Hi, everyone! I've decided to quit ignoring this so-called "short story" I began and to update it instead! Considering it's only going to have seven chapters, I think it shouldn't have to be too hard to finish or to keep up with. Also, while it hasn't garnered the amount of reviews or popularity I'd initially hoped for, I do notice that several of my devoted readers have still been awaiting its updates, and for me, that's reason enough to continue writing! I hope this fanfic hasn't been completely forgotten about- it's actually been wonderful to write so far, since it really has been honing my creativity and imagery skills- whatever skills I have, of course!

Also, since this chapter is to be the mid-point of the story, I decided ever since I started publishing this story that I'd change the progression of the story up a bit.

So, to everyone who has been following this story and has been on the lookout for an update, here's Chapter 4!

Enjoy.

He ran a heavy, battle-callused hand across his eyes, struggling to keep them open as he dragged his weary feet into his tent. The half-healed scars on his wrists from desperately holding off swordsmen were burning into his skin, and the aching, freshly-bandaged arrow wound to his arm was being particularly bothersome tonight.

Still, he pulled back the three-legged stool to his wooden desk and, with a groan, slumped onto it, his broad shoulders sagging with fatigue from the evening's drills.

It seemed as if his entire body was throbbing with pain. He could barely register his surroundings: the desk, the faintly-burning oil-lamp, his armor and weapons piled together in a corner, the long, narrow bedroll on the side he simply wanted to drop right onto... But there was no way he was going to sleep without doing what he always did whenever he received those which he anticipated the most, those which were more precious to him than anything on the entire campsite. He'd made a promise, and he meant to keep it. And hs promise was to keep on delivering his tokens of love, and, come what may, read hers the very night that they arrived. No matter how bone-tired or beat-up he may feel.

He turned his eyes on the latest one right now, the tightly-bound scroll which was neatly secured, as always, with a pretty scarlet satin ribbon. He positioned his hands on either sides of it, a smile playing on his lips. The ribbon was her way of letting him know that this letter was from her, that he ought to save it for last. And save it for last he always did. She never failed to send them. They were always as punctual and delightful as she was herself. Perhaps she sent them out the day his gifts reached her, perhaps within hours of receiving them and reading them. A surge of love rushed to his heart, as he pictured his beloved, anxiously awaiting his return, counting off the days when he finally came back to her, when she would finally be able to fall asleep in his arms, looking forward to his letters and lilies as patiently as possible, as he knew she must be.

Now, he reached for the scroll, carefully pulled the ribbon free to stow it with the others in the special place he'd made for them, unrolled the parchment, and began to read.

My dear, Brave, Wonderful Sun Ce,

I write this letter, hoping with all my heart that it finds you in a better condition than you were in when your last one left you. Thank you so much for yet another exquisite lily, and more importantly, your sweet words of love, Ce. I'll cherish them with the others until you return. I've decided to stop looking at things that used to please me until I know you're safe and back here with me. The world looks so dull and lifeless without you, my love. Everything I love just has less color, less life to it because you're not there to enjoy it with me. All I can do to comfort myself whenever it really hits me that you're not here is think really hard about when you finally will be. It's hard to do, but its enough to fill me with enough strength to keep hoping. I don't think about any other possibility, I don't let myself imagine that maybe, just maybe, you might not come back to me. Because I know my Ce, and I know my Ce wouldn't promise me he'd come back if he didn't think he could. And my darling, I know you're plenty strong enough to make it back, especially since you know you're going to return to the beautiful life we're going to have together.

Ce, my love, reading your last letter sent chills over my body and I could scarcely keep from shaking. What I would have done... How I would have taken it if anything had happened to you... Ce, it brings me to tears just thinking about it. I just can't face a world without you in it Ce, I don't want to, I don't want to think of it! Please, please, promise me you'll be more careful in the future. I know you do nothing but your best on the battlefield, but the thought of my simply staying here, helpless to you, and to the others as well, whiile you face dangers I can't even imagine, makes me worry to no end. I wish I could be more useful to you, Ce. You could have taken me with you, like I'd wanted. I could have helped you. I could have helped ensure none of you were hurt. And we'd never have had to be apart, I'd never have to cry myself to sleep most nights knowing I won't see you again for many more moons...

