A/N: Holy guacamole. I'm alive! Massive apologies for dropping this fic (and writing in general). Aside from RL intervening, I seem to be incapable of writing continuously over time-- I can only do so in spurts of inspiration/gumption. Hopefully, this spurt will help me cover the awful amount of ground that I need to catch up with here between these Wu Two. :-)
However, this is kind of a filler chappie, but I do have moar NingxTong interaction in mind for the next. Thanks everyone for your patience.
edit: added a little more exchange between Gan Ning and the messenger.
Gan Ning swam desperately, his spirit dropping like a stone when he seriously thought that they would not make it. Though he had the advantage of the river's current pushing him along, he would prove no match for a horse, and his endurance had long since evaporated.
"Son of a bitch," Gan Ning breathed.
As he had promised himself, Sun Quan had returned that evening, and with him were extra troops. With them he would attempt to rescue his stranded officers and soldiers who had survived Wei's ambush. He brought materials and engineers to work on stabilizing the Xiao Shi bridge, while others worked on light rafts in order to ferry troops and horses across the river. They set to work immediately, working all through the night by torchlight. Sun Quan's desire to save his men inflamed his spirit, and though he had not had a moment's rest since morning, he too volunteered his energy in the tasks at hand.
By that morning, the first fleet of rafts were already being put to use. In the twilight, the forms of men and horses looked as though they were shades crossing the river to the underworld.
"Lord Sun Quan! In the river!"
The sudden commotion that prompted Sun Quan's officer to speak, however, enlivened the scene as soldiers huddled around a spot upon the bluff overlooking the bank. Surprised and curious, Sun Quan rushes his horse to look over the bluff.
"What is it?" he asked.
"There's someone down there," a soldier responded.
Sun Quan searched the bank for the person in question, and he thought he just barely made out the shape of a body in the water that was nestled among the rocks and vegetation outlining the bank.
"A torch," Sun Quan ordered. Light was brought immediately, and Sun Quan dismounted and slid down the steep bluff to investigate personally. He blanched when the torchlight revealed a dirty and blood-stained but no less recognizable face. "Oh, Heaven," Sun Quan breathed, letting the flame fall from his hand. He leapt into the cold water, fighting with wide steps over the knee-deep water to reach the body. He threw himself down upon the log the body was resting on, and he heaved in a mad attempt to dislodge it and bring it ashore.
"Sire!" Sun Quan's men called, clamoring down the bluff after their lord to assist him. They too waded into the river and with combined effort they brought the body ashore.
"Master Ling Tong," the men murmured, their faces a grim mixture of shock and dejection. Fearing the worst himself, Sun Quan placed an ear to Ling Tong's cold, damp chest and listened. After a pregnant pause, his eyes widened in amazement.
"He is still alive," Sun Quan breathed. "Though barely." He moved to embrace Ling Tong, for he was hardly able to contain his tears. "There's still hope!" He then rose to his feet and shouted, "Take him to Wan castle immediately. Place him in my chamber and have the surgeon there prepare him for transport back to Jiang Dong. Also inform him that I want all of our best doctors summoned, and our finest medicine prepared for him at the palace!"
It was then that Sun Quan noticed a dagger embedded in the log. He bent to rip it out of the soaked wood, and his heart sank as he examined it in his hand. There was no mistaking its owner--and for the pirate to part with it meant dire circumstances. He clenched the handle in his palm and shouted, "Now get back to work! If I see any soldier slacking off I will cut him down myself!"
Spurred to action by the outburst, Sun Quan's men removed Ling Tong and, after carefully delivering him up the bluff, swiftly transferred to a more appropriate stretcher. He was then placed in a cart for transport and accompanied by a team of medics who worked to ensure he would remain stable. Sun Quan observed every step up to Ling Tong's departure for the castle, and tears again stung his eyes as he considered how fortunate the Sun family was to have vassals as devoted as Ling Cao and his equally brave son. He also considered going back to the castle as well, but he knew he could not until his other missing officers could be accounted for. With Gan Ning's dagger feeling heavy in hand, he prayed that Heaven would continue to intercede.
Then, as if to grant his prayer, an infectious commotion again seized his men.
"Across the river! It's Master Lu Meng!"
