-Okay, so I got bored of writing Layton, and I wanted to write this more than that. I hope you like the next chapter! Amy (A.K.A Blastoise100) xx-
Xao ran through the corridors. Men ran screaming in the opposite direction, they didn't seem to notice their escaped prisoner, charging straight past them. She grabbed the smallest private by the collar.
"Where's the weapon storage!" She shouted above the clanging of heavy boots on the stone floor.
He pointed to the direction she was walking in before she grabbed him. "It should be down the first corridor, the first door on the right." He said, as she let go of him. She hurried down the first corridor and pushed against the weapon storage door. There, just behind, a rack of spears, was her bloodstained, silver bow. She ran over and picked it up quickly. She left, running wildly, when she stumbled upon a room where there was a large, open window, inside. She jumped out swiftly. She landed with a roll and continued on her way to the stables. There was a strong smell of smoke and the occasional arrow flying in the direction of the castle. The castle was under siege.
At the stables, the gate had been left unlocked, and now horses were roaming free, but none of them she recognized to be Ares. There were a few that were grazing nearby or galloping around, free. She ran inside. Luckily, he was in the corner, roped to the stable itself. She took the riding gear of the peg and placed it over him before giving him a long nuzzle on the nose. She tied on the saddle and placed the bridle over his long nose. He whinnied and took a sudden step forwards, while she untied the ropes that held him inside the stable and slung herself over his back. He galloped into the fresh air, and rose onto his back legs. He was free and Xao was happy to have him back. Cuddling him close, she whispered into his ears. "I missed you, Ares. Now lets get out of here!" She kicked him off and they whizzed past streams of red flames and grey smoke. Before she could get outside the gates though , an unknown soldier, clad in green, knocked her off him when he attempted to slash at her. She had wobbled and fell swiftly.
"No-one is to leave the castle gates!" He shouted, pointing his spear at Xao.
"But, I'm not one of Zhuo's forces, nor am I part of his servants or dancers. I was taken..."
"I said, 'No-one gets by here!'" He shouted much loudly.
"But I was a prisoner, look!" She shouted, shoving her arm in the man's face. There were shackle marks, running all around her wrists. He was aggravating her so much.
"Again," he shouted again. "No-one gets by here!"
"But you have to let me past, so I can search for my true lord!"
She stood there scowling at the soldier, while a hand was placed over his shoulder.
"Wei, lighten up a bit. She has the marks to prove that she was a prisoner here. Maybe we should take her in for questioning?"
"Yes, Yun. I suppose your right. Killing her here would not help us. What is your name?" he had asked uncomfortably. You could tell he wasn't comfortable talking to women.
"I am the Fox of Jiang Zhou, Cai Xao." She told them both. She explained her tale to the two. "I was whipped by Dong Zhuo until I gave him the information that he demanded from me. Then lady Chan cleaned up my wounds." She finished finally.
Yun looked at her, with care. "You're the Fox of Jiang Zhou? I thought you traveled and were never captured?" Wei shifted his trident-shaped spear swiftly.
"That is the story..." She rubbed the back of her head, gently picking up the reins of her horse afterwards. "But I suppose they took advantage of me. Now if you excuse me, I really need to find my lord." she started to walk off, leading Ares with her, before she was stopped by Yun and Wei, who had their spears crossing over one another.
"Now," Said Yun. "let us introduce ourselves. My name is Zhao Yun, The Dragon of Chang Sha, I serve under my lord, Liu Bei. Despite all the war efforts my lord still finds time to bond with his people."
"I too serve under Liu Bei. I am Jiang Wei, strategist in training. We must ask you to come with us." He called a few soldiers over to guard the gate from anyone that tried to escape, and took Xao by the hand. He has such a gentle touch, but nevertheless he is a raider and I must not trust him with my word, Xao thought as she followed Wei and Yun.
They had arrived in a small camp, where Xao thought the soldiers were being deployed from. The raid was all Liu Bei's idea. He did sound like a good man, the way Yun and Wei talked about him. And it was about time Dong Zhuo was stopped.
