Early next morning Xiao dragged Da forgetting to take anything with them and only having cloaks on without any foot ware Da really wanted Xiao to think this through, her voice could be anywhere.
Da took deep breaths they had only been walking for no more than ten minutes in which direction she had no idea, she wasn't used to walking at all more than thirty seconds she was ready to give up now she felt like collapsing, she wasn't athletic like her sister who seemed to be running on some kind of adrenalin.
Da stopped before falling back onto the grass, they where in a grassy area with trees scattered around making it hard to see the sky.
The two of them now knew why people wore shoes, because every time they walked on a twig or a broken branch it cut them as Da observed her bleeding foot.
Xiao turned round to her "Sis?"
Da shook her head with deep breaths.
Xiao nodded determined "Okay, you wait here while I go see where the town is"
Da eyes widened in fear as she raised her head abruptly to stop her but it was too late Xiao was already bouncing off.
Da sighed she was too tired to go after her. She knew without Xiao she would get lost not that she wasn't already but now she was alone. She wanted her mother and father, she had only been gone for a few minutes and she was already homesick probably because she hadn't see them in such a long time. She didn't think this was worth it just to find her voice.
She looked around as she caught her breath she stood up and walked slowly in the direction her sister had gone in.
A while later Sun Jian was with his three sons and his daughter in the same forest as the two Qiao's hiding behind a fallen tree.
"Now concentrate Quan" he told his second oldest son seriously
Quan was aiming a bow and arrow trying to get a kill, he sighed frustrated if Ce his eldest brother could do it he would to but it would help if there was something to shoot at.
"At what?" asked Quan annoyed
Ce and his sister Shang Xiang laughed at him.
Quan dropped his bow and arrow to his side to glare at them "Stop it!"
Ce stopped "You're concentrating to hard"
"And how would you know?" asked Quan
Ce shrugged "I've done it like a million times before"
Quan resisted the urge to growl "Is there anything you can't do?"
Ce shrugged "Who knows? Probably not"
"Quan the sooner you do this, the sooner we can all eat" reminded Jian
"I'm hungry" cried their younger brother Kuang
Quan put up the bow and arrow again concentrating as he looked around the area.
Ce and Jian stood either side of him.
"Now just forget everything" tried Ce
"Yeah don't think anything else but your failure" whispered Shang Xiang as she came up behind him amused
The concentration in Quan's face completely went.
Ce smirked and held in his laughter.
"Shang Xiang" said Jian sternly
"Sorry" replied Shang Xiang before walking away and sitting on the grass as she waited next to Kuang
Kuang came up behind Quan "Think of the things you're going to eat, with what you catch, all that nice food savouring it in your mouth"
Quan couldn't help but lick his lips at the thought as Ce looked between them with a smile and the fact that Lang was almost drooling.
There was a slight flicker of movement, as Quan smiled triumphantly "HAH!"
Ce flicked his eyes just in time to see the arrow being released.
The target went to the floor in surprise.
Quan not seeing what or if he had hit it grinned as the others looked at each other in confusion.
"Quan" Ce said urgently "You hit a person!"
Quan's face immediately fell "W-what?"
Ce jumped over the tree and ran for the person. He found them next to a tree where the arrow was.
He sighed in relief before looking down and seeing the girl.
His eyebrows rose slightly as he looked at her 'Damn she's beautiful'
He bent down a little "Hey are you alright?"
Da however didn't even notice him she was so scared, all she had saw was something come flying past her knocking her to the ground. She was taking deep breaths trying to calm herself but was frozen with fear. Tears were slowly coming down her cheeks as she concentrated on the grass in front of her.
Ce knelt down next to her "Are you hurt?" he asked
She didn't look it but he had to be sure. The others came up behind him.
"Quan you murderer!" cried Shang Xiang
Quan looked at Da with a blank face.
"Hey!" cried Jian to Shang Xiang before turning to Da "Miss are you alright?"