With great anticipation Sun Quan dashed to the edge of the bluff to peer across the river. The dawn was brighter now, and he could not mistake the Wu banners that fluttered over the approaching regiment on the opposite side. He was not without some worry, however.
"Be on your guard," Sun Quan ordered. "Wei could be using our colors to stage another ploy."
He watched the suspicious force with growing trepidation, and especially when it halted just before the bluff. A lone rider separated from the group and stopped at the bluff, and Sun Quan's fears instantly dissipated when he recognized him.
"My lord!" the rider shouted. "I, Lu Meng, have returned to you!"
Overcome once more, Sun Quan sighed his joy and wiped his eyes. He then ordered that Lu Meng and his remaining forces be delivered across the river for well-earned rest and nourishment.
"Lu Meng, words cannot express my relief to see you alive and unharmed," Sun Quan greeted as Lu Meng stepped off of a raft onto the bank.
"And you as well, my lord," Lu Meng replied.
"Though I am grateful, I believe Heaven has been more merciful than perhaps I deserve--we were foolish not to be more careful, despite our great numbers," Sun Quan admitted.
"If there is anyone to blame, it is my own judgment. I should have turned back as soon as I felt that the situation was not right. You could have been ambushed yourself, especially seeing as the bridge has been destroyed!"
Embarrassed, Sun Quan sighed and looked away. At this Lu Meng furrowed his brow. "My lord?" he asked. He looked about and added, "Where's Ling Tong?"
"Wounded in action," Sun Quan said solemnly. When Lu Meng appeared even more confused, Sun Quan mustered the courage to clarify: "We were ambushed by Zhang Liao."
Shock swept over Lu Meng, almost causing him to stagger. "For your life to have been spared, your ancestors must surely watch over you," he said.
Sun Quan then said, "Ling Tong sacrificed his good health for mine, and perhaps even his life." Sun Quan paused, appearing quite distraught. "But it appears he owes a life debt to another as well." He held up Gan Ning's dagger for Lu Meng's inspection.
Lu Meng accepted the weapon and said, "And what of the brazen seadog?"
"I was hoping you knew of his whereabouts. There has been no other word or sign," Sun Quan said.
"Really," Lu Meng said. He recounted the circumstances of their ambush by Li Dian, and that he had trusted Gan Ning to escape in order to warn the main force. Saddened, he said, "I refuse to believe he has been slain, and I pray that I did not send him to his doom instead."
"We will wait for him, and send out search parties," Sun Quan said.
"Sire, with all due respect, I believe that may be unwise. Your men are exhausted, and so are mine. Zhang Liao still lurks here, and we have neither the strength nor strategy to muster any sort of counterattack. We ought to pull back to Wan castle as soon as possible," Lu Meng advised.
"But," Sun Quan began. "What member of the Sun abandons his men?"
Touched by the sentiment, Lu Meng smiled but pressed his point, saying, "We can send out our spies from the safety of the castle."
Sun Quan deflated, and without a word nodded to Lu Meng. Lu Meng for his part bound the dagger to himself for safe-keeping, for he believed Gan Ning would never leave this earth without it.
Gan Ning had always figured that horse carcasses smelled bad, and would rather have avoided the firsthand experience. The odor, and the sight of the horse's underbelly a few feet away made him flinch and sit up. He coughed, brushing away sand and grit stuck to his cheek and torso.
"Morning, huh? Must have passed out," Gan Ning muttered, now vigorously and futily brushing the grime from his hair. His immediate concern was figuring out where he was and how he got there. He glanced around at the carnage about him, gradually recalling that it had been a fight to the death with Wei soldiers hoping to make a name for themselves with his head as the trophy. He had given it his all, but his strength only lasted as long as there was an enemy still standing. Once the last one fell, so did he from paralyzing fatigue.
He spotted his dagger lying in the wet sand. He picked it up and kissed its blood-stained blade before sheathing it.
His body still felt as dead as the soldiers and animals around him. Getting up, he limped upstream--away from the death--and disrobed. He waded into the river to treat himself to a cool drink and a bath. As he washed himself of blood and filth and cleansed his wounds, he gazed down the river, and thought about what Lu Meng's orders. He was not sure how he would be able to show his face. He technically disobeyed a direct command so he could pursue Ling Tong. Ling Tong.