But there, I won't talk so. I know you don't like seeing me like this, or even hearing from me in this state. So darling, for your sake, I'm going to stop and instead tell of the things going on here. Shang Xiang's bearing up very well. She has as much faith in your victory as anyone could hope to have. She's even been grumbling about how she wished she could have accompanied all of you into battle, instead of letting Quan take all the glory as your support. But she stopped at once after remembering that the prime reason you left her behind was to provide company for Xiao and I. Xiao actually burst into tears when she learned of your predicament during the last few battles. She's been so worried for Yu, and has been showing it a good deal less than you'd expect her to, that I think the news finally took its toll on her. But she was reassured after Yu sent her enough letters to prove he'd recovered perfectly. Xun's been so perfect at helping us all bear up. He makes me see the hopeful side of things, that if I've passed so many years in such a blink, then a matter of months will seem like nothing to me. But I don't think any wait could feel longer than waiting to be back in your warm, strong, protective embrace, Ce. I know it couldn't.

Ce, I want to take you back to a night of deep uncertainty, very much like these nights have been. You know which night I'm referring to, don't you darling? I think it was just about the happiest night of my life. You made me feel like a princess that night, just by the way you looked at me, the way you touched me, the things you said. I'm so grateful that it happened the way it did. I'm so glad that I'd made up my mind to do what I'd done, which led to you making me happier than any person has ever made me. And I'm never going to forget it as long as I live. I'm going to cherish the memory forever, and play it back over and over until you've returned, and we can make more that are just as sweet, just as fulfilling. It's one of the things that gives me strength, this memory, it gives me the faith and the courage enough to believe that you'll return, victorious, before long. I wonder where we would be if it wasn't for that night. No doubt Xiao and I would have been sent home. And I don't want to think about whether or not you would be sending my beautiful lilies to someone else!

I'll never forget how I was just so restless that night. I couldn't sleep at all, try as I might. All I could do was toss and turn, and worry, and frown, and be nervous and anxious. I'd done some thinking, you see, about this war. I thought about the past few months I'd spent at Jian Ye Palace, and how quickly they'd seemed to fly by. A dreadful thought had seized me, Ce. What if the war went away, and so did we? I didn't want to think about it. But I couldn't help it. I'd grown so attached to you Ce, so quickly and suddenly, that the thought of parting from you repulsed me. I'd been falling in love with you, I knew I had been. It was the easiest thing I've ever done- how could I not have, Ce? I was destined to. There was no way I was walking away from meeting you without it happening. I loved you, love you all too dearly. Loved you too much to let you go. And I knew you'd never love me. Not only was I not of royal blood, you were you. The most wonderful person I'd come across. Surely you'd treated me with kindness and respect because that was the way you were. I couldn't hope for anything else. And the mere idea of you being with anybody else was enough to drive me to tears. Suddenly, I couldn't bear to stay in the same place. I had to go outside and think, and I knew exactly where I needed to go. Little did I know what was soon to follow as I hurried towards my spot...

Flashback:-

It was nighttime.

It was silent. It was still.

So was every last person inside Jian Ye Palace as they prepared to sink into their usual sleep patterns, untroubled by the fact a menacing war was brewing right outside of their borders, or that at any moment, it could spread to within the lands which kept them safe.

Or rather, every last person, save perhaps one.

Just one.

For amid the serene, sedative atmosphere that was being generated and absorbed by the inhabitants of the palace, there was someone who was not experiencing the peace of mind he so rightfully deserved.

Sun Ce was restless tonight. Nothing he did enabled him to shake off the qualms, the emotions, the worries that had been plaguing his mind all day long.

He stretched out his legs to their fullest extent as he half-sat, half-lay in his armchair, his head turned to the window, his brow furrowed. His arms were on either side of him, supported by sizable , cushioned armrests, and his feet, sore from the day's rounds and from attending several conferences at court, were limp upon a heavily padded velvet pillow.

Still, Ce felt far from relaxed. He couldn't bring himself to indulge in sleep, or rest of any sort, not as long as he could still remember what he'd learned today- that he had to make a highly vital decision, one that could either potentially destabilize Wu, or solidify its power and legitimacy.

The Kingdom of Wei had injured, and even killed, a great number of Wu civilians close to the border the two kingdoms shared during an internal skirmish a few days ago. The whole of Eastern Wu was enraged. Many of the peasantry began screaming for all-out war with Wei, with whom Wu had already been undergoing some hostility over political matters. As Emperor of Wu, Ce could hardly ignore his people's protests, not least of all because he knew all too well how they felt. The families of the peasants who had been killed were now orphaned, or widowed, or bereft of sons and daughters; in a few cases all three.

Despite already seeing to it that the mourning households had been compensated most generously, and the injured had been provided with ample medical care, Ce knew it could never be enough. He was still obliged and expected to take some sort of political action, whether it meant sending an ambassador to negotiate some sort of territorial restraining order with Wei, or declaring war upon Wei as per consequence for its heinous actions.

Ce exhaled heavily, letting his head drop back, and shut his eyes, casting out his mind in hopes that it would find something, somewhere in its recesses, to put him at ease with.

