AN: hey everyone! Sorry for the late update –insert good excuse here-. I hope this chapter was worth the wait.
Thanks to Calenmarwen and iana silmir for giving be two of the best reviews I have ever gotten on any story! You two rock.
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Act II The Plan:
Sun Jian sat at the head of a long table, with his generals gathered around it. He looked at each one in turn. Each face was down cast, eyes distant with thoughts. All troubled by the horrible news.
Sun Jian turned his gaze on the two empty places at the table. A solemn reminder of why they had called the emergency meeting.
Finally the leader's eyes returned to his son, as the young warrior paced up and down the length of the tent.
"Ce, sit down," coxed Sun Ce's sister, Shang Xiang. "It's hard to think with you wearing a hole in the ground." The older brother stopped and aimed a glare at her.
"We shouldn't be thinking at all, we should be acting!" Sun Ce replied, his voice livid. "While you sit around thinking about strategy, they could be dying!"
"And what would you have us do then?" His younger brother Sun Quan inquired.
"What would I have you do?" Sun Ce repeated furiously. "Attack! What else is there to do?" Several of the generals spoke up in protest; the once quiet tent was suddenly full of noise as the argument grew loud.
"Enough," Sun Jian's voice, though barely raised, was easily heard over the others. All fell silent and turned to their leader. "We cannot charge blindly into Cao Cao's camp." He held up his hand to stop Sun Ce's protest before it could be voiced. "That lapse in judgment could put Zhou Yu and Zhou Tai in more danger than they are in already. Do not mistakenly believe that you are the only one here that looks at them as more than allies." Sun Jian's tone remained level, but his voice held a note that could not be ignored. The weight of his words silenced his rash eldest son and restored order to the meeting. "We will attack Cao Cao's fortress. We'll draw the officers outside and hold them there long enough for one of us to get in and rescue Zhou Yu and Zhou Tai.
Once they are safely behind our lines, we will charge Cao Cao and finish this." The generals nodded their agreement.
"I will rescue them," Sun Ce offered.
"No. I understand you want to be the one to bring them back, but it is not for the best. You are a warrior without equal, but your strength is not in stealth. Further more you would be to easily recognized, and if the enemy does not see you on the battlefield they will become suspicions," Sun Jian replied, his tone showed that there was no room for debate.
"I will go," Gan Ning offered. He was the only general who had not said anything yet in the meeting, and all eyes turned to him in surprise. "My appearance is easily disguised, plus I know the lay out of the fortress." Several unpleasant looks were sent his way but he continued unfazed. "And stealth is my middle name." A cocky smile made its way onto his lips at this point. Sun Jian examined the faces of his generals. He could see the distrust toward this former pirate clearly on their faces. Sun Jian himself trusted Ning, though for reasons unknown even to him. The Wu leader just had a feeling about the younger man. He fully believed that behind Ning's cocky, shady, sly demeanor there lay hidden a good hearted man.
Still the Wu leader had his doubts. But there were two things stopping him from saying no to the request. First, Gan Ning had done nothing to arise suspicion since the day he left Cao Cao's forces to join Wu. Second, if Sun Jian never acted like he trusted the pirate how could he ever expect his generals too?
"It is settled then," Sun Jian concluded. "Gan Ning will go, and the rest of us will attack. But for tonight it is late. We should all get some rest. Tomorrow we move out." The generals slowly dispersed from the tent until only Sun Jian and his oldest son remained.
Sun Ce made to leave, but Sun Jian placed a hand on his arm to stop him.
"I want you to understand something. The strength of Wu has always been in the closeness our generals feel toward each other. We are warriors of strength and heart. But in all strength there is the chance of weakness. We lean on each other so heavily that if one of us falls we all could fall.
One rash decision or one false step could cost any of our lives, including Zhou Yu and Zhou Tai." Sun Ce nodded with out meeting his father's eye. The older man's voice softened, as did his grip on Ce's arm. "If it is in my ability to do so, I will bring them back Ce. That I promise you." Finally Sun Ce raised his head and nodded.
"Thank you," The young warrior's voice still held a note of anger, but he forced it down and headed out. As he walked toward his tent he saw the familiar figure of Da Qiao standing beside it.
She looked so beautiful, standing there in the moonlight. Her dark hair fell wistfully about her shoulders, framing her fair face. Her delicate hands were folded in front of her. She looked up and met his eyes.
