Thankies for reviewing!

If you want an explanation for the incredibly fast update - I was bored, and in a writing mood. Dramatically longer chapter this time. I warn you, don't get used to this.

Zhou Yu stood at the window, his hands clasped behind his back. He sighed.

"What's up, Zhouie?"

He turned his head slightly. "Oh, it's nothing, Xiao."

The little Qiao frowned. She walked over to him and put her arms around his waist.

"C'mon, you can tell me. What's wrong?"

Zhou Yu looked into her puppy-dog eyes and felt his heart melt. He smiled and cuddled her close to him.

"It's just… this party. I can't help feeling it's a little soon to be celebrating. Sun Ce only passed away last week, and here we are, two days after the funeral, organising a party."

"Aww, Yu, honey." She smiled lovingly up at him. Then suddenly stepped away from the embrace. "Now listen up. It might seem too soon, but it's best to keep moving, yeah? And, if you feel bad about it, poor old Sun Quan must feel awful, so don't feel bad, and then he won't."

Zhou Yu found himself laughing at his wife's illogical logic.

"What? Stop laughing at me, I'm serious. Besides, Sun Ce would like us to be partying, wouldn't he? It's how things work here."

"You're right." Yu smiled, and Xiao felt her heart swelling in her chest. She smiled back, helpless, hopeless love shining in her eyes. Zhou Yu chuckled and scooped her up, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead.

She pouted. "If you're going to kiss me, kiss me properly."

Zhou Yu smiled, and did as he was told.

---

Sun Quan, newly appointed leader of Wu, sat at his desk, shuffling through papers, and cursing. Honestly, you could see who Sun Ce's favourite 'brother' was. What did Zhou Yu get? Riches and some of Ce's most prized possessions. What did Sun Quan get? Damned paperwork.

No, that wasn't fair. Quan had inherited the throne, something he had dreamed of since he was small. Finally becoming a legend in his own right, like his father and brother.

Good Lord, he hadn't thought that particular dream through.

"Come back, Sun Ce, all is forgiven," he muttered, looking in apprehension at the stacks of paperwork that awaited him

There was an insistent knock at the door. Then a very slight pause. Then an even louder knock.

"Yes, Shang Xiang?"

His sister opened the door. "How did you know it was me?"

"You are the only person I know who knocks for the second time before the person behind the door even has a chance to think about opening it."

"Makes sense to me; you shouldn't waste time thinking about it, just do it. Can I hide in here?"

"What from?"

"Xiao Qiao. She wants to… what was it again… 'have-a-chat-about-what-I'm-wearing-tonight-maybe-I'd-like-to-borrow-her-necklace-no-please-don't-run-off-I-do-this-every-time-there's-a-party'. And yes, she did manage that in one breath."

"Tonight? Oh. That."

"What d'you means 'that'? It's a party, in your honour. You should be excited."

"Oh, I don't know. Doesn't it seem too soon, to you?"

Shang Xiang sighed and sat down. "Do you remember when Daddy died? Everyone was so miserable, and it was Ce's idea to have his party early to cheer everyone up. I think he would like us to do the same for him." She smiled, and for the first time Quan saw the deep sadness in the sharp green eyes of the cheerful princess. She got up suddenly. "Gotta keep moving!"

'Gotta keep moving…' Quan thought bitterly as his sister left the room. It was becoming the Sun family motto.

---

Keeping a weather eye out for Xiao Qiao, Sun Shang Xiang strolled down the hallway. Suddenly, she stopped, walked backwards for a few paces, and stood listening outside a door. A strange, twinkling music emanated from inside. She vaguely recognised the tune, and for some reason, it brought her mother to mind.

She knocked on the door, this time heeding her brother's words, and making it a gentle knock.

"Qiang? Can I come in?"

A faint voice replied. "Yes…"

The elder princess entered the room, closing the door behind her. Her niece lay on the bed, snuggled up in the covers. Shang Xiang followed her gaze to see a little, unremarkable music box on the dressing table. The tune chimed from it, dancing in the air.

Sun Shang Xiang smiled nostalgically, knowing the song as she heard it more clearly.

"My mum used to sing that to us."

Qiang looked up. "You and Daddy?"