Almost immediately, and with no surprise from him, it landed on Da Qiao.

Her face, which had become so familiar to him now, was conjured up before his mind's eye at once.

For the life of him, Ce didn't know how he managed it so effortlessly, but he smiled. His only explanation was that, whether present or not, Da was always able to have that impact on him.

He opened his eyes. Yes, he could still picture her as clear as day. Beautiful, beaming, slightly blushing, and always, always, just a little bit bashful.

Ce sighed, and this time it was not heavy or anxiety-ridden as the first time he'd done it. This time it was... it was... wistful. Full of... longing. His heart was craving something. No, someone. Ce knew all to well, and for far too long just who it was.

He lifted his arm and brought his hand to his temples, lightly resting his head on his knuckles.

He would have been able to go on thinking of her for hours, even until he feel asleep, where he could see her in his dreams. Only now that so many concerns had emerged surrounding his lands, he could no longer think of Da without having a dark cloud looming over his head.

Were he to declare war upon Wei, which his officials recommended since this would give him a chance to expand Wu's empire as well avenge the rights of his people, Jian Ye Palace would at once become a target of the enemy's. It could not stay a safe enough haven for Da and Xiao Qiao to stay, carefree and with the most protection they could be offered. Ce would have to send them back.

He would have to send Da back.

Ce cursed under his breath as he rose to his feet in agitation.

Calling it unfair was a gross understatement. It had only been three months, hardly three months at all. Why did this have to happen now? Why couldn't he have had more time with her, at the very least? It wasn't fair, having to send her back. It was one of the last things he wanted to do, after only three months.

Ce leaned against his window frame, dimly gazing at the beauty of the moonlit gardens before him. He shut his eyes once more and took a deep breath. He could almost hear her sweet, lilting laughter.

Da...

He was in love with her, he knew. He'd known for a while now, just how much she'd grown to mean to him. He knew all too well how much he was loathe to part her from his side.

But he had no other choice! Declaring war meant that he himself, along with most of his top comrades-in-arms would have to ride into battle. And who would protect Da then? Yes, there were still palace guards and the like, and he could probably leave behind a capable officer or two. But there was no one other than himself to whom he could fully entrust Da's safety. He was now able to understand how difficult it must have been for Qiao Xuan to give up his daughters to a stranger. Albeit the stranger was his emperor, but Ce knew that even the protection provided by an one of his standing could never be enough to reassure a father completely.

And now, Ce had no choice but to have them return home, where, for once, they may be safer than they were at the palace.

But the idea that Da might find another upon returning home, the possibility that she would accept his proposal and find love with him was enough to crush Ce. He didn't think he'd be strong enough to let it happen. But why should he believe his feelings were even important to Da at all?

He had spent so little time with her, and was so unsure of letting her know how he felt, that he never did. She'd had no way of knowing about his love for her. He had never felt this way about anyone, that much was certain. She had touched his heart in a way no one ever had, and she did it without even meaning to. But he still held himself back, revealing the true extent of his feelings for her.

Yes, there had been several times where he was sure he caught Da gazing at him in a way that mirrored how he saw her in his heart. He could have sworn he'd made her inadvertently blush multiple times. He was positive that once, while and standing close by her, he could hear her heartbeat quicker when he let his hand brush against her smooth, delicate fingers.

He could see in her eyes, her large, radiant green eyes, how fond she was of him. She would always hold him in high esteem with the way she looked at him, and was warmer and friendlier towards him than she was with anybody else she'd met. But fondness, or warmth or friendliness wasn't enough for Ce to be able to confess his love. What if she didn't feel the same way at all? What if, by divulging his love, he embarrassed her? What if it made everything between them so awkward, she was unable to look him in the eyes again?

What is wrong with me?

Ce had never been cautious, or hesitant or even uncertain about anything before. Usually, when he wanted something, he attained it as easily as he could. But this was in no way the same. This was Da he was thinking about. The girl who was more special than anyone else he would ever know. A girl who wasn't a mere prize to be taken, or won.

And, as sheepish as Ce might have felt saying any of this out loud, the question in his mind remained: was he even good enough for Da? Sure, he may be emperor. Sure, he may be desired by half of all the eligible young women in Wu. Yes, he had earned a name for himself, he had proven to be a model young man in battle; a fair and beloved ruler, a dutiful son and brother. But somehow, to him, even all of his great achievements didn't seem worthy of someone like Da. Rather, they almost paled in comparison to her every aspect.