"Sis!" Da heard her sisters voice calling to her
Da's head turned slightly to the sound before managing to scramble up, and running for the first time as if they were murderers.
"Hey!" cried Ce to stop her
Da didn't even hear him before running to the sound of her sister.
"Quan, I actually feel sorry for you" said Shang Xiang as she laughed until she had watery eyes
She grabbed hold of her necklace as it started to glow and she screamed 'Xiao!'
"Sis!" called Xiao as she stood in a wide open area looking around everywhere.
She made a noise when she felt a pair of arms wrap round her tightly. She turned round as Da buried her face in her stomach crying softly.
"Sis?" asked Xiao alarmed "Don't worry, I promise we won't get separated again, where you lost?"
Da nodded slightly before taking hold of her necklace 'Someone tried to hit me'
Xiao immediately became stern "What?!"
Da nodded before looking up to Xiao scared.
"Are there a lot of them or just one?" asked Xiao weighing up her chances
Da shook her head not remembering.
Xiao looked at her sisters face "Let's just get out of here, if we see them again, I'll deal with them, I promise"
Da sniffed before standing up straight and shaking her head at Xiao telling it was too dangerous.
Xiao huffed "Well I'm not going to let them hurt you"
Da nodded at her taking hold of her necklace 'I'm not going to let you get hurt either so let's just go'
Xiao nodded reluctantly before the two instinctively went for each others hands as they stuck to each other like glue.
The Sun family started walking back to the palace after Quan's failure.
Ce patted him on the shoulder "Don't worry about it, it just wasn't your day"
Quan nodded looking at the ground "Right,"
"Was that girl hurt?" asked Kuang
Ce shrugged "I don't know, I guess she was to shaken up to talk"
Jian nodded "Poor girl, she probably go such a scare"
Quan groaned "Don't talk about it please"
They gave him a consoling smile before coming to two separate roads one which led to town and the other to the palace. Stood at the centre was a young man with long dark hair and blue eyes. He stood confidently and looked about the same age as Ce.
"How was it?" he asked his voice smooth and poised
Ce rubbed the back of his neck "Alright"
"It was a disaster" replied Quan truthfully
"Yeah, Quan almost killed some one" replied Shang Xiang as she put a hand on Quan's shoulder
The mans eyes widened slightly "Then I'm sorry for you but you know you could have actually hurt them"
Quan took little comfort in that "I want to go home"
Ce looked at the road to town "I'll be there in a while"
"Right" cried Quan before walking off in the direction of the palace.
"Don't be to late" warned Jian before walking followed by Kuang
"Need any company?" asked Shang Xiang
Ce shrugged "Why not? You coming?"
The man named Zhou Yu nodded before the three of them walked into town.
"Why do you want to come into town anyway?" asked Yu
Ce shrugged "Just didn't want to go home"
"You know I actually feel sorry for Quan, he was unlucky" cried Shang Xiang
Yu nodded "I don't see why all of you make such a big deal about it"
"It's a tradition" replied Ce simply
"Yeah Brother did it when he was eight Quan can't do it at seventeen" mused Shang Xiang
"You were putting him off" defended Ce
Shang Xiang shrugged "He shouldn't have listened to me then"
They came to the gates of town where the guards who upon seeing who it was bowed their respect and opened the gate quickly.
Da and Xiao walked round town and where now in a shop as Xiao looked at all the ribbon they were selling in confusion.
Da held her necklace 'We should find somewhere to stay'
Xiao nodded "Yeah, better than staying in this place, how can you wear that?"
Xiao looked around "Okay, stay here a minute while I go and ask"
Before Da could object Xiao had walked off leaving Da to sigh silently, she really disliked being on her own.
Shang Xiang, Ce and Yu walked into the shop for Shang Xiang.