"And Quan."

Qiang smiled, turning her gaze back to the music box. "Daddy used to sing it to me."

Sun Shang Xiang looked at the girl. It was strange to think that to her, 'Daddy' was Ce, the lazy, irresponsible, but brilliant brother Shang Xiang had grown up with.

She had always imagined that if Ce had children, they would be fighters, like him and like her. Like the Sun family tended to be. But this girl wasn't a fighter, at least, not in the usual sense of the word. Ce had wanted to shield her from war and suffering, and let her be innocent and happy.

It was probably the worst thing he could have done, in Shang Xiang's opinion. If he had raised her as a fighter, she would have been prepared for this.

But a little voice in the back of her head whispered: 'What? Like you were?'

She told it to shut up, and went to sit on the bed. The frame was of dark brown wood, and the sheets were pale pink, like most things in this godforsaken room. This, Shang Xiang thought, was what comes of being shielded from the world. Pink.

She smiled at her niece. "You planning on getting up today? It's your Uncle Quan's party today, yeah?"

It was a pathetic attempt at cheering her up, and Sun Shang Xiang knew it.

"I suppose," Qiang said, in a heart-not-really-in-it voice.

"C'mon, up we get. You can come and spar with me, if you like."

In Sun Shang Xiang's mind, it was an invitation to heaven. Sparring with the Wu warrior-princess? How else would you want to spend your time? You probably won't win, but, hey, there's no better way to spend your day.

In Qiang's mind, it was about the last thing she wanted to do today. Being beaten to a pulp by her aunt? And, on the off chance that she did win, being told that, actually it wasn't fair because the wind was blowing in the wrong direction, and, besides, she was going easy on you anyway? I think I'll pass.

"Um, no, that's okay. I wouldn't be much of a challenge today, anyway. I'm not really feeling up to much."

"Suit yourself," Shang Xiang said, disgruntled. "You're a porcelain doll, you are."

She got up and smiled at her niece. "But don't lie in bed moping all day. Gotta keep moving."

And as her aunt left the room, Qiang found herself thinking precisely the same thoughts her uncle had done, moments before.

---

"Xunnie! Tongie!"

It could only be Xiao Qiao. They turned, and listened patiently as she gabbled at them.

"Can you help me with the decorations for Quannie's party? Only I'm doing it all by myself and I can't reach some places, and you're both quite tall and the boat's a whole lot bigger than you think and it'll take me forever if I try to do by myself and the servants are busy in the kitchens and outside getting the garden ready so please can you help me, pretty, pretty please with a cherry on top and maybe some ice-cream as well, and chocolate sauce? I'm hungry."

It took 'Xunnie' and 'Tongie' a few moments for their brains to translate the Xiaoese their ears had just heard into something comprehensible.

"Erm, okay then. What about Da?" Ling Tong asked.

"And how come you don't want me to help?" Gan Ning added indignantly.

"Da…. Da's not feeling up to it today. And, yeah, I suppose you can help, Ning. If you must. C'mon!"

They dutifully followed the skipping Xiao Qiao outside to the boat.

"How come I don't get a nickname?" Ning asked. He seemed to have taken it as an offence. Lu Xun was jealous.

"I think you have to earn her respect, pirate," Tong said. "I shouldn't think drunk, swearing bandits such as you are too high on her 'people to trust' list."

"I'm not drunk."

"Yes you are."

After much heaving of the ever-growing box of decorations; much swearing as Gan Ning got tangled up in the streamers; and an indignant 'get off of me' when Lu Xun was 'saved' from bad luck (due to walking under Ling Tong's ladder) by Xiao Qiao leaping at him and knocking him out of the way; the foursome managed to begin decorating.

It was then that Sun Qiang walked in.

"Hi Qiang!" Xiao trilled, racing over to her niece to hug her, inadvertently knocking Gan Ning off his feet as he reached to hand Ling Tong a length of coloured paper. "Oops, sorry!"

"Don't worry about it," Gan Ning groaned, from a very unnatural position on the floor.

"Hello," Qiang said carefully. "What are you all up to?"

"Decorating," they all replied, with varying degrees of enthusiasm.

"Would you like to help?" Xiao chirped.

