Hey, everyone, I'm back again! Wow, I'd like to thank everyone who bothered to review... All the reviews were very constructive and helpful. I LOVE YOU ALL! I hope I do justice to this chapter. It's the fourth one I've ever written, so maybe it won't be too impressive. But not too bad either! Anyways, here's the daring rescue. Please remember to review.

"Let us out of here! You can't do this to us! Let us go!" wailed Xiao Qiao to the bolted doors of their cell. She and Da Qiao were simply horrified to realize that such treatment existed. They had been so sheltered all of their lives, that no matter what they had heard from their caretakers, it could never have prepared them for this harrowing experience. Their cell was cold, dark and dreary, with graying walls and cobwebs and mouse holes in every dust-filled corner. There was no furniture inside of it. Xiao had been shrieking for their release for the past half hour.

"Let us out!" she cried again.

"Xiao."

Her sister's voice was the only thing that could, and did stop her from screaming.

Da had been crying, and her face was tear-streaked, her eyes and nose pink. But this made her, if anything, look even more beautiful.

"Xiao, come over here," Da said.

Xiao moved away from the doors and obeyed her sister. The very instant she reached Da, she stumbled forward, threw herself into her lap and started sobbing wildly.

Da stroked her hair and rocked her back and forth just as she had always done, ever since when they'd both been much younger. Somehow, through it all, she managed to catch what Xiao was gasping out between her sobs:

"Sis, what if we never escape? What if we never see Papa again? Sis-what if-what if they…"

"Sshh, Xiao. Don't worry, we'll get out of here," Da assured her, although as terrified herself. She inwardly repeated, for the hundredth time, that she must protect Xiao. Whatever happened, Xiao must not be hurt. With her resolve, a plan began forming in her quick, intellectual mind as she noticed the only window in the cell. In the distance, she could almost hear the faint, crying call of a bird.

"You'll see, we'll get out of here."

"Ce…It's getting dark. Why can't we just stop this, man?" Zhou Yu groaned, exhausted out of his composure. It was evening, and Sun Ce still hadn't given up his search.

"Ce, just forget about it now! Let's face it, we're never going to find her," he added.

"Do you want to see your girl again or not? We're looking for both of them, remember?" Ce snapped back.

"Oh, yeah. Sure we are."

"I'm sorry, but did I just detect a note of sarcasm in your voice? I'm not sure."

"Sarcasm? In my voice? At something you said? Don't be ridiculous, Ce! How could I not believe you, especially when this whole time you've been gloating about how awesome this stupid girl of yours is?"

Apparently, this was the wrong thing to say.

"What?" Ce thundered. "Stupid girl? I bet she's way smarter than you'll ever be!"

He had struck a delicate nerve.

"Oh, yeah?" Yu hollered, his patience finally cracking.

"Yeah!"

"Wanna fight about it?"

"I thought you were never gonna ask!"

And just as the two young men were about to pounce upon each other and attack one another in any way possible, a glimpse of white and a gentle sound of feathery, beating wings stopped them.

The both of them glanced up to see a white pigeon flying overhead. As it passed over them, a fragment of beige cloth dropped from its claws and fluttered to the ground. Instinctively, Ce bent down and picked it up. Yu inched up behind him to have a look, their fight forgotten entirely. As Ce unrolled the tight wad of silk, both young men gasped. There was cramped, bright red writing upon it, a red that looked horribly like-

"Blood?" Yu whispered.

Ce nodded grimly. As they squinted at what was written on it, they could vaguely discern what it said.

Help us. We are hostages in Dong Zhuo's palace. We are the Two Qiaos.

Words couldn't begin to describe Ce and Yu's shock and amazement.

The cell doors unlocked and two burly guards stepped towards Da and Xiao, who were huddled in a corner.

"The master shall see you now," one of them sneered.

Having no choice but to obey, Da and Xiao got to their feet, and, clasping hands tightly, followed them out of the cell.

They walked through the corridors and up the winding staircases for what seemed like hours. While they listened to the lecherous, raunchy comments the guards would occasionally make at them (Da fighting her impulse to cover Xiao's ears), all they could do was wonder when help would arrive. What if they would never escape? They had to get out. They had to. But if they didn't? Then what? What?

Suddenly, Xiao snatched her hand from Da's, her head spinning. She had lost all her courage and sanity at the moment as she breathed heavily, fighting back tears and gazing at a baffled Da, trying to will her to understand.

"Sis, I hate this place! I'm getting outta here!" she wailed hysterically, before hurtling down the stairs, leaving her sister behind.

"Xiao, no! We mustn't separate!" Da cried out after her. Even as her words left her mouth, she too rushed after Xiao, trying to catch up before she vanished out of sight.

"I must escape this place," she whispered.

It all happened in the blink of an eye, and the soldiers, who were slow enough to be stunned by their escape, now bellowed instructions the their fellow guards across the hall.

"Stop! Stop them!" they yelled. But before any of the men could make a move, one of the palace gate guards sped up to the soldiers, one hand clamped over a bleeding arm and frantically cried, "Intruders! They are almost invincible, like a pair of hurricanes! They will let nothing stand in their way!"

"What do they want? What are they after?" asked one of the soldiers in panic.

"The Two Qiaos!"

Speaking of whom, Da and Xiao had disappeared.