"What was decided?" She asked. He loved her voice. If there was anything that could calm the storm that was Sun Ce's temper, it was that sweet melodic voice. He closed the remaining distance and came to stand beside her.
"We will attack Cao Cao while Gan Ning sneaks in to rescue them." He spat the pirate's name from his mouth like a vile poison. Da nodded thoughtfully.
"This plan does not please you," She noted. "Why?"
"It's not the plan…it's Gan Ning…" Sun Ce replied his frustration forming again.
"Are you sure?" Why did it always seem like her questions were leading him?
"Of course I'm sure! I may not be brilliant, but I do know my own mind," Sun Ce snapped. Most people would shrink away in fear of his wrath, but not Da Qiao. She placed her delicate hand on his arm.
"I am sure they are fine," Da said, drilling to the root of the problem. He looked at her and wondered how it was she could understand him when even he didn't. She stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him, placing her head on his chest.
"How can you be sure?" Sun Ce's voice was heartbreakingly defeated. In truth Da wasn't sure how she knew. She thought back to a conversation she'd had with her younger sister just after learning the awful news.
Da pushed aside the tent flaps and stepped inside. There sat her younger sister, Xiao Qiao with her back to the entrance.
"Xiao?" Da asked softly. Her younger sister turned to her with tear rimmed eyes.
"Sorry," Xiao replied wiping her tears away with her sleeve. "I didn't hear you come in. Yu doesn't like me to sit with my back to a door. He says," The younger girl did a tearful impression of Zhou Yu's voice. "…'Xiao you fight like a warrior but you do not have warrior senses. Anyone could walk through that door and attack and you'd never even hear them coming'." Xiao's lip quivered with a repressed sob. Da looked sympathetically at her sister. Xiao loved Zhou Yu just as much as Da loved Sun Ce. Da knew from experience how hard it was to worry about the one you loved. She kneeled down beside Xiao and wrapped the younger girl in a tight embrace. After a few minutes Xiao pulled away. "Do you think…that…that Yu is ok?" the young girl sobbed. Da studied her sister's features as she thought over the question.
"When I was very young Papa once told me that those you love very much have a special connection to you," Da said, her voice wistful and distant. "He said when that someone you love dies…you feel it. You just…know." Da searched her sister's eyes. "Do you feel anything like that?"
"I…I don't think so," Xiao replied.
"Then they are fine," Da stated firmly.
"Do you really believe that?" Xiao's eyes were full of childlike hope that cut straight to Da's heart.
"Yes. I do."
Da studied Sun Ce's face and saw that same need present in his eyes as was in her sister's.
"I just know," She answered finally.
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Gan Ning lay on the damp grass, with his arms crossed under his head and his face turned toward the stars. He remembered dozens of nights just like this that he'd spent on the deck of a pirate ship. He could almost feel the gentle sway of the boat, and could almost smell the salty sea air.
"Tents not your style?" He glanced in the direction of the feminine voice. There stood Sun Shang Xiang, her hands on her hips and an amused look on her face. He did not bother to bow or even move, as he did not feel the need to treat Sun Jian or his daughter any different than anyone else.
"Not really Shang," He replied flippantly.
"I don't know if you noticed, but the other generals find you a little…odd. And uh…this behavior is the reason," she informed him, apparently unfazed by his boorish informality.
"And do you find me odd?" The former pirate asked propping himself up on his elbow to look at her.
"Yes," She replied with a mischievous grin.
"Was there something you wanted from this humble pirate?" Ning asked in mock-politeness.
"Humble?" Shang Xiang clucked in amusement. "There was something I wanted though."
"Do tell," Ning replied.
"Look I don't know what a pirate like you is up to helping us." At this point Gan Ning gave her a fake hurt expression, but she held up her hand so that he would not interrupt. "…but I'm willing to believe you are honest." At this point she bent down and stared him straight in the eyes. "However if anything happens to Zhou Yu and Zhou Tai because of something you did or didn't do, know this. I will hunt you to the ends of the earth and gut you like a fish. Kay?" She gave him a sweet smile that was almost as threatening as her words. Without waiting for a response she turned and left.
Gan Ning gaped. Never in all his years had anyone taken him by surprise like that. He stared after her, with a new respect for the wily Wu princess.
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AT: hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Hehehe gotta love Gan Ning. Teeheee. What will happen next? Tune in next time to find out.
Another update is coming later this week to make up for me being late.