Chapter 16

Disclaimers: I only own Xiu Soi!

"Ce, wait!" Soi desperately ran and caught the hem of Ce's clothes. "Please listen to me first idiot!"

The Little Conqueror looked at Soi coldly. "Why should I? What more would you tell me? More lies?"

Soi felt pain in her throat as Sun Ce retorted. Zhou Yu was proven innocent and the Falling Star was being tried for attempting on Xiao Qiao's life. Now that they have just returned from Xia Pi, everyone else was treating her coldly.

"I swear, I never set Xiao Qiao up! You have to believe me!"

"Then tell me, why is a convicted man still pointing his fingers at you even when he died? He was already executed Soi, you can't tell me that he was lying up until his dying breath!"

"But I don't even know him! Why won't you believe me?"

"I did believe you Soi…but I don't know if you're telling the truth anymore. All evidence are pointing against you, and you did put Xiao Qiao in danger"

"Why are you accusing me? Okay, so I did love Zhou Yu, but it doesn't mean I would want to kill over him!"

"You still showed hostility towards Xiao Qiao before the siege…"

"I was scared shitless Ce! It was when Zhao Yun held me! It's their word and mine! Would you believe their word over your sister's?"

Sun Ce looked at her. "I don't know if you're my sister anymore…but I do believe that someone wants Xiao Qiao dead." He then walked away, leaving a shocked Xiu Soi in his tracks.

The past few days, people in the castle have been unbearably cold. She was reduced to nothing more than a puppet, a marionette, with nothing to do but smile and wave. The people never guessed that there was tension and hostility existing within the castle. Soi made sure that she put on a good show.

Zhou Yu may have been acquitted, and the people may never believe that their savior tried to set anyone up, but the officers of Wu still treated her coldly.

She spent her days in her room, only coming out when she had to eat…And she never even had a single visit from Lu Xun.

Even when Huang Gai, Shang Xiang and the others pretended that she never existed, she still continued to hunt for Cotton Candy Boy.

Until one day, she chanced upon him as he was going inside his room.

"Cotton Candy Boy! Wait!"

Lu Xun looked at the Falling Star and gave a bow. "Good day my lady. I was just about to go inside—"

"Cotton Candy Boy, please…We need to talk"

"I do not see the point in talking my lady. The courts and witnesses have said enough."

"I know it seems I've betrayed you but I didn't! Cotton Candy Boy, you know me…you've got to believe me"

"Do I really know you, Soi…?" Lu Xun murmured as he looked down.

"It is really so hard for you to trust me?"

"It's not that Soi…it's hard to trust someone who broke your trust." Lu Xun turned to go in yet Soi caught his hand.

"I'm not done talking to you!"

"Then explain it Soi! Explain about the man, the head band, the antidote and poison! Tell me you didn't do those things!"

"I don't know who the man is Xunnie! The head band ended up in my mouth and I was just poisoned! And…And…I have no explanation for those other things! But I know someone set me up and someone is lying!"

"It came from Zhou Yu's mouth…He didn't cover for you that much I can tell. You're asking me to choose…to believe you or to believe Lord Zhou Yu"

"No! I'm not!"

"What are you doing then?"

"I don't know! I'm just asking you to believe me!"

"How can I when you're saying such different things than Lord Zhou Yu? I'm sorry, my lady"

He yanked his hand away and closed the door. Soi attempted to follow him inside and pounded on the door.

"Xunnie! Cotton Candy Boy! Please open the door!" tears started falling as she called out his name.

Lu Xun, on the other side of the door, lifted his face up, pain in his expression. He felt so betrayed and hurt…yet he had every urge to throw the door open and forgive her. Yet…

"Cotton Candy Boy…please…I can take their cold stares…I can take their cold shoulders…but not yours…not yours…Anything but yours" she felt her chest contract and her breath leave her. She felt cold, hard tears leave her eyes and trickle down her cheeks. Her whole world instantly fell apart with the closing of Lu Xun's door. Her defenses destroyed and her spirit broken, she felt like dying. All this time, right after the trial, she never cried. She never begged for their forgiveness and she never showed them how weak she was. She has been trying to talk to them, yet she never shed a single tear…up until now.

"Xunnie…I can take the world's anger…but not yours…I need you…I need you…"

Yet Lu Xun silently stood by the door, refusing to open it for Soi and give her solace.

As the days passed, the castle became small, constricting. Soi never came out of the room nor attempted to speak to Lu Xun again. Yet tensions were rising and it trickled down the barracks. The issues and uncertainty unsettled the men. Morale was plummeting down and they had started to lose foothold on some of their territories. Even the maids and ladies of the castle lost their usual cheer and became cold and distant to Soi once again. Soi made weekly visits to the town, and saw that the depression extended up until there. She knew she had to do something. And then she knew.