"Um, I would, but I was looking for Uncle Yu," Sun Qiang explained, glancing at a scrap of paper in her hand.

"Oh." Xiao frowned. "Um, I don't actually know where he is." She grinned suddenly. "Actually, have you tried the library? I think he was heading up there for Lu Xun's lesson…"

All eyes turned to Xun.

He cursed. "Really? I thought it was tomorrow."

Xiao blinked. "Um, nope!" she said brightly. "He moved it. Off you go."

"Oh," Qiang said. "If he's busy, maybe I should wait."

"No, no, don't worry about it; I'm sure he'd love to see you. Go on, then, you two."

They left, and Xiao smirked her evillest smirk, which wasn't really very evil.

"Xiao, stop playing matchmaker and help us-" Ling Tong was cut short as Gan Ning tried to stand, kicked the ladder and brought it, Tong, and the decorations tumbling to the ground.

---

"Did you hear a crash?" Qiang asked, looking back.

"They'll be fine," Xun said. "There's been enough accidents in there already today. One more can't hurt. What did you want Lord Zhou Yu for, anyway?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just something Daddy left me. I thought he could explain."

"What is it?" he coughed. "I mean, if you don't mind-"

"This."

She showed him the little roll of paper. He read it.

"I know what it means," Qiang said, "I just want to know why it says:-"

"'Thanks, Zhou Yu.'" Xun read, flipping it over.

"Yeah."

He shook his head, handing it back to her. "No idea."

"Me neither." She took it, and for a moment, their hands touched, like they had in the peach garden, but this time, Xun felt a jolt go up his arm. He pulled his hand back sharply.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, just… just a static shock."

"Sorry."

"Don't worry, it didn't hurt." And it hadn't. It had been more… exhilarating than painful. It had set his heart beating like a drum.

They arrived at the heavy oak door to the library. They went inside, but, on first inspection, it was empty.

"Maybe Lady Xiao got it wrong." Lu Xun said hopefully.

"Lu Xun?"

They spun round. But it wasn't Zhou Yu.

"Lord Lu Meng! Have you seen-"

"-Uncle Yu? I need to talk to him, and Auntie Xiao said-"

"-my lesson was today."

Lu Meng chuckled to himself. "Finishing each other's sentences already?"

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing, just my little joke. I haven't seen Zhou Yu, and your lesson is tomorrow. I know, because I'm taking it. Zhou Yu's scheduled to be ill, on account of Sun Quan pestering him about paperwork. Lady Xiao must have got it wrong."

"I thought she must have done. Thank you, Lord Lu Meng."

"Thanks."

They left and walked down the corridor.

"I may as well come and help you lot with the decorations, at least until Uncle Yu shows up."

"All right. I warn you though; it's a bit crazy in there…"

---

"No! Gan Ning, you plank, you can't put that one there! It clashes with the orange!" Xiao groaned in despair. "Honestly! You have no sense of colour."

"I don't know how Zhou Yu stands her," Ning said out of the corner of his mouth.

"I heard that!"

"I stand her," said a voice, "because she's beautiful and cheery and a wonderful person. If you can't see that, you must be doing something wrong."

"He is! Zhou Yu, Gan Ning's trying to sabotage the decorating!"

"I am not!"

"Are too! You tried to put the orange swirly things with the red ones, which would be okay if it was the right shade of orange, but it wasn't! And Tongie, don't look all angelic like that, you were the one who wanted to put all the shiny things in one place, instead of spread out. I don't know what I'm paying you for, I really don't-"

"You're not paying us. We volunteered. Sort of. Anyway, Lord Zhou Yu, aren't you meant to be taking Lu Xun's lesson?" Ling Tong asked, looking meaningfully at Xiao. She glared at him.

"No," said Zhou Yu, mystified. "It's tomorrow, and I'm not even taking it."

"Really? Oh, well, your wife seemed to think it was today, and sent him and your niece on a wild goose chase."

Yu turned to Xiao, frowning. "You knew it was tomorrow, didn't you?"

Xiao made puppy-dog eyes at him. "Oopsies. I forgot."

Zhou Yu smiled and cuddled her. She stuck her tongue out at Ling Tong. He made a face back at her.

