-Must write some more... God I really am absorbed into writing this story... Its different from the stories I would usually write. I try to write in a different style, depending on my mood towards said story for the time. Enjoy the next chapter, again I love comments, so don't forget to post to tell me how I can improve my accounts on the events that never really did happen. As always: Happy Reading!-

The cart rattled up the slight hill. The other cart to the side of her had gone a different way, they had headed straight north, while the cart she was on swayed to the side. The was a small village just ahead of her. It looked nice from where she was. The setting sun behind it, people were bustling about carrying things to and fro, not a care in the world. They got closer and closer.

The view was not so bright now... People were lying on the floor, slaughtered, there was an ominous smell drifting from the right of her and dogs were running wild and ragged around the not so sunny streets. The only good thing about this place was the sunset looming overhead, and even then its beauty was disgraced by the scenario below. She gasped wildly, when she saw one of the mutts, crawling the free streets, bite a young man's leg. They stopped outside a large house. From the inside something dropped onto the floor and shouting emanated.

"I'm on my way! I know there's someone outside this time, my lord!" A feminine voice shouted from the inside. When she emerged, she was a sight to behold, well behind the rags anyway. Her face was pale and dirty, but there was a forced smile, that flickered amongst her lips.

"Welcome to the house, of my master, Guo Ban, chieftain to my lord Dong Zhuo." She spluttered, dust emerged as she coughed. "You will have to live the life of a prisoner for a few weeks, until his lord sends for you himself." She grabbed Cai Xao by the hands, and whispered, "I'm so sorry. He is a mean man, but when you get to go up to the castle your fortune smiles upon you as his majesty, lord Dong Zhuo, picks a certain fate for you." Xao frowned at her.

"My name is Cai Xao, I was torn when my horse was captured and my savior was..."

"Well you'll have to tell me all about it," She interrupted, "You'll have plenty of time to spare..." She gulped, "Down there." She pointed below her. "I hate to see a pretty girl such as yourself here, but at least, the capturers did not kill you on sight. You look like you have the strength of the wolves in you." She sighed, "Anyway, lets get theses ropes off of you, young Xao, then we shall let you into the house, and his master will have a good squint at you and send you 'down there'." A small carving knife protruded from under her robes. Every time she says 'Down There' it seems like she's trying to imply it's a something that should not be take lightly. She took Xao by the hands again and led her inside. The inside was just as wrecked as the outside. There were two sets of stairs, one set going upstairs and one set that led below. The grip the girl had on her tightened. Se led her to the stairs that protruded upwards. Each step creaked gently, and felt pressurized into breaking in two. As soon as the pair reached the top, there was a crooked doorway, leading into a crooked room, that barely let in any sunlight.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a hand thrust toward her, it grabbed her by the wrist tightly. She didn't try to force it free, in fact she made no effort of aggression at all, except maybe just a small, unheard snarl. The man had pulled her towards the only glint of sunlight coming through the dirty windows. In spite of everything he smiled a smile as crooked as the room.

"Name!" He demanded from her. She shook slightly, which made his grip even tighter.

"My name is..." She started.

"Cai Xao" The lady that was trembling, behind her answered. " If you would sir, she is quite shaken, therefore since she has told me her tale, would it be alright for me to answer for her?" She was actually trying to protect the poor girl from further harm. "She is a valiant noblewoman from the houses to the west, Master Ban. She is skilled at the art of war and is very agile for her age. She did not make any noise or anything while in the carriage, the cart master Din says. She was kind to him the whole way, by keeping quiet and she is also very good with horses my lord." She was making most of it up and was getting most of it right... She is good at making stories. Her face drained even more than that Xao thought was possible.

"Ah!" Said Ban "A noblewoman... I shall send a message to Lord Zhuo as soon as possible. But first," He said, with a maddened grin on his smug face. "Dance, right here. Right now!"

"What?" She yelled. Her face was mad with rage. "You really think I'm going to dance in front of a deranged perv..." She began. The lady's hand had been tightly gripped around her mouth to stop her getting him angry. She understood why she did this. She looked at her grief stricken face.