It was not her beauty. Many women were born beautiful. And although they didn't have the astonishing loveliness and charm that Da Qiao possessed, they could still certainly claim beauty. All had failed to make Ce bat an eye. But Da was more than that. Da never had to try to look beautiful, all she had to be was herself. And it was herself that Ce had fallen in love with. She was so gentle and kind of heart. Ce had never met anyone so understanding and patient, never known anyone as selfless or caring as she. She was gentle and demure, yet also had wit enough to keep up with someone as humorous as himself. She could be so funny, and whenever she opened up to people- which was seldom, if you didn't count Ce- her conversation was engrossing and her intellect impressive. She could make him listen, make him laugh, make him love. But above all, Ce could never stop thinking about how sweet she was to him, how she was never too busy to entertain him, and how she never failed to enjoy his company. It flattered him beyond words, and warmed his heart.

Yes, Da was as close to perfect as anyone he could hope to meet. She surely deserved better than him. He felt this way knowing that he was no second-rate prize to settle for either.

Of course, his feelings for her would mean nothing if he was sure that Da would be happy without him. He would willingly step aside if he had an inkling that he would not be able to give her everything she deserved.

And yet... there was one thing he would always, always believe, and it was this: that no one could love Da as much as he did.

No one could give her more than he was willing to, no one could make her happier than he could. No one could wake up realizing that they were with her, that they were loved by her, with more joy, more gratitude, more relief.

There was so much, so much that Ce wished he could do to prove it to her.

That lovely smile of hers... Ce wanted to be the one to make it appear on her breathtaking face as many times in a day as possible. He wanted her to grace him, and only him, with that sincere, adoring gaze she'd worn while staring at him a few times. He wanted to hear her sweet laughter, hear her whisper that she was his and nobody else's.

Ce wanted to hold her high above his head and promise her the world, promise her a lifetime of happiness, promise her, and only her, every bit of his love and himself. He wanted to be the one she waited for every night, the one she would look for after the daily court, the one in whose arms she awakened every morning.

He wanted, more than anything, for Da to tell him she loved him. If it were only for a second, it was what he wanted.

Ce sighed again, this time in defeat.

It was of no use. His priority was to protect her, not to fall in love with her. Besides, Da could probably inspire love in anyone she wanted- anyone. She was in no way obliged to pick him. And maybe she even had someone waiting for her when the war was over. Maybe it wasn't Ce's business to love her at all, he realized, his throat tightening with distaste at this possibility.

That settled things. They were to be taken home by the end of the week, no later. No doubt this would not sit well with Zhou Yu as Ce knew he'd become very taken with the younger Qiao sister himself, but Yu would easily understand that this was the best option they had for the Qiaos' safety, and would know better than to quarrel.

His mind made up, it was time for Ce to get some much-needed rest.

He was just about to turn away from the window, when a slight, progressing movement caught his eye, freezing him to the spot.

A lone figure was slowly but steadily making its way across the meadows. All of Ce's senses grew alert. His eyes widened to their fullest extent, and his nostrils flared in alarm as he tried to discern the intruder. Who could it be? Within the few frantic seconds of what he'd just witnessed, the most obvious conclusion jumped to his mind. An enemy? A spy, perhaps? An assassin from Wei?

But that was impossible, for the person was walking away from the palace, implying that they had snuck out, rather than looking as though they were trying to creep in.

Ce let himself relax, and drew in a breath of relief. So it wasn't a would-be killer, thank heavens.

Yet all still didn't seem to be well. Why would someone be walking out of Jian Ye Palace, at such late an hour at all? Ce peered out more carefully, squinting in an attempt to make them out...

His eyes grew even wider than their fullest extent when he realized who it was.

Sun Ce moved cautiously, little by little, towards the familiar, enormous cherry-blossom tree Da Qiao was standing under.

Her back was turned to him, and her head trained up towards the tree's branches, staring. She was completely oblivious of his presence.

He didn't wish to scare or startle her by appearing suddenly, from out of nowhere. He merely wanted to warn her against staying out alone at night, later explaining why it was no longer safe. And to escort her back into her room.

Well. Also to figure out why she'd wandered outside in the first place.

As he neared her, Ce couldn't help but note how lovely the cherry-blossom tree looked tonight. Everything was more or less dark, but somehow, the tree was framed against the night sky, appearing colorful enough to him. It was remarkable, how its petals were still a soft, luminescent pink, almost as though they were gleaming within their dark surroundings as they gently floated to the ground.

He was close enough now to reach out and touch her shoulder now, but he decided against it. Da seemed too transfixed by the tree for him to have the heart to be so intrusive.

Instead, he spoke.

"Da?" he said softly.

As he expected, Da gave a start and whipped around at once, her hand on her heart.

