Hey, I'm back, everyone! Heh heh, sorry for not updating for so long-three months to be exact! I've just been so busy, I really had no time. Trust me, I really didn't enjoy not updating at all. But anyway, I'm here now! And to everyone who waited impatiently for my new chapter, I apologize again. Thanks for all the reviews, though, people. I really appreciate that you kept reading even though I was AWOL for so long. Oh, and I'd just like to say: To my sweet reviewer Rapunzel, if I could, I'd send you a big, fat kiss right now! And something else:I know that most of the paragraphs in this chapter may be a bit too long, but I beg of you: Please read EVERYTHING they contain, as there's valuable information concealed within them! lol Well, here's Chapter 8.

Enjoy!

Sun Shang Xiang forced her eyes open. She frowned at the few beams of sunlight which prodded through her firmly drawn curtains and into her room. Did morning have too dawn so soon? It seemed like only a few minutes since she'd tucked herself into bed, hungry, exhausted, and rather furious at her brother, Sun Quan. Why did the two of them always have to keep bickering? Were they destined to never get along? Shang Xiang secretly wished she and her second brother could have a closer bond, yet unfortunately, the way she saw it, that wasn't to be. But the row they had the previous afternoon was so pointless, so stupid. She was sure she was right, and that Quan was just an arrogant, rude and insensitive moron of a big brother. So what if she was a tomboy? Everyone understood that. No one ever minded it. If he had a problem with her hot temper, or the way their father had so spoiled her, perhaps then she would understand his motives, but no, he had to be the intolerable ass he always was. Why couldn't he just face the fact that she was fifteen years old? She would be sixteen in just six months. She was not a child. But Quan was just impossible.

With a dissatisfied groan, she climbed out of bed and made her way to the bathroom to freshen up. When she saw her reflection in the looking glass, she sighed. Why couldn't she be beautiful-like she knew her mother had been? She did have a pretty, and charming face, yet the only child her mother had passed her real beauty on to was Sun Ce. He was the only one who received that privilege-their mother's great good looks. It gave her comfort to look at Ce and imagine how her mother must have been. For Lady Wu had died a few years after giving birth to her third child. Shang Xiang couldn't even remember what she looked like. All she had were portraits and paintings of her to satisfy her curiosity. Whenever Sun Jian, their father, was in a specially gentle and solemn mood, he would sit his three children around him and talk of her, and how sweet and understanding she was. Ce liked to tell his "baby" sister about how Lady Wu had summoned him on her deathbed, and, while breathing her last had told him to take good care of his two younger siblings, and that, as he was the eldest, he was responsible for them, and their actions. "Especially Shang Xiang," she had struggled to say. "As I could never be her mother, it is up to you to be a good brother." She had also said she loved all three of them, more than anything. The only thing she said regarding Sun Jian was, "Tell him I love him." And then she was gone. Young Ce couldn't bear to set his eyes on her after that. Ce would dramatically tell Shang Xiang about how he had dashed from her chambers, how he just sprawled himself on the marble staircase and cried long and hard. After he had calmed down, he vowed solemnly never to abuse his mother's parting words. He would always do what she wished him to do.

And he never broke that vow, thought Shang Xiang to herself, smiling. Never. Now that's a real brother.

Until yesterday.

Shang Xiang jerked out of her daydreams. Until yesterday? What was that supposed to mean? Where had that thought come from? Then it suddenly dawned on her. Where was Ce when she and Quan were hollering at each other? Why hadn't he stopped them, controlled them from their anger, reminded them of her mother's last wishes the way he always did? Instead of doing so, he just sped out of the palace with Zhou Yu and slammed the door behind him. They didn't return after that, or even in the evening, when she forced herself to go to bed, fuming. He didn't really make any sort of effort to break them apart. All he had seemed to want to do was get out of the palace as soon as possible for something. Shang Xiang hardly ever saw him look that eager. Weird, she thought. Definitely weird.

Well, she wouldn't go so far as to call that 'breaking his vow'. Quan was the one who had started everything, besides, Ce couldn't keep yanking them away from each other every second. Come to think of it, Yu would usually pacify them when he was around as well... calm them from their fight. Yet he hadn't paid any attention either. Again, it certainly was weird.

Brushing aside her problems, she walked out of her room in order to go down the stairs for breakfast. She had a habit of looking at the carpeted floor whenever she left her room, and she did so now. She hadn't gone more than ten paces before she banged into something and was knocked down.

"Ow!" she yelled, as she landed on her delicate posterior. It wasn't a very hard bump, but hard nonetheless, and her roar was enough for her unknown assailant to cry,

"Oh, are you all right?"