Gan Ning sighed. The wound to Ling Tong's leg had been very bad. Where had the river taken him? Gan Ning grunted in frustration, but resolved that he would risk being demoted or dishonorably expelled from the service if it meant seeing his friend alive, or an opportunity to pay his deepest respects--and to apologize either way.
His friend. He chuckled to himself. He took a long drink of river water to try and stave off his hunger, then moved onto shore to dress himself, albeit with hands that quivered with muscle fatigue. Patting his waist, he remembered what he was missing.
"My bells," Gan Ning remarked out loud. "And one dagger." He shrugged. "Could be worse!"
Suddenly, he picked up the dull roar of hooves galloping on the wet sand of the river bank. He froze in place as the sound grew louder. Adrenaline kicked in and jumpstarted his heart. The mad pounding revived the aches in his muscles. He was sure he had not the strength left to survive another bout with Wei soldiers. He prayed that the horsemen were his allies instead.
That was not the case. He mustered his gaze to look toward the source of the commotion, down the coast and to a stampede of blue riders.
"There he is!" they shouted.
Gan Ning sighed, tilting his head toward Heaven. With one dagger in hand, he then took his battle stance, sneering like a tiger.
"Ho!" a voice from the herd shouted. The command prompted the horsemen to slow their approach, and while doing so they seemed to simultaneously draw their bows and arm them with arrows. Gan Ning was pinned as they circled him and took their aim.
"You must be the Master Gan Ning," a voice said. The speaker emerged from the crowd of horses. He was unarmed, but dressed finely in vivid blue and gold-embroidered silks that signified his status as a royal messenger. "I have been ordered to locate you and deliver you back to your lord, Sun Quan, and with a proposal of peace from the Prime Minister."
"An' why in the hell should I listen to you?"
There was a distinct jingle as the emissary pulled Gan Ning's bells out from behind him and held it up. He then said, "If you come willingly, you can expect no further harm to come to you. However, my instructions did not specify making sure you are delivered alive. If you refuse to cooperate, then I can deliver your body instead."
He then tossed Gan Ning his belt, which the pirate caught with his free hand. The move made him stand straight, and he shouted, "You gotta be kiddin' me if you think Gan Ning would ever let himself be taken prisoner by scumbags like you!"
The emissary only smirked. "You are as rash as they say. I will give you a few seconds to reconsider. I must make it brief as I do have reason to be timely."
"I don't like your tone," Gan Ning said. "If it weren't for your friends here, I'd already be carving off your fat lips."
"Ready!" the emissary yelled, raising his arm. The archers steadied their aim.
Gan Ning growled, and he looked down to study the charm in his hand as he mulled over the situation.
"Shit," he hissed, shaking the belt. The bells jingled wildly. In his weakened state, with the multitude of arrows aimed at him, death would be swift. He didn't care much about his life, except that he was unwilling to commit such a pointless suicide outright. He tossed his dagger to the sand and tied the belt around his waist.
The emissary asked, "Well?"
"Let's go, you scumbags."
The prognosis was grim. Nestled in the golden silk sheets of Sun Quan's divan, Ling Tong slept peacefully, but with skin as colorless as bone. He appeared as though his spirit had long since gone from this world.
Rather, he occupied the space between life an death, or so the surgeon at Wan Castle believed. Ling Tong had lost a dangerous amount blood, but the cold water of the river chilled him enough to prevent him from bleeding to death. His heart was slow, however, and his breathing long and deep. The use of royal medicines would surely help his wounds at Jiang Dong, but they would only be able to help repair the body. Ultimately, it was up to Ling Tong's spirit to decide whether to return to the living, or to let himself be reunited with his father--no herb, ether, or tonic on Earth could persuade his soul.
He related this information to a persistent Sun Quan, who had been very eager to check on Ling Tong's progress the moment they had returned from the battlefield. The surgeon warned that though Ling Tong fortunate enough to be unconscious for his stitches, he nonetheless would be in a great deal of pain were he to awaken. For this reason, he recommended that Ling Tong not be unnecessarily disturbed. Sun Quan then grew rueful, and was so much distressed by the report that he did not to take any meals for the rest of that day.