Ce saw that her hair was down, and hung in a perfect, glossy black cape around her elbows. It occurred to him that he'd never seen her with her hair down before. H thought she looked even more beautiful this way. Ravishing, in fact.

She was breathing slightly heavily due to the surprise of being caught, and her face revealed how much he had stunned her.

"Ce," she breathed. Her eyes flitted from his face to his hands to the ground to the sides. Her fingers began twisting together, and from the light of the moon, Ce could see the tint of embarrassed pink of her cheeks.

It seemed quite likely that Ce was the one person she'd desperately been hoping wouldn't be the one to find her.

"You startled me," she said at last, looking up at him bravely.

Ce smiled at her.

"The one thing I was trying not to do. Clumsy me, huh?"

Da managed a smile of her own, then turned her eyes to the ground immediately, silent once more.

Ce peered at her.

"Is there something wrong, Da? Any reason why you're out here so late?"

She shook her head silently, still not making eye contact. When he didn't respond, she understood that she hadn't explained herself enough.

"I just... wanted to come out and look at the tree. I don't know why, really... I just felt it would make me feel better."

"This tree?" Ce inquired in surprise, gazing up at it himself. "Why?" he asked out of genuine curiosity.

Da smiled broadly, which gently touched the tips of her face.

" Well. It's just so beautiful. Isn't it?"

She raised her head back towards it adoringly, lifting her hands in the air to catch some of the falling petals.

"Sure is," Ce murmured, watching the person he found more beautiful than anyone or anything he'd ever laid eyes upon.

"What were you trying to feel better about, Da?" he asked softly, letting her know he hadn't missed her concerning remark.

Da looked back at him quickly, eyes wide in slight panic.

For a moment, Ce was sure she was going to refuse to tell him. But then-

Da sighed- a sigh not unlike the ones he'd emitted back in his room. She'd decided to tell him somehow- without him even pressuring her to let him know.

"I was just thinking... about this war," she began.

Ce nodded once, understanding. Of course she'd been worried about the war. What else would she be thinking of? She and Xiao had been away from home, from their father, for more than long enough now. Of course she was afraid for them. Of course she thought of how dangerous it was to stay, how badly she wanted to return home. It was perfectly understandable.

Ce would be a fool to hope that she'd been thinking of anything else.

"And I started wondering after a while... what happens when it's over... Ce?"

She turned her eyes on him beseechingly.

Ce blinked.

What?

"I'm not sure what you-"

"I mean... I know it'll be over sooner or later, everyone does. But... what's going to happen to me when it is? I... I'll be sent back home. Won't I?"

"Of course you will!" Ce answered at once. He had to do his best to reassure her. He couldn't possibly let her think anyone would keep her here against her will."What else would happen, Da? Don't be worried about things like that. I'd make sure you and Xiao went back, you know I would."

He did his best to reassure her. He couldn't possibly let her think anyone would keep her here against her will. Strangely, Da didn't seem as pleased as he thought she'd be at his words.

"I understand. It's just that... If that does happen, it means... that everything's going to go back to the way it was. As if the war had never happened."

She looked so miserable as she uttered those words, Ce was baffled. This was not how he'd expected she would react.

"Da," he began gently, trying to talk reason into her, "isn't that a good thing, Da?"

"I don't want to go back home as if nothing's changed!" Da blurted out suddenly, loud enough for several excessive petals to slip off the tree. "I don't want everything to be over and done with and... and- forgotten-!"

She stopped mid-sentence, as though preventing herself from saying anymore just in time, and pressed her mouth shut tightly. Her throat trembled unpleasantly, implying that she was having a difficult time controlling her words from escaping her lips. The redness of her face increased slightly, and she wrenched her gaze away from Ce and towards the ground once again.

Ce could barely grasp the incomprehensibility of the situation. Why was Da behaving this way? This certainly wasn't how he'd always thought she felt. What didn't she want to change? What didn't she so desperately want to be forgotten?

"Da-"

"I'm just... afraid."

It was said in a whisper, barely loud enough for him to hear, with no eye contact being made. But it was still divulged. A small, slight plea for help, for understanding. And it was divulged to him.

"Why should you be afraid, sweetheart?"

To his surprise, Da snapped her head back up, looking at him with anguish in her eyes.

"You see?"

Ce was taken aback. He'd never before heard her sound more strained, more sorrowful. What had he said?

"You see? That's exactly the point! What if I did go back home, and then everyone went back to how their lives used to be? What if it became like you never knew me? What if you went on to meet someone else who needed protection, or even someone who didn't? What is you started spending time with her? Making her happy? Calling her sweetheart? What if you-"

She was cut off by her own sudden sob. She clapped a hand to her mouth, trying to stifle it, to steady herself.