Yun looked over at Xao, she was looking down at her feet, as they shuffled across the sand. It was a good camping site.
"What is wrong, my lady Xao? You seem...sad, somehow." Yun questioned, as he stopped Xao outside the tent in the center. Xao sighed, a heavy sigh.
"I have a large burden under my shoulders, of finding my true lord. But as it seems I am a prisoner yet again, even though I thought I had escaped that title. I want to find my lord as soon as possible, so that I may serve them and help them with the services I provide."She whispered lightly.
"Who is this lord that you keep uttering?" Wei asked, out of curiousness.
"I do not know, I have not found them yet. But someday I hope to help them through the smooth and the rough times. I feel my service is needed somewhere, but I have no idea where..." She drifted, as they entered the tent properly. There was a large cot, that looked very comfortable and plush, pushed at the side of the tent. A large table stood in the center of the room. There was a map of Zhuo's castle, and the surrounding areas. This was were the raid was first planned.
"This is my room, used for devising strategies and of course were I rest when I need to. His lord Liu Bei's tent is to the left of this one. Yun's is the next one along from his lord's." Wei said, even more uncomfortably.
"There aren't many troops here at the moment, but Lord Bei is currently in his tent, talking to his advisers. We would be obliged if you could tell him, any and all information about Dong Zhuo and his forces. My lord would be very interested to hear what you have to say." Yun said, approaching Xao, putting his hand on her shoulders. He was comforting and seemed more comfortable to talk to me, whereas Wei would not even think about placing his hand anywhere on a lady. He looked like too much of a boy to do that, Xao thought.
"I will tell Liu Bei any information that he wants me to tell him. I do not know much, but I will help out with taking down his forces and cleaning up any evidence. I will not ride off into the distance, like I more than often do. But I will stay to help where I can. I want to take Zhuo's head myself."
"Actually." Wei started.
"There is not an 'actually' about it, wei. I will take Zhuo's head. And nobody shall stop me." She jeered. She looked at Yun's smiling face, it was smooth and sharp, and his jet black hair fell between his shoulder blades in a thick ponytail. Wei however had a smaller, less sharp, face, but like Yun had a ponytail hanging limply in between his shoulder blades.
"Okay fine..." he replied, leading Xao to the tent that held Liu Bei and his advisers. Yun followed, silently. The tent seemed to look smaller than Wei's tent, but it was certainly grander. It was drenched in emerald green cloth, in fact it was emerald green cloth, with a gold trim running all the way around. Inside though there was a small table in the center, just like in the previous tent. At the end of the table there sat, a man in bright emerald armor, with the same decoration as the tent. He wore a small helmet with a bright white plume coming out from the top. There were three people also wearing similar clothes.
"My lord, Liu Bei." Yun addressed, bowing down. The man with the plume, looked up.
"Ah! Zhao Yun, It's nice of you to join us. What brings you here?"
"My lord." Wei stood out from behind Yun, taking Xao with him. "We have captured someone who can tell you information about Zhuo. She wishes to talk to you personally."
Bei looked at Xao, he seemed to recognize her from somewhere, even if she was very shabby looking.
"Lord Liu Bei, it is an honor to meet such a man like you. My name is Cai Xao, I was captured by Zhuo's men two days ago, I was put in a prison cell because of my title. I got whipped and screamed at by Zhuo himself. I met Diao Chan and Lu Bu. He is just the great and mighty warrior everyone knows. He has a strong and powerful mind, but not as much as the sleeping dragon." One of the men to the side of Bei looked over and smiled.
"What may your title be, my lady?"
Wei replied for her. "The fox of Jiang Zhou. My lord."
- I will continue to write, but my exams are coming up pretty soon so I'm going to have to start revising. But as I said I will try my best to write and publish the next chapter. Please Read and Review because I want to know what people think about this story. Thanks for Reading this chapter!-