Meanwhile, Lu Meng was already at the drawing board planning their forces' next move. He had been examining the map sprawled out on the table in his tent for hours, but there was no inspiration, no spark of genius that so often ignited his spirit. Part of the problem was the knowledge that though their numbers were still respectable, were at a severe disadvantage in terms of intelligence and morale. Three successive ambushes had been three too many. The troops were rattled and nervous even after their general retreat. They also had good reason to be distrustful of their strategists, and it would be a challenge to convince them to follow a strict plan accordingly. As far as Lu Meng knew the three Wei generals--Li Dian, Yue Jin, and Zhang Liao--were still alive, strong, and very much able to strike fear in their foes.
Their closest counterparts had been Gan Ning, who was presumed dead or captured, and Ling Tong, who was sinking deeper into death's clutches with every passing hour. They could have withstood the ambushes and regrouped for a more careful assault, but the loss of both respected leaders was nothing short of crippling. He saw the mourning and despair on the faces of his troops at every rank, and he was sure that his own face mirrored them. Lu Meng could barely digest the gravity of it himself, and it interfered with his concentration. The symbols and figures on his map stopped making sense, and his long sighs were gusts caught in the sails of his drifting thoughts.
Lu Meng pondered the option of a full retreat back to the capital. However, he knew that such a move would only feed Wei's confidence. With enemy reinforcements due to arrive from Han Zhong any day now, they would switch from defense to offense. Lu Meng found it sickening, however, to think that they would lose two of their best officers, and all they would have to show for it was a loss of important territory to Wei. They would have to remain, but how would Lu Meng counteract such a decisive rout?
Frustrated, Lu Meng balled a fist and pounded the table. He quivered and bit his lip, enduring the surge of anger, but having no object or being to focus it on.
"Master Lu Meng?" a voice called from outside.
"What!" Lu Meng burst.
"Uhm, uh," the voice hesitated, seeming to have taken been completely off guard.
Lu Meng sighed. "I'm sorry. What is it?"
The owner of the voice was a simple messenger, who entered the tent cautiously before bowing low. He said, "Sir, Sun Quan orders your presence in his tent immediately."
Curious, and happy for the break, Lu Meng sprung to his feet immediately, affirming the order and dismissing the messenger as he did so. Before the entry flap of Sun Quan's tent, he announced, "Lu Meng reporting, Sire!"
"It's about time, old man!"
Lu Meng froze, replaying the response in his head. He was unsure whether or not he was hallucinating Sun Quan calling him 'old man,' while also sounding suspiciously like his unruly comrade Gan Ning. 'Has he possessed our lord?' he thought. 'Is he such a restless spirit even beyond the grave?'
With the backs of his fingers, Lu Meng pushed aside the tent flap to reveal the answer: there was no spirit. Gan Ning was present, opaque, and apparently quite alive. He grinned at Lu Meng with arms folded, acting almost as if his death had all been an elaborate prank. But the smile was genuine, and there was slight embarrassment in his eyes.
"I can hardly believe it," Lu Meng said, returning the smile and moving to briefly embrace the younger man. Lu Meng had no additional words, and he clapped Gan Ning on the shoulder to emphasize his pleasure. He then looked to Sun Quan, who appeared to be pleased beyond words as well.
Lu Meng then released the pirate and asked, "How have you returned? What happened out there?"
Gan Ning nodded but said, "Later."
Puzzled, Lu Meng furrowed his brow and looked to Sun Quan. Sun Quan said, "Lu Meng, an emmisary from Wei wishes to speak with us."
At that moment, Lu Meng noticed the third presence in the room. Upon being addressed, he stepped forward and bowed low.
"I come to you as the ears and tongue of the Prime Minister Cao Cao, who first and foremost wishes to express his deep respect for your capable leadership and the bravery of your officers. Though he regrets that his realm remains in such great disunity, the Prime Minister, on behalf of the Emperor, requests your invaluable assistance in mending our domain. In particular, he wishes to see the mighty Guan Yu expelled from his hold of Fan Castle immediately, and his egregious crime punished."
The Wu representatives paused to process the request, and it was Lu Meng that responded first: "Fan Castle? Cao Ren no longer occupies it?"
