What?"
"I said I don't feel like it. Relinquish control of this garrison to us and you get to leave with your life."
"Why? Why would you do this? You won. I was the weaker one. It is your right to kill me." Dun looked over his shoulder to Liao.
"And I said I don't feel like it. Go, get stronger. We'll fight again." Liao studied him for a few moments before nodding. He gathered his weapons and limped off, commanding his troops to retreat. Dun walked back to his mount and sheathed his weapon. Cao watched him with interest.
"You let him go? Why?"
"Would've been a waste." He said simply. Cao looked to the retreating figure of Zhang Liao understanding his cousin's meaning. He was sure they would see him again. Zhuyue walked up to Dun. He eyed her, on guard in case she decided to hit him again. He was still on his adrenaline high from the last battle and he doubted he would be able to stop himself from retaliating if she did. Zhuyue held up a torn piece of cloth in her hand. She moved toward his arm and paused looking up at him for approval. He didn't move to stop her so she continued, lifting the cloth to his shoulder. He lifted his arm a little so she could tie it beneath it. She backed away once done and bowed her head to him. He gave her a small nod and mounted his horse. Before they could move out a messenger approached Cao Cao. He hastily bowed before them.
"My Lord! Yuan Shao's unit is in danger. They were ambushed by a general named Wang Fang. He's requesting assistance at once!" Cao Cao pinched the bridge of his nose thoroughly annoyed with Yuan Shao.
"Isn't Sun Jian's unit still guarding Si Shui Gate?" He asked the messenger.
"Y-yes he is sir. But he insisted-"
"So, let me get this straight. You pass right by Sun Jian's unit who is closer and he wants me to turn around, completely abandon our advance and go rescue him? Is that correct?" The messenger stammered, not knowing how to answer the question.
"Yuan Shao better hope Sun Jian gets wind of the ambush or that his brother decides to leave his little fort and help him. We are not turning around. Not when we are this close." Cao Cao spurred his horse on, riding past the messenger, the rest of his troops following behind him.
Before they could get to Hulao gate, they encountered yet another ambush, this one led by Jia Xu. Yue Jin, Li Dian and Zhuyue volunteered to stay behind and deal with the ambush, allowing the others to proceed to Hulao Gate and secure it. Finally Cao Cao and his troops arrived at Hulao Gate. He ordered his men to set up the rams to break down the door when it began to open. His men took their positions in front of the gate, ready for the next enemy they would face. The door opened to reveal the intimidating figure of Lu Bu. He stepped forward. The ones who knew who he was fled at the mere sight of him. The unfortunate fools that remained were slaughtered mercilessly. He slammed the pommel of his halberd into the ground and surveyed the battlefield before him. His eyes landed on Cao Cao.
"You again." He growled. Cao Cao's eyes widened at the sight of Lu Bu. He quickly schooled his expression, refusing to show fear.
"You won't escape again. You will die here Cao Cao! I won't stop till your head is mine!"
Cao Cao's troops scrambled in front of them, attempting to protect their lord.
"You bark quiet loudly for being Dong Zhou's mere lapdog. My head is no easy target."
Lu Bu roared with anger and rushed forward. With one swipe of his halberd, he sliced through the group of men blocking his path to Cao sending them flying. Cao Cao back peddled as Lu Bu raised his halberd once more and brought it down only to be blocked by an axe. Lu Bu was shocked that he managed to meet yet another person capable of blocking one of his attacks. The first being Xiahou Dun. This war was giving him some interesting people to test his strength against. His look of shock turned into a grin. This was going to be fun. Cao looked up to see a wall of muscle in front of him. The bald headed man looked behind him to Cao Cao.
"Run! I'll keep him busy!" He focused his attention back onto Lu Bu and landed a hard front kick, sending him sliding back. Before Lu Bu could fully regroup, the bald headed man was already attacking him. Lu Bu blocked the first attack and the man immediately followed up with another, then another. Their weapons became deadlocked, each trying to push the other back engaged in a battle of strength. They finally broke apart. Lu Bu swung his halberd at the bald man, he blocked but the force Lu Bu put behind it sent him sliding back. The tremor sent down his arms from the block made his arms ache. He shook them out then got ready to face him again.
At this point, Zhuyue, Jin and Dian had caught up with the rest of the group. She stared in awe at the massive figure of Lu Bu.
"He stands fast before even Lu Bu. A brave warrior, indeed." Zhuyue looked to Cao who was the one who spoke. He was staring at the massive bald headed man in front of Lu Bu. She looked to Dian and Jin.
"Who is that man? The one in front of the bald one?" Dian was staring at the scene in front of him, an uncharacteristically serious look on his face.
"Lu Bu...The mightiest warrior in this land." Her eyes widened.
"That's Lu Bu?" She had of course heard tales of him. Everyone has. What she previously dismissed as exaggerated stories were being revaluated in her mind. She could practically feel the murderous intent flowing from him. He scared her. She swallowed hard.