"Uncle Yu!"

Sun Qiang and Lu Xun entered the hall.

"Qiang!" Xiao exclaimed. "Finally, someone with a sense of style! Loving the hairclip, by the way. Please help me."

"She might in a minute, Xiao," Zhou Yu answered for her. "I just want to talk to you for a moment, if that's all right, Qiang."

"Sure."

"Excuse us." Qiang followed her uncle off the boat, hearing a 'Sorry about that, Xunnie. Help me?' behind her.

Zhou Yu halted when they reached the flower garden. "Little one, are you okay with this party? If you feel it's too soon to be celebrating, just say, and we won't go ahead with it."

"It's fine. I think it would do everyone good to be celebrating something." Qiang paused, and then added, "Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness." She searched her uncle's face for his reaction.

He put his head to one side and smiled. "You are more like your father than I thought."

"Why do you say that?"

"That's exactly what he said before his party, after your grandfather died." Zhou Yu turned to look across the river. "It's also one of the last things I ever said to him."

Sun Qiang felt a lump rise in her throat. "Really? What… what were you talking about?"

Her uncle paused hesitantly before speaking. "Yu Ji."

"Who-"

"Qiang! I thought you said you were gonna help us!" Xiao Qiao came bounding up. "If that's okay?" she asked her husband.

He smiled, but it was forced. "Of course. Off you go."

"Wait-"

But Zhou Yu was gone, striding down the corridor.

"Coming?"

"…Okay," Qiang agreed, and went to finish the decorating with her aunt and her not-so-able assistants, questions buzzing in her head like bees.

---

Despite Xiao's misgivings, the preparations for the party were completed, and everyone retired to their rooms to get ready.

This was the part Sun Shang Xiang hated.

She sighed heavily and began the great searching of the wardrobe. Her objective: to find something that could pass as a party outfit, without being too close to a girly dress, and something that looked good on her, because, underneath her tomboy warrior-princess exterior, she was a woman, and wanted to be thought of as pretty, if not beautiful.

Something in the wardrobe caught her eye. A box. She frowned, taking it out of the wardrobe and placing it on the bed. She lifted the lid and smiled appreciatively at what she saw.

It wasn't quite a top and shorts, or trousers, but it wasn't a dress, either. It was a top, and a skirt. It wasn't too long, or too short, and was pretty, but not overly so.

It was… acceptable.

---

"Mum?"

Qiang was waiting outside her mother's room. Not once today had Da Qiao ventured outside, but she had said she was willing to go to this party. It would not be proper, she had said, to remain alone in her room, spoiling it for others.

The elder Qiao opened the door and smiled tearfully at her daughter. "Angel! Oh, you look beautiful! Is that the hairclip from your father?"

Qiang nodded, and, not wanting to talk about Sun Ce and upset her mother further, looked away and busied herself smoothing her dress.

Da Qiao proffered a perfect, gloved arm and, together, they walked out to the boat.

---

It was impressive, actually. Even Ling Tong and Gan Ning had to admit Xiao had been right about the decorations. The firelight glittered on the 'shiny ones' and reflected in the dark water of the Jiang Dong.

The guest of honour, Sun Quan, even though he had been dreading this party all day, found himself smiling, feeling… appreciated. He no longer felt he was just Wu's last chance, but Wu's future.

Zhou Tai gave him one of his rare smiles and, without a word, led Lord Sun Quan to the boat.

---

"Hey, Shang Xiang! You're wearing the outfit I got you!"

"What?" Sun Shang Xiang looked at the pirate askance. "You didn't get me this. Are you drunk already?"

"I did get you that. I just… didn't give it to in person. Didn't you see the note?"

"No. Wait, are you saying you snuck into my room and put this in my wardrobe?"

"Well… Yeah, I s'pose, but-"

"You… you…" for possibly the first time in her life she was at a loss for words. "Gan Ning, stay the hell out of my room!" Shang Xiang flounced off.

Ling Tong laid a hand on Ning's shoulder. "That went well."

Ning shot him a glare. "Y'know, if I didn't know better, I'd swear you hadn't forgiven me at all."