Shang Xiang had short brown hair with green eyes and was a tomboy, who didn't like what normal girls liked. She liked to fight and prove she was as good as any man. While Ce had long chestnut hair tied into a ponytail with red ribbon while the rest framed his face with a goatee. He was considered abnormally strong, handsome and cheerful, he always managed to draw people to him. Yu on the other hand was also considered extremely handsome and confident. He was the strategist for Wu.
"There's that girl Quan shot at" cried Shang Xiang
Ce and Yu looked at Da who was keeping her head down with uneasiness.
Shang Xiang was already walking up to her.
"Hey!" cried Shang Xiang behind her
Da didn't do anything she didn't know anyone why would they be talking to her?
Shang Xiang looked at the back of her head "Excuse me" she said getting impatient
Da turned her head slowly when she found Shang Xiang looking at her she turned to face her with a blank face.
"Thank you" Shang Xiang said impatiently
Ce and Yu came up behind.
"This is the one Quan shot at right?" asked Shang Xiang making sure
"Yeah, are you alright?" asked Ce
Da didn't do anything though his voice did sound familiar.
"Excuse me, he asked you a question" cried Shang Xiang
Da didn't know what to do, how do you tell someone you can't talk? And she was pretty sure the girl was glaring at them.
Shang Xiang looked at the girl her dress was alright but she didn't have any shoes.
"Where are your shoes?" asked Shang Xiang looking at her feet
Da looked down slightly they all had shoes on, she shifted from one foot to the other, her feet were covered in dirt from the forest and in cuts.
"Are you going to answer us?" asked Shang Xiang
But she couldn't.
"Shang Xiang, she's been through a lot today, be a little nicer" said Ce quietly
Da was glad when Xiao came running back up to her.
"Sorry Sis but I couldn't find anywhere they kept saying something about money" cried Xiao
Da turned to her looking nervous.
"What's wrong?" asked Xiao
Da looked to them slightly.
"We were apologising and she wouldn't even say a word back to us" cried Shang Xiang offended
Xiao looked at them before looking at Da "Why were they apologising?"
Da looked down and then it hit Xiao. She turned to them with a stern face.
"You're the ones that shot at my sister! Which one of you was it?!!" she accused giving them each a glare
"It wasn't us, it was out brother" replied Shang Xiang
"Yeah, we are sorry about it though he didn't mean to hit you" added Ce
"Now the polite for her to say would be to say she accepts it" cried Shang Xiang looking at Da
Da looked uneasy and shook her head at them.
"But she can't" replied Xiao "Sis can't talk"
"Oh" said Shang Xiang "Okay, well then…."
"I think she's sorry for her behaviour" explained Yu for her
Xiao shrugged "Whatever"
She turned back to Da "I couldn't find anywhere to stay-"
"We can help" interrupted Ce
Xiao turned round to him "Excuse me"
"It's the least we can do, after what Quan did" he told them
Shang Xiang looked at him in confusion.
Ce rubbed the back of his head "Well, we can't just let people sleep on the streets now and Quan can say sorry"
Shang Xiang and Yu didn't know what to say as they waited for their response.
Da had a polite smile on her face waiting for Xiao to say something.
Xiao was having a battle with herself she didn't want to sleep on the streets but she didn't want them trying to hurt Da again.
"Oh well, I um…a…." she mumbled before looking at Da "Okay then, but if he even comes near Sis then!"
She left her sentence unfinished for dramatic pause.
"It's alright, he's harmless really" assured Ce
Xiao looked at them suspicious "You're not all freaks are you?"
An amused came from Ce and Yu.
"Nah, we're not like that" replied Ce
"Can we ask for your names?" asked Yu nicely
"Xiao and Da" replied Xiao
"Do you know who we are?" asked Shang Xiang she knew the answer everyone knew who they were they were the royal family
The two shook their heads surprising all of them.
"Really?" asked Ce surprised "Well then I'm Ce, Sun Ce"
"Sun Shang Xiang" she introduced
"Zhou Yu, it is a pleasure" said Zhou Yu smiling at them
"You're really gonna let us stay with you?" asked Xiao surprised
"Yeah, it's the least we can do after what happened" replied Ce
Xiao burst into a grin "Thanks Mister!"