Ce easily fought his way through the mass of soldiers and guards. He was a tall young man, six feet in height if not more, and his strength left nothing to be desired. Yu was close behind, being no slouch in the combative department either.

Ce spun around before ramming his tonfa into an opponent's face and called,"Yu, we'd better separate for now, alright? I'll find Da, you find Xiao."

Yu nodded in agreement as he decapitated a soldier with his sword, seeing the sense in this.

It was the best recourse they had. Dong Zhuo's reputation as a tyrannical troublemaker with an insatiable hunger for women was no exaggeration. Strong and quick though Ce and Yu were, by the time they'd reached Da and Xiao jointly, irreparable damage could be done.

Ce dashed through another corridor, unsure of what to do, yet unwavering.

Yu sped up a spiraling staircase, as strong-willed as Ce.

Da tiptoed against the walls as slowly as she could, behind suits of armor so as not to arouse anyone's attention. She was lucky she hadn't encountered any soldiers. So far. But what about Xiao? What dangers could her young sister be facing, while she herself remained whole? Da was sure she was walking the path her sister had run away in. If she was honest with herself, she was upset that Xiao had left her. But she didn't blame her sister for it at all. She knew that the fear of the unknown had finally got to Xiao, who'd been even more sheltered than Da herself, given that she was the one with the protective older sister. Da knew that if Xiao was given the chance, she would never have abandoned Da for a second time.

And who were these heroes who had come to rescue them? Could they possibly have received her message for help? Could they be trusted to get the two of them to safety? Or did they have impure intentions themselves? Caught up in thought, Da didn't notice the broken spearhead on the ground right beside her. Before she knew what was happening, she tripped over it and fell to the marble floor with a slight, but audible thud. At that very moment, she heard the sound of quick, approaching footsteps. Terrified, she shielded her face with her hands, not moving off the floor. She was paralyzed with fright.

"Da, is that you?"

A voice spoke out, quite a familiar voice, a voice with a hint of incredulity-and something like joy- in its tone.

Hardly daring to believe what was happening, Da slowly uncovered her eyes, being careful to keep the rest of her face hidden.

"It is you!" whispered the young man she had met once before. He looked and sounded delighted now, the smile she remembered on his face, his eyes wild with relief.

"Sun Ce?" she asked breathlessly. She was overwhelmed. She could have passed out there and then, if he hadn't extended his hand to her. Once again, her cheeks inexplicably began flaring red, and her heart started to pound like never before.

"C'mon. Let's get out of here."

Da had to resist the urge to throw herself into his arms. Now why had that feeling come over her?

She grasped his hand, once again somehow noting its warmth through her fear, and, to her utter surprise, was instantly swept into his arms as he shot out of the corridor as fast as he could. Da's head was spinning from his move. No man had ever touched her like this before. And no man had ever made her feel what she was feeling for him right now, whatever it was.

"Don't worry. You're safe now," he reassured the precious bundle in his arms. She had to trust him, no matter what.

And although he didn't know it, she did trust him somehow. Hardly realizing what she was doing, she leaned her head against his chest and closed her eyes.

Xiao walked silently past the sculpted stone statues. Where was her sister? She was even more afraid without Da. She thought over what she had done, disgusted with herself for abandoning her sister the way she did. That was disgraceful. Disgraceful! It had been their mother's dying wish that they never separate under any dangerous circumstances. That was what she had told them before she breathed her last. That was what Da had repeated to her, before she ran off, leaving her behind like a little coward. She had dishonored both her mother and sister. If anything happened to Da now, it would be her fault, all of it! Overcome with shame and guilt, Xiao spun around in the direction she'd come in and began sprinting away as fast as she could, shutting her eyes as fresh tears started within them. She had to find Da! Find her before anything happened!

It was only a second after she opened her eyes again that she banged into someone and was knocked to the floor.

Upon opening her eyes, she beheld, with a jolt of surprise, the same young man she had met the previous day.

"Zhou Yu! It's you!" she cried, overjoyed, and, nonchalant to whether it was proper or not, or about his reaction, she threw her arms around him and squeezed him with all her might.

Yu was stunned. No, he was shocked. Actually, he was terrified. He wasn't afraid of her, just what she was doing. How was he supposed to react? All his happiness and relief at finding her was now replaced with nervousness. Sweat which had not so much as beaded on his forehead while he was fighting his way through hordes of soldiers was definitely making its presence known to him now. What was he to do? He decided to wait until she let go of him. When she finally did, she exclaimed,

"Wow! Your face is totally red, Yu!"

"Uh… It is?" he asked, trying to look surprised.

"Sure! Why would I lie?"

Yu decided it was best not to answer her, for fear of making a fool of himself... He paused in his train of thought. What? Making a fool of himself? Yu had never had to worry about that before! So why feel the need to be worried now? What kind of effect was this girl having on him? Enough to make him behave foolishly?

"Come on. We should leave this place," he said uncomfortably. He avoided looking at her.

"Okay! But...Yu? Could you carry me out on your back? I think I might have hurt myself this time. Pretty please?"

Yu wisely chose not to reveal to Xiao how her request threw him.

"Sure… I don't see why not."

And that was how the two pairs of them escaped the castle of the most tyrannical man in China.

So, how was that? Remember to review, folks! The next chapter might be up in a few more weeks. Seeya until then! Thanks again to all my reviewers.