I'd just LOVE to kill myself for not posting for so long- if I only wasn't worried about who might complete this story if I actually did THAT! I've been getting alot of messages telling me to update- which I really should have done a while ago. But if you look at my profile, you'd see that I've added a note about that, so you can't blame me for forgetting to inform anyone! And of course, thank you for all of your glorious, lovely reviews. I can't think of any way to repay you all other than getting a move on with this fanfic! So, here's Chapter 11, anyway.

Enjoy!

It was now late evening, and the moon had taken refuge behind a mauve-colored cloud. The indigo sky had by now concealed all the stars that had been twinkling brightly a short while ago. There was nothing in the present atmosphere to suggest that an incredibly romantic moment between two souls had taken place not so very long ago. Which was probably just as well, since Zhou Yu didn't think he could take much more of tonight. It was unnerving enough as it was.

Xiao Qiao was giggling to herself, still clutching her kite as though giddy with excessive wine, although they hadn't had a drop to drink that day. But what rendered Yu uncomfortable was the fact that she'd been talking to him without pausing. It wasn't that it annoyed him. No, he didn't feel irritated at all about that. He liked her speaking to him so. It was just that he couldn't back to her… just that he'd stay silent and stiff as a board while barely responding to her words. But she didn't stop once. How he wished he could be as unhesitating! He couldn't explain his tendency to shut down almost entirely when he was around her. After all, it wasn't as though Xiao was a frightening creature, of which every single individual was petrified. It was only Yu who reacted to her presence that way. All else adored her, as far as he knew. Why he couldn't display his feelings for her (whatever they may be) like every other, he'd not the faintest idea…

"Yu? Are you listening?" Xiao suddenly asked, suspiciously, knocking him back to Earth.

"Of course I am, Xiao."

Yu thanked the gods that he'd answered her more swiftly than he thought he would. Her sudden questions always left him startled for quite a while.

"Oh, that's good! I was just wondering. But I did know you really were!"

And with that, she proceeded to continue with whatever she'd been talking about.

But immediately, Yu started panicking. What had she been talking about? He'd been dutifully listening to her, it was true, but that was before his thoughts submerged him completely. Did it make him a cold, selfish person if he couldn't remember what she'd been saying all the while?

Just as he was beginning to feel immensely guilty, Xiao said,

"Yu, I feel tired."

Yu spun around to look at her. Xiao and tired? Would wonders ever cease? Maybe she just meant it in jest...

But when Xiao covered her sweet little mouth behind her hand and yawned, Yu realized she was serious.

"We don't have to go just yet. We could stay out for a bit longer if you want," he offered sheepishly. He felt he owed that to her after his sudden inattentiveness. But Xiao said,

"No, I don't want. I'd rather go home. Pretty please?"

Yu didn't answer.

"Yu? Pretty please?"

"What did you say?"

"Huh?"

Xiao was confused.

"Yu? What do you mean?"

"I mean-what did you just say?"

"Um... Pretty please?"

"No, before that."

"I wanna go?"

"No, I mean..." Yu trailed off. "Never mind," he said, in a defeated tone. "Let's just go."

"Yay!" Xiao answered, her confusion brushed aside. She skipped a few steps to catch up with him and took hold of his hand.

"Do you think dinner isn't too cold by now? Maybe it's all over. Or there might still be some left for us. I'm sure sis must have saved some for me, but I don't think she thought about doing the same for you. Think Ce remembered to save you a bit? You can't just go to sleep on an empty stomach, he should think of that..."

But Yu was hardly taking in a word she was saying. His mind was still fixed on what she'd said less than two minutes ago. It seemed she hadn't even thought before it was out of her mouth. And she couldn't even remember she'd mentioned it.

Home, she'd said. Not 'The Palace', as she and Da had always referred to it, but home. The word the two of them used whenever they would discuss the place where they grew up, the place where their father now lived. Up until now, when Xiao had just called home what belonged to Ce and Yu. Did she even realize the significance of that? Oh, maybe it didn't really mean much to her, or to anyone else, but to Yu, it was a sign. A sign that she was, perhaps, growing to like her stay at Jian Ye Palace as much as he did? So much that she'd like it to be permanent? Or a sign that she felt that his home was now-dare he even think it-their home?