"Let's go home then, if they're coming with us" cried Shang Xiang
Xiao took Da's hand determined they weren't going to get separated again.
"We're walking is that alright?" asked Shang Xiang
"We walked all the way here" she told her
Shang Xiang nodded taking it as a yes.
They walked out of the shop and started for the road back to the palace.
"Brother, are you sure about this? They're not the only ones who have no money" reasoned Shang Xiang making sure they couldn't hear
"Yeah, I know but they're a special case" Ce replied looking behind him and at them
"Why?" she asked "They don't even have shoes"
"Shouldn't you be charitable?" asked Yu
Shang Xiang shook her head "It's not I don't want to help, it's just a little strange letting people you don't know into your home"
"Scared huh?" teased Ce
Shang Xiang shook her head immediately "No! Oh well forget I said anything"
Ce looked him behind looking at the two Xiao was talking while Da had a smile on her face listening to her though it looked like she was in pain. It was then he noticed it was the gravel on the floor against her feet.
He stopped and waited for them to catch up.
"Do you need any help?" asked Ce
Da looked at him before nodding shyly causing him to smile. He gently picked her up in his arms causing her to let go of Xiao's hand.
When he looked down at her he saw a deep blush on her face and he smiled at her.
Xiao took hold of her necklace for the first time not wanting to say this out loud 'What about me?!'
Da couldn't say anything back to her before Ce gave a look to Yu to help Xiao which he did.
"May I?" he asked
Xiao nodded with a smile before getting on his back.
They started walking again with Shang Xiang a little ahead of them.
"So do you live round here?" asked Ce
Da nodded.
Ce thought for a moment he wanted to ask her questions but it was hard when all she could do was shook or nod her head.
Yu with Xiao on his back came up and started walking next to them.
"Don't the two of you have any family?" asked Yu
"Yeah, but um…you see we have something to do so we had to leave" replied Xiao
"Oh, well if you like we could at least give you some shoes it wouldn't hurt as much when you walk" cried Yu
Da and Xiao squinted their eyebrows at him.
"It's not like we don't have shoes, we just don't like them" explained Xiao
Yu and Ce looked confused.
"Why not?" asked Ce
"Well, they make our feet feel uncomfortable" replied Xiao
Ce and Yu nodded with amused expressions.
"Where do you live?" asked Xiao
"The palace" replied Yu as if it was common knowledge
Their eyes widened.
Da looked up to Ce and he looked down at her causing her to blush and look back down.
"How come you live at a palace?" asked Xiao
"Haven't you heard of the king? Sun Jian?" asked Yu
Xiao's mouth formed an 'O' shape "Oh, so are you two like brothers?"
"Kind of" replied Ce though this confused Xiao
When they arrived at the palace their eyes widened, it was ten times bigger than the one in Atlantica. It had large gardens all well kept obviously.
"This place is so…big, no wait bigger than big" cried Xiao while Da nodded in agreement
The two smiled at them before the servant in front of the door bowed their respect and opened it for them.
They set them down on the red carpet as they looked around.
Shang Xiang looked up the stairs "I wonder where Quan is"
The girls looked around, the place was beautiful before the stairs stood two statues of tigers, and red was the dominant colour.
"We'll show you your rooms first, if you like" offered Ce
Da turned to him with a smile and nodded.
"We want to be next to each other" cried Xiao
"Alright, this way then" said Ce as he motioned to the stairs
The two exchanged glances they had never been able to walk upstairs.
Ce and Yu walked behind while the two clung on to the sides and looked at each step. As if on que they fell with in a second of each other but were caught by the two men.
"You alright?" asked Ce
Da gave him a small nod before trying to stand but continuingly falling into Ce she had ever felt so embarrassed, she closed her eyes as she felt her face reddening.