---

It didn't take long for the drink to take hold on the party guests. Huang Gai, Cheng Pu and Han Dang had already begun the drinking contest against Taishi Ci, Zhou Tai, and unusually, Sun Quan, and were confident that age would beat youth any day. Then Gan Ning staggered by, muttering about tea cosies, and put them all to shame.

Ling Tong and Lu Xun refrained from drinking too much for differing reasons. Lu Xun did not take well to alcohol, and a glass could make him tipsy, dangerously so if there was anything flammable present. Ling Tong, however, drank little because he knew from experience that someone had to be halfway sober to keep Gan Ning from falling overboard.

And this was where the problem lay. It was a big boat, made bigger and more confusing by the tables and chairs and drunken Wu officers, and it was easily big and confusing enough to lose a drunken Gan Ning in.

"Where is he?" Ling Tong hissed.

"I don't know! Just listen. Can you hear bells anywhere?"

There was a pause, filled with the usual sounds of a shipful of the drunken Wu kingdom.

"Nope."

"Me neither." Lu Xun bit his lip. "What if he finds the fireworks?"

"That's not a problem. You're the only one who can think straight enough to light a match when you're as drunk as he is."

"I've never been as drunk as he is."

"Fair point."

"Maybe I should start the fireworks. When he screams at the loud noise, we'll know where he is."

"All right. But if he falls in the river, it's your fault."

---

Sizzling, crackling fireworks lit up the night sky and shone in the rippling black water. Wu, drunk as it was, watched in awe.

"They're really beautiful, Lu Xun."

Sun Qiang came to sit beside Xun on deck, her pretty brown eyes lit up by the fireworks.

"Yes, they are," he said, not a hundred per cent sure what he was agreeing to. "Um, are you okay, then, Princess?"

"Okay? Oh. Yeah. Okay as I can be," she added, staring blankly across the water. "Mum's not brilliant, but I think she and Auntie Xiao are enjoying themselves. They're with the little Zhou threesome."

Lu Xun nodded, glad that he wasn't. Apart from Zhou Xun, the eldest and named after him, the Zhou children had obviously spent a little more time than was healthy around their mother.

"Lu Xun! Xun!"

He and Qiang turned. Ling Tong was getting agitated.

"Where is that bloody pirate?" he asked. "He should have got scared by the fireworks ages ago!"

Sun Qiang looked at them both in shock. "Don't tell me you've lost Gan Ning."

---

'That bloody pirate' was, at that moment, engaged in conversation with a certain Wu princess.

"Shang Xiang, listen to me, no, don't walk off, listen, please!"

The princess spun around and folded her arms. "What is it?"

"I love you!"

Sun Shang Xiang rolled her eyes. "Ning, you're drunk."

The pirate raised his palms. "I swear I'm not."

"Of course you are," she said nodding at the bottle in his hand.

Gan Ning frowned at the nearly empty bottle. "Okay, so maybe I am a little bit drunk," he admitted, his voice noticeably slurred. "But only a little. An' besides, that doesn't mean I'm lying. Jus' means I'm feeling braver. I love you, Shang Xiang."

She sighed mightily and snatched the bottle from his grasp, checking the label. "Ning, this is strong stuff. How much of this have you had?"

"I dunno. 'Snot important. I'm trying to tell you how I feel-"

"You'll feel the sharp edge of my chakrams if you don't stop this nonsense."

"Lady Sun-"

"Lady? Well that just proves you're drunk. Or you've been spending too much time with Lu Xun."

"Sun Shang Xiang, then. Please listen to me. I love you. I need you."

"The only thing you need, mister, is to stop drinking and have a lie down before you do something stupid you'll regret-"

Gan Ning took her head in his hands and kissed her. She made a muffled noise of surprise, but didn't resist. He pulled away and searched her face for her reaction. She gazed at him, and, for a moment, her sharp green eyes softened…

"-like that," she said, and hit him, right between the eyes.

Wow. I really was in a writing mood. That was almost 4,000 words, that was. I'm quite proud of myself. Got some SSX and Gan Ning in at the end there as well. :)

And just who is this mysterious Yu Ji person? Tune in next time to find out. ;)

Next time will probably be a long, long time coming. I need to rest. R&R!