Yu found himself wishing with all his might that what he thought was right. He knew he'd always wonder until she told him. But he knew he'd never ask.

"I've just realized that we're the only two people in this entire house."

"Have you? Well, good for you."

"Don't you think it's wierd that no one told us when they'd get back?"

"Sure. Why don't you go figure out why?"

"And they didn't even bother to turn up for dinner."

"Pity. The food was so good, too."

"I'm also beginning to wonder whether their behavior towards each other's even... appropriate. Acceptable, even."

"Why, isn't that nice, you have a hobby. Apart from being a pighead, that is.

Sun Quan cursed inwardly. Whatever happened, he wasn't going to let his sister get to him. Not this time.

"I'm beginning to worry about him. Ce."

"What for? He's a big boy, I'm sure he can take care of himself. After all, he is the first and eldest son."

Sun Shang Xiang placed a great deal of emphasis on these three words. There was no one who knew better than her that Quan truly despised being the second son of Sun Jian, and it gave her no remorse to remind him that, whatever he might say or do, that wasn't about to change, which she was very glad of.

"That isn't what I meant," answered Quan, more heatedly than he'd been before her comment. "Haven't you seen? The way they look at each other? Talk to each other? And how they're always spending more and more time together by the day? I might be able to remember Ce telling me that The Two Qiaos were gonna be staying here for just a little while, but I don't think Ce does. Or Yu. I think they're beginning to get used to them around here. As if they should. Or as if they want to. What do you think, Shang Xiang?"

"Aw, what's the matter? You feeling left out? Good, maybe now you'll know to a bit how your sister feels when you treat her like you do!" Shang Xiang shot at him.

Quan's knuckles were beginning to throb from being clenched so hard in his fists.

"What the hell is your problem?" he finally exploded. "I've already apologized days ago, why isn't that good enough for you?"

"Because I'm not good enough for you Quan!" Shang Xiang said shrilly. "Tell me, if you're so bothered about my being such a tomboy, then why isn't Ce? Why isn't Daddy? Or any of our friends? Like Yu? Xun? Meng? Tai? Tong? Or-"

There was a pause.

"Or Ning? Why isn't anyone else we know? How come you're the only one who always has a problem with me Quan, huh? Why are you always the only one who wants me to change? Why..."

Shang Xiang swallowed. She wasn't going to cry. No matter what, she wouldn't let herself cry in front of Quan. She had to say what was on her mind now, or she would burst from all the years she'd bottled it up inside of her.

"Why can't you like me the way I am? How come everyone else can, and you can't? I'm nothing special. I'm just Shang Xiang. Just Shang Xiang! And that's who I'll always be, I'm not changing. I'm not beautiful like Da or Xiao. I'm not smart like Yu, or funny like Ce. But most of all, I'm not a piss-ass like you, thank heaven for that!" she finished.

Her chest was heaving from breathing so heavily. Quan staggered back from her, bewildered. He stared at her trembling form for several minutes, his face quite expressionless.

"Hell, you are mad," he muttered, before swiflty stepping out of her bedroom and slamming the door behind him.

Shang Xiang took a few moments to compose herself, then tried to go back to the book she'd been reading as though nothing had happened. But try as she might, she simply couldn't read as she'd done before Quan's entrance. If that was what you could call barging into someone's room unannounced...

Shang Xiang wiped away some of the moisture that had formed in the corners of her eyes. The most heartfelt words she'd ever said to Quan, and her second brother had merely brushed them away, the way he did to almost everything she ever told him. She couldn't remember the last time he'd actually listened to what she said to him, or thought about her words, as she secretly did everyday, and was doing right this moment, even as she bent her head over her rather forgotten book.