Shang Xiang blinked. She didn't look up, but she could tell the voice belonged to a completely unfamiliar person. Slowly, curiously, she lifted her head to see who it was. And couldn't stop herself from gasping out loud. She was staring at an incredibly beautiful girl, with thick, luxurious black hair, a stunningly lovely, sweet, rosy face with perfect features and a dainty figure. Her eyes were bright green. Hadn't Shang Xiang seen those somewhere before? The young Wu princess's hazel eyes widened with awe and wonder. The first thought that sprang into her head was,

She might be as beautiful as Mother was!

Strangely, this realization gave her no anger or jealousy in the least. She suddenly became aware of how shabby her short, messy, auburn hair must be looking, and how ridiculous her tights and top must make her seem compared with this beauty, who was looking at her with the utmost concern.

"I'm sorry," she said, helping up the temporarily dumbstruck Shang Xiang. "Can you stand?" she asked.

"Oh-oh, yeah, I'm okay," replied Shang Xiang, awkwardly, reviving from her shock. "I was just-surprised, to say the least." She managed a hesitant smile at the girl. "Sorry, but I don't think I know you," she added.

The girl looked mortified. "Well-uh-actually, I'm…" Her voice trailed off. She began to look nervous.

"Shang, was that you shrieking?" came Ce's concerned voice, as the familiar sound of his thumping, yet quick footsteps sounded from the stairs.

"Yeah," answered Shang Xiang. "It was nothing, it's…" but she couldn't continue, as strangely enough, the girl's face had turned a deep shade of red. She didn't turn around. Was she afraid?

"There's nothing to worry about," said Shang Xiang, deciding she was just alarmed."It's just my big brother."

"I know," the girl managed to say, despite her rapidly reddening face.

Shang Xiang was taken aback. "How d'you…"

"Shang, what hap…?" It was Ce. He stopped short, abruptly. He didn't move.

Taking a deep breath, the girl turned around. "It was my fault," she said, not meeting eyes with him. "I got lost, and kind of bumped into her. She-she's fine though. Right?" she asked, hurriedly turning back to Shang Xiang. She looked glad of an excuse to divert her attention from Ce. Shang Xiang nodded mutely. What the hell was going on? Who was this girl? And how, in the name of the gods, did she know her brother?

"Alright, " said Ce.

To Shang Xiang's horror, Ce was growing nervous too!

"There's no problem, then. Shang Xiang, this is Da Qiao. She's gonna be staying here for a while. Uh-Da, this is Sun Shang Xiang, my little sister."

Da Qiao smiled at the absolutely shocked girl standing before her.

"Hi. Nice to meet you." And she extended her hand.

She shook it, bewildered.

"And, um, how do you know my brother, exactly?" she asked in low tones, trying to sound polite, and trying to keep out of Ce's earshot at the same time.

Da could tell that Shang Xiang was beginning to like her, but wanted to know the relationship between her and Ce all the same. She laughed.

"Don't worry. There's nothing going on between us," she whispered. Shang Xiang looked relieved at that, and turned the wattage on her smile up.

"So, uh, how long are you staying, Da?" she asked.

Before Da could reply, Ce said, "You mean, how long are they staying. Da's got a sister."

Shang Xiang was baffled.

"She's having breakfast with Zhou Yu," added Da, smiling inwardly at the new shock registering on Shang Xiang's face. She regretted to admit to herself that she was rather enjoying this, and had to bite back a chuckle. She did like Shang Xiang, though. But she was still looking anywhere but at Ce.

"What's up, Shang? You look a little surprised," said Ce, a smile twitching on his face. He knew what his sister was thinking.

This must be killing her, he thought.

"Oh, it's okay," Da pretended to reassure her. "They're only as close as Ce and I are." Da's insides were tickling her, and they nearly burst when the look of panic on Shang Xiang's face grew.

Ce was thoroughly enjoying himself. He knew Shang Xiang was very excitable by nature, and he always loved teasing her, but now was different. He just discovered that Da had a rather humorous side to her as well, and was pretty good at using it. The tables had turned- at first it was Shang Xiang who was provoking the nervousness of the two. But now it was both of them who were positively petrifying her. But then another thought struck him. What if Da really did mean what she was saying? What if she and Ce had no relationship? Well, technically, they didn't, but still…Ce began to wonder whether he'd actually imagined the whole thing…The looks she gave him, the way she'd always blush whenever he would look at her, her sweet words, her eyes…

He was distracted from his thoughts by Da saying, "Oh, we'll only be staying here for as long as we want, that's all, really."