As Ce stood rooted to the spot, robbed of his speech at her admission, she cleared her throat with some difficulty, bravely lifted her head to meet his eyes, and continued.

"What if you fall in love with her?"

Da's words were this time clearer than ever, but no one could have missed the underlying sorrow of her voice. It wasn't even worth her attempting to hide it. She looked him straight in the eyes when she uttered her next words.

"Forget me?"

Her voice was now shaking with suppressed emotion.

"I couldn't bear it."

She cast her eyes back down, shutting them, and sighed in resignation, defeat, wistfulness. Ce hadn't spoken a word to her. He hadn't even made an attempt to calm her, or even made a sound. It seemed only to clear to Da that this was over.

"I'm sorry," she whispered shakily. "I had no right to say any of this. I didn't mean to- to embarrass you, or... offend you. Please forgive me."

She received no response. Somehow, she dared to flick her eyes up at him, timidly.

He was watching her with an unfathomable expression- almost no expression. All he did was keep his silver, almond shaped eyes on her, never leaving her face.

The sight of Ce watching her with such intensity, but with nothing to say to her, filled Da with fear and regret. Ce saw it spread across her face immediately, making it quiver, and making her eyes water.

"Oh, I've been such a fool," she cried, unable to control her quaking voice. "I should have known this would happen. I never should have said anything. Now I've ruined our friendship. I've just made everything worse!"

She stopped herself short, trying to calm down. Facing downward and holding herself, she took several deep breaths, still struggling not to cry. Finally, she faced him again, now appearing more composed.

"I hope you can forgive me someday. Ce, I'm so desperately sorry."

With her hand covering her mouth to keep from saying any more, Da looked away and moved forward, as though to walk past him and back into the palace.

She was stopped in her tracks by Ce gently placing his hand on her shoulder.

Da turned her eyes back to him at once in surprise, her face both confused and questioning.

"I love you."

The confusion in her eyes instantly gave way to astonishment. Nothing could have prepared her to hear those words from him, absolutely nothing.

For a moment, no one and nothing made a sound.

All was silent. All was still.

Not even the chirping of crickets could be heard.

All that happened was that Ce stared at Da, and Da stared at Ce with unblinking eyes.

Then, even as Ce's hand was on her shoulder, he could feel Da's heartbeat returning, rapidly and loudly. Blood rushed to her face, making her cheeks flare a brighter crimson than ever before. Her beautiful, starry green eyes were wide and amazed. Her breath came back in heavy intakes.

"What?" she breathed finally, her eyes never leaving his face. "What did you say?"

Ce carefully took hold of her other shoulder and turned her towards him to face her completely before he spoke.

He had been astounded while listening to her confession. All his previous thoughts, doubts and qualms about letting her know how he felt about her... at first they had all been resurfacing as she spoke... and then, little by little, they ebbed away to nothingness. Then, he knew. He knew there was only one thing he could do. Only one thing he wanted to do. And that if he didn't do it now, he never would. And at last, he realized, that he never needed to prove anything to Da. There had never been anything for him to fear. All he'd had to do, was feel the way he felt, and be the way he was. He realized it perhaps a little late, but not late enough to lose the one he cared for more than anything in the world. Not late enough to put things right, to give both of them what they craved.

He bent his head forward slightly to look her in the eyes.

"I love you, Da. I've always loved you. There's never been, and never could be anyone else but you. You're not the one who should be sorry, I am; because I should have told you the moment I realized it, but I didn't know what I know now. There's nothing clearer in my life than what I wish and feel for you. I'm in love with you, Da, and I don't plan on losing you to anything, or to anyone. No one can take you away from me except for you, because... I love you."

Da's lips were trembling the whole while Ce spoke, and she was blushing harder by the second. Her eyes were rapidly filling with tears, but she blinked them away as quickly as she could before they spilled.

"You... do?" she whispered in semi-disbelief, unable to disguise the utter joy contained in her voice.

"Of course I do. How couldn't I? You're the sweetest, most wonderful person I've ever met, Da. You're loving, and kind, and clever, and funny... No one understands me the way you do. No one speaks to me the way you do, no one smiles or looks at me the way you do. I've never felt happier or more appreciated around anyone else. You've given me all your trust and all your time, and have never thought to ask me for anything, despite knowing that I'd walk the world to find you a blade of grass you wanted. Nobody could be more selfless or considerate. There's nobody in the world who's anything like you. It was just waiting to happen. I was bound to fall in love with you, Da, I was destined to. And now... Now I do."

Da laughed jerkily, shaking with elation and surprise at his words, and still attempting to keep from crying.