Truthfully, she didn't think it was any of her business what Ce or Yu did with Da and Xiao. And she hadn't much thought of it one way or another. Yes, it had been an unpleasant shock for her when Ce explained that they'd be sheltering The Two Qiaos in their palace, even if it was for a limited period of time. But her views on that matter had changed ever since she grew closer to them. And honestly speaking, she hardly cared. She trusted both of them. She was positive they knew what they were doing. And she didn't believe she had any reason to butt into their relationships, whatever they might be. She knew her brothers were far too honorable to ever do anything they shouldn't, so all in all, she hadn't a problem with the four of them in the least.

But Quan was different. He was an extremely suspicious, grasping person. That was known since his childhood. When he'd made up his mind that something in his life was amiss, he'd never rest till he'd figured out what it was, where it was coming from, and above all, how to stop it. And he often succeeded. He would keep up his efforts and attempts for days on end. Sometimes he could even be fanatical in his obsession to solve his mysteries...

"Are you cold?" Sun Ce asked soflty.

"Not a bit."

"You sure? I could get you something, if you-"

"I don't need a thing. This is all I want."

"Yeah?"

Da Qiao leaned back into Ce chest. "Yeah," she whispered.

"Wow."

Knowing that Ce couldn't see her face, Da smiled fully. For what seemed like the hundredth time that night, she told herself that this was real. Not a dream, or fantasy, or a story she might make up to amuse Xiao, but real. She really was nestling in Ce's arms right now, as the two of them were making their way back to the palace on horseback once more, just the way they came. But this time was different. This time, he had his arm wrapped around her, his hand on one side of her waist, clasping her to him tenderly, protectively. This time, her back was leaned into his chest, her head resting in the crook of his shoulder. This time, they could be with each other freely, without fear of rejection, or minding their imaginary limits.

But as much as Da struggled to take in what had taken place less than an hour since, she still couldn't believe her luck. She still had difficulty in absorbing the information the Ce had kissed her... kissed her, and after what seemed like an eternity from refraining to touch her unless it couldn't be helped. There had been the time when she'd flung herself into his arms the night she and Xiao had been rescued, but even then, there'd been an actual reason. And besides, Yu and Xiao had been by their side almost every step of the way. Therefore, it was awfully hard to digest what had happened in such a rush of time.

And yet...she could still feel his lips on hers, his arms enclosed around her, pulling her to him, the manly essence of his soft yet passionate touch, his taste...

It was becoming easier to comprehend by the second now.

Ce's hold tightened very slightly. A nearly devastating thought had just sprung to his mind. Several days ago, one of the royal messengers of Wu had presented him with a letter. A letter that was not by any means unimportant. A letter which had the potential to change everything that had taken place in his life as he knew it. Thinking of the closing words he had read just before absently crumpling it up in his fist cast a cloud on his brow.

And so, my eldest and therefore dearest son, you shall have good reason to expect my return several weeks earlier than it otherwise might have been, owing to the glorious victory of our troops at north of Xu Chang. Hopefully, I shall be able to reach my beloved home long before Fall. Until that time, I remain,

Your Lord and Loving Father,

Emperor Sun Jian.

Ce clenched his teeth. He truly loved his father. He was glad that he would be seeing him sooner than later, as every dutiful son would be. But more than that, he was worried. And now, he was more worried than he'd ever been since receiving Lord Sun Jian's message. He was the only one who knew of this untimely news. And on the whole, he was not happy with it. Not at all. This meant that the time The Two Qiaos had at Jian Ye Palace was running short. And that was enough to cause him more pain than he would have liked. He had just won Da Qiao, something he had been wanting since he'd set eyes on her. He wanted to be the one to make her happy fot the rest of her life. He wanted to give her the life he knew she'd always dreamed of. She was his now, and he wanted to never let her go.

So, watcha think about that? Ce's old man Sun Jian's gonna be returning soon! Are Da and Xiao gonna finally be sent home? Or will Ce and Yu end up feeling a little bit... Rebellious? Remember to review and tell me what you think, and I might be able to update sooner this time! Seeya!