Shang Xiang looked ready to faint. This was too much for her! In an attempted businesslike tone, she began,

"Now, Ce…"

"C'mon, Da, I'll take you back to your room," said Ce loudly, thus drowning out Shang Xiang's voice.

Da, her face crimson, turned and obediently followed Ce up the staircase, leaving a dazed, devastated and disoriented Shang Xiang behind.

I think I'll pass for breakfast today, she decided, feeling nauseated. She had to talk to Quan!

Upon reaching Da's bedroom and carefully shutting the door, the two burst out laughing. So intense was their laughter that they had to slump against the door to prevent from collapsing onto the ground.

"I can't believe…that your sister's so…gullible!" choked Da. "That…was the funniest thing…I've ever seen in my life," she gasped, trying to regain her breath.

"What?" asked Ce, smirking.

"Shang Xiang's face!"

And they were laughing heartily once again. They didn't stop for several minutes. At last, Ce controlled himself from his laughter and said,

"Know what?"

Da, too breathless to say anything at that moment, shrugged in response and looked at him questioningly.

"You're really fun to be around. Well, even more than I thought you were, at least."

Da suddenly stopped panting for breath and stared him in the face. A smile started spreading on her rosy lips, and the corners of her eyes stretched pleasantly.

Uh-oh. It was that familiar nervous sensation he was feeling. His stomach was doing flip-flops. Did she have to smile like that? What was wrong with him? But, before he knew it, he was smiling too.

They just stood there, smiling at each other, without a care about how silly they might be looking, or what would happen if anyone caught them.

"Thank you," Da whispered. "That means a lot."

Ce grinned, and left, fighting to control his whoop of joy. Da pretended to shut the door, but instead peeked out after him. As she watched him leave, she still felt guilty somehow about telling Shang Xiang that there was nothing between herself and Ce. Whether it was a joke or not.

"I want the shredded beef."

"Here you go."

"And the fried rice."

"Have it."

"And the chicken. Pretty please?"

"There."

Zhou Yu was amazed at how much this girl could eat. When he and Quan had offered Da more food, she'd politely refused. But Xiao Qiao seemed eager to consume the entire table of its eatables. He'd never known any girl that could eat so much at one sitting. Fortunately, he managed to conceal his shock enough not to arouse Xiao's suspicions, except for an occasional shared glance and grin in direction of the second Wu prince whenever she wasn't looking. How she managed to remain slim was a wonder to him.

"What'cha looking at?" she asked, her mouth full of food.

"Me?" asked Yu, startled. How did she know? "Uh, nothing."

Quan snorted. First, he was subjected to Ce and Da's strange behavior, and now this. Needless to say, he had no idea what was going on. Sneaked glances, deep blushes, constant staring, fluttering manners… What was it all about? Would wonders ever cease? Where was Shang Xiang? Strangely, he missed having her beside him to talk to. Perhaps he should apologize to her. She was considerably upset about yesterday... Then his pride rose up and scorned him, as usual. Why should he be the one to apologize, anyway? She was the brat who'd lashed out at him in the first place. No way would he initiate any reconciliation after that.

He'd met The Two Qiaos, and he'd liked them enough. They were both nice, pleasant girls, especially Da. Mainly because she knew how to use her manners... But Xiao was still amiable. Ce had taken him aside and explained that they didn't have a home right now, and that they were spending sometime at the palace, but would reveal nothing more about the matter. That was good enough for Quan, for now... He could see no problem in it yet. He knew that Shang Xiang, however, would demand for more information. She wouldn't be satisfied until she had it. But Ce knew how to handle her. He probably was the only one who did, apart from Sun Jian. They all had arranged how the two sisters would meet the rest of Wu sometime after noon over the breakfast table. Xiao had taken things easy. Everyone could see that she depended on her sister greatly, and didn't believe she would come to any harm as long as Da was by her side. Da was more anxious. But, funnily enough, Ce's presence seemed to soothe her. How, Quan hadn't a clue.

"Quan?" said Xiao, through a mouthful of food.

"Yeah?" he answered.

"I'd like to meet your sister. If she's as nice as you and Ce." And she smiled sweetly.

Quan smiled back."She'd like to meet you too."

"Actually," said Yu, "The entire empire would like to meet the two of you, The Two Qiaos of Jiang Dong."

Whew, I think that this was the longest chapter I've written so far! My fingers are all numb and stiff, but I guess it was worth it, after all the time I've taken to post this chapter! And I apologize again for that, by the way! Hope you enjoyed it…don't forget to review, please!