"Just dance, for him..." She mouthed at her.

"Fine," She said, "I will Dance, but remember I find no pleasure in doing so, in front of an audience." She crouched down. "I would stand back if I were you..." She warned them both.

Her dance started with backwards flip, from the crouched position she was already in. She jumped and danced the only dance she knew through and through. She had peered at the master's face before she started another round. He was in surprise and slight shock, probably because of his great find. Sure she did have a bit of a temper, but she would be a fine maiden to send up to his lord, Dong Zhuo, and he would be commemorated for his work finding this maiden. And he might finally be happy up there in his castle, finally. He might finally take better care of his people and the streets and fields they work on and walk along everyday. Finally there might be peace.

When Xao had finished her brilliant dance, he clapped thoughtfully, not showing his greed or hunger for Peace. He was supposed to be a tyrannical master after all. Not someone who shows varied emotion.

"Tai!" He shouted. " She will be fine to share your quarters? Yes?"

"Yes, My master, she will not step a hair out of place, when shes around me!" She bowed to him. She was very loyal, because she always got the best cuts of meat and the best sips of the wine. But now she had a friend that she could actually talk to, that was a girl... after all not many girls come here. It's only if they have found a great find, that should be greatly looked upon to go up to the Lord up at the castle. Maybe, Mei Tai thought, She could get far... Maybe she could be great.. Maybe she could die a hero or a legend.

Tai led Xao down the two flights of stairs. There were two cots pushed to one side of the room. They were made tidily and in between them both was a small pot with a few colourful hyacinths inside. They made the room practically glow. It was brighter than it was upstairs, due to the candles around the room that Tai had lit before her arrival. She looked up. The walls were even better. They had flowers tucked into every small crack. The room erupted into freshness as she took another step. It smelled so good that she felt she was in a flower field, full of fresh flowers waiting to be picked by the men, whether they be strong or weak, for their lady's in waiting. She drifted to one of the cots and sat down. She found it to be very comfortable, it reminded her of the house of Bau Liang. And that reminded her of the body of Liang she had found lying dead this morning. She put her head in her hands and let out a longing sigh. Tai sat down next to her and put her hand on Xao's shoulder.

"What's wrong?" She asked. Xao let out another sigh before she answered.

"It's been a long day..." She said. "First I find the kind, old man that helped me in my time of need, lying dead in the middle of the path that goes to the back of his house. Then my horse gets captured, then when I find him, I get captured and brought here. I will never find my true master!" She shouted.

Tai let out a long sigh, just as Cai had done. "It sounds as if you've been through a lot. But I must ask, why are you looking for your true master?"

"I want to fight, to help a master that is passionate while ruling over his people, as if he is one of them himself, but he is ruthless and strong on the battlefield. I don't want to keep traveling to find him. I get tired and end up hibernating in some unknown persons house while they live their daily lives. I never thought someone could be killed just because they were helping a stranger like me." She shed a couple of tears. "I want to be able to help people as they have helped me."

"Well, I envy you." She said truthfully. Xao looked up at her. "All my life I have been a villager here, and then Dong Zhuo arrived and torched down many houses, I lost my entire family, to him, then Ding Ban came along, he took me in and treated me as his equal. I have never ventured outside the village, ever. Not even before I lost everything..." A silent tear rolled down her soft cheek. "My lady, you are brave, I feel when Master Ban sends the note along with one of his messengers, telling lord Dong Zhuo all about you, then he shall have two of his finest cart master out to fetch you up into the castle. I trust you will make a good officer to him, I guess you do have fighting skills for the battles ahead. And with that I wish you luck."

-PHEW! That took a little longer than I had originally expected. It's all these Easter distractions... Anyway, that's another chapter closer to finishing the story. (should I even be thinking about the end of this story yet?) It's a long way off from the end, and even then there will be a sequel... probably. Anyway thanks for reading! Stay tuned for the next Chapter, I'll give you its title... Brace yourself... 'New Master'. I'll leave you on that note...-