"Who is the bald headed man?"
"I don't know." Dian answered his eyes still on Lu Bu.
"You three, go ahead." They look to Cao Cao who was now focusing on them. We will hold him off. As soon as you see your opportunity, go past him to Luoyang and secure it. Dong Zhou cannot be allowed to escape."
They nodded and watched as the bald man ran forward once more, striking at Lu Bu. They decided to take that opportunity to run. Lu Bu noticed in the corner of his eye and kicked the bald head man away, sending him stumbling back.
"You insects aren't getting past me!" He went to intercept them only to be blocked by Dun. Lu Bu growled and jumped back out of Dun's range.
"You again." Lu Bu said cracking his neck and rolling his shoulders.
"I let my guard down last time we met. That won't happen again. This is where you die!"
"You're as boastful as ever I see. It will do little to help you against me though." Dun responded. He jerked his head toward Hulao Gate."Get going."
The group nodded and Lu Bu moved toward them again. Dun blocked him once more. Before he could retaliate the bald headed man came charging behind him. He had to jump back to avoid the attack only to nearly run into the waiting guan dao of Guan Yu. He managed to block it in time successfully pushing Guan Yu back as he did so. Lu Bu gazed around at his opponents. Cao Cao had joined Xiahou Dun and the bald headed man stood beside them. To the other side of him was Guan Yu, joined by his sworn brothers. Six on one? The odds weren't in his favor but it didn't matter to him. In fact, the prospect excited him.
"I'LL TAKE YOU ALL ON!"
Zhuyue and the others made it past Hulao Gate. She looked over her shoulder but could no longer see Dun. She returned her gaze forward and frowned.
"He'll be fine." Dian said reassuringly. Zhuyue scoffed and turned her head trying to hide her face from him.
"I don't care about him." Dian grinned.
"Right...Of course you don't."
"S-stop." The three of them halted to see a woman dressed in very revealing dancer's garb before them. Zhuyue cocked her head at the woman in confusion. She looked to Dian and Jin. The expressions on their face told her they were just as confused as she was.
"Y-you will go no further."
"So Dong Zhou is throwing his whores at us now?" Zhuyue said flatly. It was easy to tell that this woman should be entertaining somewhere, not fighting. She looked down, ashamed.
"Look." Dian said, he placed his weapon down and lifted his hands, showing he was no threat to her. "It seems like your heart is really not into this. I really don't want to fight you and I'm sure neither of my comrades want to either." Zhuyue snorted in disagreement. Dian gave a nervous chuckle. "Truly my lady, we don't want to fight you. Let us pass and no harm will come to you."
"I...I have no choice in this. I must hold this area...for my lord Lu Bu."
"Ah, so you're Lu Bu's whore...not Dong Zhou's?" The woman frowned.
"You are right...I...I am a whore." She looked down, the shame of her words burning in her throat. "But I will do what I must for the good of this land. Lord Lu Bu will save this land and I will do whatever I can to help him."
"Touching." Zhuyue said unhooking her weapon, ignoring Dian's protest. "Show me your conviction little girl."
Diaochan looked to Dian and Jin then Zhuyue. Zhuyue noticed the gesture. "Don't worry. They won't interfere, will you boys?" Jin shook his head and stepped away from the two women, pulling a still protesting Dian with him.
Diaochan and Zhuyue began circling each other. Zhuyue's glance was downright predatory, sending fear into Diaochan. She knew she was going to lose this battle. Perhaps it was for the best. She hated this life that she had been forced to live. She knows it was for the good of the land but a piece of her died a little every time she was forced to lay with that pig Dong Zhou. She thought of her lord Lu Bu. He was the second part of the plan. She was suppose to pit him against Dong Zhou but somewhere down the line, she developed feelings for him. She steeled herself. She would live and she would fight for him. She cracked her whip at Zhuyue who blocked with one of her duck blades, allowing the whip to become tangled in it. She yanked her blade back, jerking Diaochan forward and putting her off her balance. Zhuyue dropped her other blade and cocked her fist back, crashing into Diaochan's face as soon as she was close enough. Diaochan fell at her feet unconscious.
Zhuyue looked down to the woman and shook her head. This is exactly what she didn't want to become. This woman embodied everything she hated. She was probably a pawn, given to Dong Zhou or Lu Bu for some political game. She had no life of her own, no say. It disgusted her to see this woman who had given up her life to the whims of others. She was little more than a whore to serve whichever man she had been gifted to needs. At the same time she also felt pity for her. It was that pity that made Zhuyue drop her weapon and punch her instead of killing her. Perhaps if they killed Dong Zhou today she would be free. Free to make her own choices. Free to live her own life. Dian had breathed a sigh of relief as Zhuyue untangled her weapon from Diaochan's whip.
