The Stranger

Thank you everyone, for your kind reviews! They make me so happy! I'm terribly sorry for the wait, some things came up and I had to move, so my internet was cut for a little while, but now I'm back, hopefully with no more delays.

Chapter Two: Funeral to the Living

Their horses breath wheezed with the strain of the long run, but the three riders payed them no heed. His face was stone cold as they galloped up the streets of Jiang Dong to the palace of Wu. The gate creaked on its hinges as it swung open, the soldiers at the top shouting greetings to the young lord and his two officers. Sun Ce dismounted at the door and handed the reigns to a servant, tossing his riding cloak to the floor, where it was immediately picked up.

"Da!" He shouted, and for a good minute the voice echoed in the great room. He took a seat on the throne, his chestnut locks had come loose from their tie, and were now floating about his shoulders in disarray. A minute later, the quick, light padding of slippered feet flowed into the hall, and Da, and her little sister Xiao appeared before him, all smiles.

Da Qiao noticed it first, her husband was troubled. He wasn't smiling, and there were dark circles under his eyes that suggested sleepless nights. His hazel eyes were not sparkling with mirth as they usually did. She knelt before her husband, taking his large hand in her two porcelain ones. "What is it My Lord? What's happened?"

Lu Meng and Gan Ning entered, stopping dead at the scene. Xiao Qiao looked at the two for a moment before looking at Sun Ce. "Where's Zhou Yu?" Sun Ce was not looking at her, so she turned to the two officers, who had both found new interest in the floor. Sun Ce raised his head and looked at the young women before him.

"He's dead." The words stopped even the servant placing tea from moving, even though the kettle was slowly dripping hot tea onto her lap. Those two words rang in the ears of everyone within hearing range. Xiao seemed to become a statue, a beautiful statue with crystal tears dropping to the floor from beautiful brown eyes. Then she moved, she moved like the river of Jiang Dong, the light pattering of her slippered feet was the only sound, not even a sob was heard from the running girl.

"Xiao!" Da Qiao ran after her sister, and for yet another minute nothing was heard. Then Sun Ce looked at Lu Meng.

"I promote you, Lu Meng, to master strategist, and you may choose any pupil you wish." Lu Meng bowed, but Sun Ce didn't register the gesture, for he had covered his eyes with his hand, willing away a head ache.

"My lord, I would like Lu Xun as my apprentice, please." Sun Ce nodded, and Lu Meng turned to leave. Gan Ning looked after him, then turned his head to Sun Ce.

"My Lord, I am sorry, I read the clouds wrong, I thought that we would be able to pass before the storm hit-!"

"No," Sun Ce looked at him, "It's fine, everyone makes mistakes. A lot more people died besides Zhou Yu. Inform all the families that lost someone, and get some rest. Word will soon be heard that Yu is dead. Wu is in mourning, for Zhou Yu was my brother, and just as much a part my family as I am. He will never be forgotten."

One week later

Sun Ce, in front of all of the Wu officers, and his family, took the engraved stone tablet in his hands and placed it next to his ancestors. Then he stood and faced the crowd. "Zhou Yu's birth family has deserted him, but his new family never will! He is just as much a part of the Sun family as I am, and I refuse to let him be alone in the heavens! Zhou Yu, wherever you are, know that you are my family, and that you shall never be alone!"

That night Xiao Qiao sat in the rooms she once shared with Zhou Yu, holding a vase that he had given her a little while after they were married. "It is from a place called Rome, and its far to the west of here, passed the great mountains. It is called an amphora It came from Chang 'An, on the silk road. Someday, if peace ever returns to the land, I would like to take you there, to show you the many things the merchants of these far countries bring." Xiao gripped the handles of the vase, tears dripping onto the brightly colored vase.

"That's what you said Zhou Yu, but now you never will! You promised so many things, but now none of them will come true!" She threw the vase against the wall, where it shattered. A piece flew and cut her cheek beneath the eye, but she didn't care, as she had collapsed on the bed, curled up in a ball and weeping. The door opened, and Da entered, looking alarmed.

"Xiao, is everything all right? I heard a crash and-!" She gasped at the broken pottery on the floor and looked at her sister with a harsh glare. But when she saw her sister's tear stricken face, she couldn't hold the harsh face. She wrapped her arms around her sister, and stayed by her side all night.

Japan, 1 year later

"Father sold me to this place long ago," Hanako said to Zhou Yu, as they carted water from the courtyard into the kitchen. "It was only by chance that the Lady took a liking to me and adopted me as her baby sister." A year had passed since Hanako had found Zhou Yu at the beach, and she had immediately taken him here, the court of the young lord, Master Yamato, though, everyone called him Master. The Lady that adopted Hanako was called Lady Keiko, though the servants just called her Mistress.

Zhou Yu set the buckets he had been carrying down. "If that is true, then why do you still work with the servants?" His Japanese had progressed very rapidly, as the Mistress had made sure he could speak it. Hanako put her bucket down as well, and they both took a seat in the courtyard.

"I may have been adopted by the Mistress, however, I must earn my keep, and pay off my debt for the kindness that has been shown me." She smiled, looking at the pond. "You are a mystery, and very intriguing, Yu-san, where might you have come from, to show up on the shore, so near death?"

Zhou Yu looked at the ground, "I am sorry, Hanako-san, I am afraid, that I do not remember anything before that day but my name, Yu, and some place that I suppose is very important, Wu."

"It is a pity," Hanako said, looking at him, "I would very much like to know you better, as we have hardly spoken in many months. I remember my family, and I hope that one day I can make my own, but you remember nothing, not even this language. It must be hard."

Zhou Yu bowed his head, rising. "It is, however, I owe you a debt that I have yet to pay for the kindness you have shown me."

Hanako stood as well, following him towards the kitchen. "Yu-san, you are as much my brother, a part of my family, as anyone else, I am glad to have met someone like you." She bowed, "I would be honored it you would be my brother."

"I am honored to be so." Zhou Yu smiled, and taking her bucket, he went to fill the water basin in the kitchen.

Tbc...

Translations:

-san: All purpose honorific used in any situation when politeness is required. The most common honorific.

Thank you very much for reading, I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. I apologize if it is too short, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. Please, don't worry, the pairings are strictly cannon, however, there are going to be slight hints of Ce/Yu, though I call it brotherly affection, you may call it something else if you wish. This is my last post before school starts. I hope you can understand, for a while, updates might be long.