"Oh, Ce," she managed to say, supporting herself with his arms, "I... I wish I'd known this sooner. We could have spent so much more time... I could have acted with you the way you wanted. The way that I wanted. We needn't have had to keep it all bottled up inside... and now... I don't know how much more time we'll have. Now I'll have to leave and-

She looked up at him, torn.

"And I'll never see you again."

Her lips quivered again, and her shoulders shook violently under his hands. A sob was successful in betraying her. She fought against giving into it.

"Ssh, Da," Ce said softly, giving her shoulders a gentle, calming squeeze. "You don't have to worry about that. Because Da, there's something I've... something I've been meaning to ask you."

Da looked up at him, half-curiously, half-sorrowfully.

"Anything."

Ce waited for a moment, as he surveyed her, his eyes warm and intense, his entire form radiating love and protection for her. He raised one of his hands from her shoulder and tenderly caressed her face; her smooth, soft, blushing face. He let his thumb lovingly trace circles over her cheek, inwardly rejoicing when she shut her eyes and dreamily leaned in to his touch. She reached up and gently placed her hand upon his wrist.

The sight of her, standing right under his nose so serenely and trustingly with petals in her hair, allowing him to stroke her face so intimately and blushing harder, inspired more love in him than even he'd bargained for. Her gorgeous, radiant face was made all the more irresistible with the gentle expression she wore, her large melting eyes, beautiful even when closed, made him want to do nothing but fill them with happiness, see them look upon him with love.

"Da," he whispered, his voice overwhelmed with emotion for her.

She half-opened her eyes questioningly, a sweet, faraway look on her face.

Without him even realizing it, Ce's other hand moved from resting on her shoulder, to encircling her waist. Instead of pulling away, as he feared she would do, Da molded her body into his arm, letting him draw her to him.

He lowered his face to hers. She continued gazing at him softly, shyly, unsuspecting of what was to come.

Ce leaned into Da and kissed her.

It was unbelievable. Da's lips parted at first in a gasp, then gave in to his kiss so quickly, it was as though she'd been wanting this, that she'd been waiting for it. Ce was lost, lost in the sweet taste of her, in the softness of her lips, in the eagerness of her response, surpassed only by his. He inhaled her fragrance, her very essence, the flowery hint of her skin, letting her scent intoxicate him. He pulled her up against his body, and her arms wrapped themselves around his neck, pressing herself closer to him as his hand slid down her waist, another sifting through her long, silken hair. Her hand found its way to his chest to feel his heartbeat quickening, which caused her to smile against his lips with pleasure. His eyes were shut, he wanted to take her into all of his remaining senses. He wasn't tasting, touching, smelling or hearing anything that wasn't Da, and that suited him perfectly. Da was his, and he was hers, and there was nothing and nobody who could pry them apart. He enclosed his arms around her waist as he kissed her some more, letting her know that he loved her, that he wanted her, that he intended to keep her forever...

It could have been seconds or minutes later that Ce returned to his senses, and wrenched himself apart from her. Both of them gasped for air, almost panting. Da was holding onto his arms for support, looking up at him in wonder, clearly surprised at how the two of them lost control. But what she most most affected by was... his kiss itself. That it could have given her so much pleasure. That he could have opened her up so easily, that he could have made her want him so much. It was shocking, and eye-opening, and even thrilling and delightful, but all Da could think of was-

She reached up and lightly touched her lips to her fingers.

Oh, the kiss...

There was nothing Ce needed to know for what he was about to do next. All he needed was standing right here, under the cherry blossom tree.

Da barely had time to recover from their passionate, drawn-out moment, when Ce took a purposeful step towards her, causing her to have to lightly rest her back against the tree, and stared her straight in the eyes.

"Will you marry me?"

Da's mouth fell open.

The clearing was robbed of sound once more. All she could do was stare at him, hardly daring to believe her ears. He was still there, waiting for an answer, his face shining with a hard determination. Silently, both her hands reached up to cover her face, save for her eyes, which were rapidly flooding with tears.

And this time, she didn't bother to stop them. This time, she really did cry. At last, her face crumpled, and the tears she'd never shed before him, the tears been fighting back for so long broke free, and poured down her face unrestrained. Da sobbed without hesitation, as she did her best to collect herself.

"You can't mean it," she gasped between sobs, her eyes fixed on his face. "I could never be good enough. I don't deserve you, I'm all wrong for you. You're so brave- and strong- and kind, and generous- and handsome... You care about everyone, you're always there when people need you. There's nothing you can't do. Because of you, people can laugh even when they're sad... You could make any old decrepit woman feel special. You could have anyone you wanted, anyone, Ce-"

Ce gently placed his fingers over her lips, quieting her.

"Do you love me?"