"I thought you were going to kill her."
"I was going to."
"I'm glad you didn't." Zhuyue shook her head.
"I'm not sure she is. Her life...it's worse than death." Dian furrowed his brow in confusion and Zhuyue waved her hand dismissively. "Forget it. We've been delayed long enough. We need to move onward to Luoyang."
Lu Bu was breathing hard but he refuse to relent. His opponents were breathing just as hard as he. This was a test of endurance. They could not best him in battle. He managed to beat his attackers back at every turn. There were a number of close calls. Dun nearly got the better of him several times but he managed to hold his ground. The men stood facing each other, waiting for the next move. It came from an unexpected source.
"MY LORD LU BU!" A messenger on a horse cried. "LADY DIAO CHAN! SHE'S BEEN HURT!"
"What?! Diao Chan?!" A flash of panic then anger burned in his eyes. He gave a loud sharp whistle and the men could hear the thundering of hooves approaching them. The ground seemed to shake beneath them as the massive blood red horse approached them. It didn't slowdown on its approach, it was heading right towards them. Once it reached Lu Bu, he grabbed it's reigns and jumped on all this without the beast slowing. Lu Bu now mounted on the monstrosity charged right toward them to Hulao Gate, swinging his halberd at them to make them dodge out of the way. He successfully broke through and rode through Hulao Gate.
"Shit!" Dun spat, furious that he got away. His eyes widened a cognizance of the situation finally taking shape in his mind. He was heading through Hulao Gate. Towards Zhuyue. He ran to his mount and jumped on, stirring it move as quickly as possible. The other men watched him in confusion.
"He means to chase him?" Liu Bei asked Cao Cao still catching his breath. Cao Cao remained silent trying to make sense of his cousin's actions. He finally understood why Dun ran off in such a hurry and he mounted his horse, chasing after him, leaving Liu Bei bewildered.
Dun arrived to the gates of Luoyang. They were closed, blocking the city. He looked around wild eyed for any signs of Zhuyue or Lu Bu.
"My Lord!" He heard a familiar voice called to him. He looked over to see Dian pop out from behind a large boulder waving to him. He jogged over to Dun.
"Where's Zhuyue?! Where's Lu Bu?!"
"I am here my lord." Zhuyue answered, stepping from the same hiding spot Dian had been in followed by Jin. If Zhuyue didn't know any better, she could have sworn she saw a flash of relief on his face before his normal impassive visage returned.
"Lu Bu, grabbed that whore I fought and ran off through Luoyang. They closed the gates after him." Dun's eyes roamed over her. She felt herself shift uncomfortably under his gaze. Once he was satisfied with whatever he was looking for, he gave her a small nod, acknowledging her report. Cao Cao and the others caught up to him and Dun relayed what Zhuyue had told him. Cao Cao immediately ordered his men to break down the gates to the city of Luoyang.
They finally broke through and what they were greeted with was a ghastly sight. The city of Luoyang was burning. Nearly all of the buildings were bathed in flames, the screams of its citizens filled the air as flames licked greedily at them, ready to consume anyone it touched.
"This is how low Dong Zhou would stoop?" Cao Cao asked, speaking to no one in particular. He bowed his head, feeling sorrow for Dong Zhou's victims. He steeled his heart. Dong Zhou must die. Atrocities such as this needed to be prevented in the future.
"We must move quickly. We must catch Dong Zhou before he flees!"
"NO! WAIT" Liu Bei rode his horse in front of Cao Cao stopping his advance. He was flanked by his sworn brothers.
"We can't go. We cannot leave these people to their fate! We must help them."
"Move aside! If we allow Dong Zhou to get away atrocities such as this will continue to happen. He must be stopped now! Before it is too late!" Cao Cao responded, his tone hard.
"No! We need to work for the good of the people! That is who we fight for is it not!?" The argument the men were having became moot a few seconds after those words left Liu Bei's mouth. An explosion could be heard deeper within the city. They pushed past Liu Bei and his men to see that the way had been blocked off. It would be too dangerous to try and clear the path while this fire raged on. Cao Cao growled, angered that his vengeance against Dong Zhou, his moment of glory was denied. He glared at Liu Bei his eyes trained on him as he ordered his men to assist with the evacuation of Luoyang. Liu Bei breathed a sigh of relief and offered a smile to Cao Cao which was not returned. Cao Cao turned his horse around and began to ride back out of the city, there was nothing more for him to do here. He was stopped once again by Liu Bei.
"My Lord, I know you wanted to confront Dong Zhou...we all did but we must work together to secure peace for the land."
Cao Cao glared at him. "Such lofty ideas do not win battles, nor do they conquer the land. Ideals are worthless unless you have the sufficient strength to back them up. Remember that, Liu Bei." He did not allow Liu Bei to respond. He rode out of Luoyang to meet back up with his troops.