Ce didn't mind though he gently picked her up again. "Let me, you're probably still shook up"
Da could do nothing but nod, he was being nice putting up with her.
Meanwhile Yu put Xiao back onto the step. She turned round to him.
"Thanks Mister" she said
Yu smiled at her innocence "Please call me Yu"
Xiao smiled "Alright Mister Yu"
Yu's smile grew before he helped her up the rest of the stairs.
They stopped at two rooms, Yu opened a door for Xiao while Ce did the same for Da with her still in his arms causing Xiao to giggle.
He set her down in her room as she looked around, as she expected it was big bigger than her room at home.
"You like it?" asked Ce
Da looked at him with a wide smile as she nodded quickly and bowed her thanks.
It had a red four poster bed and had a balcony and a door that led to the bathroom.
"You can freshen up if you like, you feet look kind of beat up" he told her
Da looked down at her feet, she couldn't clean them otherwise they'd turn into her tailfin - she hoped she had a big bath.
Yu bought Xiao into her room and she looked around it excited.
"it's real nice, thanks" she cried
"I'm glad you like it" he replied
She looked at him surprised "Who wouldn't?"
Yu smiled, he found he did that a lot around her.
"Do you need some rest?" he asked
Xiao shook her head "No, can I go back to Sis now?"
Yu nodded letting her go ahead.
Xiao bounced into Da's rooms going straight up to her sister.
"Aren't they nice Sis?" she asked excited
Da nodded with a large smile.
"Would you like us to show you two around?" asked Yu
Xiao nodded "Yes please"
They were walking round the gardens, the two Qiao's ahead of them.
Da held her necklace embarrassed 'That was so embarrassing, we shouldn't have left Mamma and Papa, when we can't even walk up stairs, what kind of humans can't walk up stairs?'
Xiao took her hand excitedly as her head darted around looking at her surroundings. "Babies can't" replied Xiao
Da looked at her with disbelief 'We are not babies'
Xiao shrugged "They don't seem to mind, if they did I don't think Sun Ce would've carried you"
Da looked down not convinced.
Meanwhile behind them Yu and Ce were talking.
"Why did you let them stay? Not that I'm complaining" asked Yu
"I don't just, just didn't seem right to let them sleep on the streets, besides I don't think they've been out much" replied Ce
Xiao turned round to them "Aren't you going to…you know tour us or something?"
They waited for them before continuing round the castle stopping when they found a sparing match going on.
They walked up to it and started watching.
"Why are they fighting? Shouldn't you stop it?" asked Xiao
Ce looked at them seeing Da with very concerned face.
"They're not actually fighting they're training" he replied
Da tilted her head in confusion.
Ce turned to her "Well, it's how we get better you know, practice"
Da nodded but looked at him inquiringly.
He thought for a moment "Well solders can't follow an incompetent general"
Da nodded, she never did understand war, not when Atlantica was peaceful she couldn't understand what would bring men to fight.
"Can I have a go?" asked Xiao watching with interest from attack to the other
Da looked at her abruptly as several of the people who had heard chuckled.
Xiao blushed crimson "Sorry"
Yu smiled at her.
They watched them there was a man with tattoos all over his chest and bells on his waist with feathers in his hair. The other man had long chestnut hair pulled into a ponytail using flails, he looked much more determined than the other man who had a superior smirk on his face.
They watched them Xiao with an eager interest, Yu saw her fisting through the air while Da looked away uncomfortable until a rather loud growl came from Xiao, she held her stomach as everyone looked at her the two men had even stopped fight.
She looked at everyone her face flaming "S-sorry"
The man with the flails immediately started to attack the man again catching him off guard for a split second before everyone soon turned their interest back to the fight.
Xiao slumped as she pouted "I'm so hungry"
"Would you like to get something to eat?" offered Yu
Xiao nodded without hesitation.
"Let's go then" cried Ce motioning the way
The four set off inside.
.