The question threw her off-guard, as though she'd been expecting something much more complicated, something much more difficult than answering a question.

But her body ceased to shake. Her sobs slowly ebbed away and her brow cleared as she realized where this was going. Color returned to her face, and her look of fear and sorrow was replaced with one of such adoration, such surprise mingled with gratitude, it could take anyone's breath away.

"Oh, Ce," she breathed, looking as though she wanted to kiss him again, and this time, never let him go.

"Do you, my love?"

Her face broke into a smile, filled with such bliss and sweetness and shyness as never before.

"Yes," she whispered. "Yes, I do."

A wave of emotion swept over Ce, engulfing him in delight, overwhelming him happiness.

He took Da's smooth hands in his, lacing their fingers, and drew her nearer so that their foreheads were touching.

"Say that again," he ordered urgently, his voice constricted, watching her, not wanting to miss a moment of this.

Da beamed, her eyes filling with happy tears once more. Reaching up, she took Ce's face in both her hands before she uttered the words that were truer than any fact she'd come to know, the words she cherished beyond any other feeling she had.

"I love you, Ce."

"Again."

"Ce, I love you."

"Again!"

"I love you, I love you, I love you-"

She sang the words repeatedly as Ce, inwardly praising the heavens for his amazing fortune, brushed kisses against her cheek, against her neck, her forehead and came down on her mouth once more, which she received all too happily, letting him pour out all his emotions into the kiss one more time.

When he had finished thanking her, he took her in his arms and surveyed her, a mischievous gleam in his eye.

"So," he said, flashing her his trademark smile, and making her heart flutter madly in her chest.

"Whaddaya say, sweetheart?"

Da blushed from her throat to the roots of her hair. She shut her eyes for a brief second, allowing herself just one moment of internal squeals of joyfulness and ecstasy as she savored what he was asking of her. Her big, ecstatic smile never left her face. She took a deep breath, opened her eyes, and met Ce's silver, intense gaze fully.

"Yes!"

It was a shout, loud enough to cause nearby birds to take flight, showering the couple in heaps of cherry blossoms as Da flung herself into Ce's arms, giving them the congratulations anyone would love to have.

Ce scooped up his bride-to-be, his ears ringing with happiness and his heart pounding elatedly, and with one final kiss to seal the deal, he loped back towards Jian Ye Palace, whirling her around with their delighted laughter ringing out across the sky.

You made me the happiest girl, the happiest woman in the world that night, Ce. When you carried me back into the palace and brought me back into the room for the night, I didn't want you to leave. I wanted to hold onto your arm after you tucked me in. I was trying to summon up my courage, and be brave enough to ask you to stay with me all night. I just never wanted your arms to leave me, ever. I wanted to live in them always. But maybe it was better that I was too shy to do it. Because when you finally left, after you kissed me good night, and whispered that you loved me, Ce, I lay in bed for a little while, trying and failing to fall asleep. And then, I climbed out and walked towards the windows, opening them and stepping onto the balcony. I gazed out at the moon, unable to hide my smile of joy, making no attempt to stem the flow of happy tears leaving my eyes. I was so grateful for the night, so overjoyed. So in love. I began to dance around the balcony, all by myself, knowing there was no one to watch and disturb my delight. I danced and danced, laughing and crying, trying to imagine how it would feel being your bride- your bride! The thought of being married to you filled me with such ecstasy, such happiness, I opened my mouth to cry out into the sky with joy- until I heard an equally loud whoop of laughter coming from a balcony several floors above me. The whoop of laughter from a man in love.

I love you, Ce. For now and forever.

Yours and yours alone,

Da Qiao.

Ce remained holding the letter for a long time after reading it, a smile of nostalgia on his face. How Da could surprise him, even after he was certain he'd learned everything he needed to know about her. It just went to show that Ce could always count on learning something from his would-be wife, and how he adored her for it.

But he knew he would have to retire to bed in just a few hours if he was to lead an army tomorrow. Already, the light of his oil-lamp was dimming,signaling that his time was running out. He had to write his reply to his love as soon as possible if she was to receive it in time. His smile never leaving his face, Ce reached for a scroll of parchment, retrieved his quill, and began to write.

Well, since this IS the midpoint of the story, that was the longest chapter yet! I do hope it was worth the read. Please do remember to review and tell me what you think! Also, I'm curious to know what your guesses for any of the upcoming chapters are. I hope that none of you saw this chapter as being written from Sun Ce's POV! I decided to do this since I feel we've crossed a certain landmark with this fanfic, and felt you needed a little surprise heheheh. I want to see if any of you have firgured out what I plan to do with this story next!

So, please drop in your reviews, and see you with the next update!