"Indeed," the emissary replied. "The castle was seized when Guan Yu, with the help of his son Guan Ping, altered the river flow and quite literally flushed our men out. But Guan Yu's forces are few, with Wu's aid, we can surely retake the castle and prevent Liu Bei from gaining any more strength."
"Unbelievable," Lu Meng said. "So the diversion was not for us, it was for Wei."
The emissary, seeming momentarily confused by the statement, nonetheless continued, "The Prime Minister is as generous as he is forgiving. He proposes a truce in exchange for your help as well as your immediate withdrawl from He Fei. He is also willing to pardon you the murder of Yue Jin should you agree to the terms. I believe the safe delivery of your esteemed officer here--" he gestured toward Gan Ning, "--proves our good intentions."
Lu Meng tried not to reveal his surprise, mostly at the revealing of Yue Jin's demise. Sun Quan was subtle enough. Lu Meng briefly glanced over to Gan Ning, who was the only other to appear unaffected by the blame for Yue Jin's death.
"We understand," Sun Quan then said. "Thank you, emissary, but I wish to confer with my men before we accept the Prime Minister's proposal. In the meantime, please rest and enjoy a meal before you return to the Northland."
The emissary bowed politely and left the three alone.
"Enjoy a meal?" Gan Ning said as soon as the messenger was out of sight. "The best we ought to serve him is the bottom of my shoe on the back of his fancy-dancy threads. He wasn't nearly as condescending on the road, the snake-tongued bastard."
"Yet you cooperated with him?" Lu Meng asked rhetorically. "That's astoundingly out of character for you as well."
"Yeah, but he forced me to hitch a ride back here!" Gan Ning replied. "He put me in irons!"
Lu Meng chuckled and said, "Instead of putting you to death, I see. Our hospitality does not seem so much out of place."
Gan Ning rolled his eyes, saying, "Then with all due respect, I say he can roll up his proposal and ram it." He emphasized crudely with a pump of his fist. "To think Cao Cao lets him speak to us like we're his subjects!"
"That's politics," Lu Meng said. He then sighed. "I feel your irritation, but if what Cao Cao's emissary says is true, then we ought to give the proposal some serious thought. Guan Yu is like a mad dog, and cannot be left to rove as he pleases unchecked. And otherwise, we would be in for a long, bloody conflict if we were to ignore the proposal and press our front on He Fei. And with Liu Bei's designs also set on the region of Nan, we must act to check his power."
Gan Ning studied Lu Meng as if another head had sprouted on his shoulder, his ire bubbling in his veins. "First we go to war at the behest of Shu, and now we'll turn around and do the same for Wei? What are we, the Bitch of the Three Kingdoms?" Gan Ning retorted angrily.
"Enough," Sun Quan said. "I don't enjoy bending to the desires of our rivals either, Gan Ning, but surely you can appreciate the benefit of our cooperation here. The enemy of our enemies is our friend, at least for the time being."
"Benefit? Try convincing Ling Tong of that, if he ever wakes up!" Gan Ning said.
Lu Meng stepped in front of him, and caused Gan Ning to shrink under his glare. "Remove yourself," Lu Meng ordered. Gan Ning looked up with disbelief and hostility. At this, Lu Meng calmly stated, "Clearly you are far too exhausted from your ordeal to participate in these matters with any semblance of objectivity. Advisors who cannot remain objective are not needed. You are dismissed."
Gan Ning huffed, digesting the reprimand as if it were a jagged stone. He opted not to speak another word, and to instead let his inflamed aura convey his displeasure well enough. He regretted the saddened look that seized Sun Quan, but with relief he exited the tent, as if he had just found shelter from a rainstorm.
Though his pride would prevent him from admitting when he needed to blow off some steam, his anger was never something he thought much about until he had returned to Wan Castle. Though his body still felt battered and numb from battle, he could not rest. The more time that passed, the more anxious and troubled he became. The difficulty was the source who rested on silk sheets in Sun Quan's chamber.
"Fuck it," Gan Ning grumbled. He would go see Ling Tong. His senses barely registered the whoops and hollers of soldiers convinced they had seen a ghost pass through their camp.