As the dawn slowly approached, a lone figure in one of the castle's rooms was slowly packing. Soi quietly draped the dark hood over her shoulders and secured her body bag around her body. She took with her most of her possessions, yet leaving the custom made gowns that she made for herself. She quietly walked around the castle, careful so no one might hear her. She almost laughed to herself. Almost a month ago, the halls would've been filled with soldiers in attempts to protect her from sabotage and valiantly trying to keep her, Xiao Qiao, Lu Xun and Shang Xiang from leaving the castle. They treated her like a princess…a goddess. The officers of Wu would've given anything just to see her smile. Lu Xun and others would act like overprotective parents. Yet now…

She quietly treads through the castle's passages, making her way to the stables.

She looked at the silhouette that was the castle and sighed. "If you guys can't forgive me…I don't see the point in staying…if my stay with you in the castle would affect morale and hinder your growth…I would have no choice but to leave…I'll leave you all...and my beloved Wu…not because I hated you…but because I love you all so much…" she felt tears run down her cheeks as she left the only haven she has ever known. She didn't know where she was going….but if Wu and her family needed her, she would come back post haste---whether they wanted to or not.

Upon hearing the departure of the Falling Star from the castle of Wu, Sima Yi couldn't help but express a triumphant smile. As soon as he heard the news from his sources, he readied his carriage and his steeds and rushed to a cabin on a secluded area in the mountains along with his trusty general, Zhang He.

He unceremoniously knocked on the door. "It's me"

The rotten, wooden door was opened by a beautiful stranger with dark hair and soft features.

"The plan worked perfectly. Here is your pay. It was a pleasure doing business with you, Diao Chan"

Lu Bu's wife took the money and knitted her brows. "Did they drive her out themselves?"

"Yes they did"

A cruel smile crossed Diao Chan's angelic features. "Now she knows how it feels like to be driven out you own home…to be hated and criticized. If it weren't for her…Lord Lu Bu would still be alive…if it weren't for her…"

"I understand what you feel Diao Chan. The Falling Star is such a devious little minx, I'd say. Why, it was a brilliant move for you to hire those bandits and impersonate Xiu Soi…you really had the leader fooled."

"I just had to find a man who has lost everything and make sure he doesn't care if he gets executed…It wasn't hard to convince him. I just had to offer him money"

"Yet he never knew that he would be destined to die"

"He won't be missed any way." She looked down. "Now…I will have my revenge"

"Ouch ouch ouch….It's so hard being from the future…I'm so used to paved roads" Soi sighed as she encountered more slopes in the road. She has been mounted on the horse for days, stopping for the occasional food and water. She has also learned to build a fire, sleep lightly in case of bandits and sleep under the stars.

"The life of a wanderer is SO not romantic…" she murmured as she longed for a nice, cool bath by the stream. As she was trying to find a watering hole for her horse, she noticed a dark patch of smoke in the sky. She immediately kicked her steed into action, rushing towards the all too familiar scene with a heavy heart.

"What the #$?" Soi stopped and looked at the smoldering village. The soldiers were setting it on fire.

"Come on! Now Cao Cao's army can't pursue us! They'd have to go through this hell first!" a soldier shouted over the screams.

"Let's hurry back to Lord Yuan Shao!"

At that, Soi felt rage boil inside her. How dare they! She kicked her steed towards them and stopped. "What do you think you're doing? Put this out right now!"

The soldiers wordlessly pulled out their weapons and got ready to fight. Soi gritted her teeth. Damn! There's no time for this!

She immediately pulled out her weapon and knocked the both of them out in one smooth swoop. As they were unconscious, she barged in the nearest house and saw a family huddled in the corner, trapped in a sea of smoke.

"Come on!"

She then attempted to evacuate and rescue anyone that may need her. As one of the burning wooden posts was falling on a child, Soi jumped and saved him, trapping her leg amidst the debris. As she screamed in pain and felt the fire burning her flesh and the weight of the wood crushing her bones, a group of soldiers suddenly came and put out the fire.

"Are you all right?" one of them shouted.

"I'm fine…but my leg…."

"I handle it!" a familiar voice rang out across the yard. A large figure suddenly appeared and lifted the charred debris.

"OW OW OW OW HOT HOT HOT!"

"Let me help you with that" a powerful figure appeared behind the first stranger and helped him lift the post.

"Are you all right?" the second figure spoke up.

Soi looked up and couldn't believe her eyes. "Dian Wei! And Xu Zhu!"

"Wow, it must be fate! The Falling Star!" Xu Zhu laughed heartily.

"We would love to stay and talk, but we have to pursue Yuan Shao. I believe he went through this village…He burned this so that our army can't get through"

"That's horrible! What an underhanded tactic!"

"It's bordering on desperation now…and Yuan Shao isn't exactly a follower of clean tactics."

"You can help us if you want!"

As Soi was about to answer, a man ran towards them and Soi carefully handed the boy to him.

"Father! They killed Mother!" the boy cried.

"Damn those dogs of Yuan Shao…Damn them!"

Cao Cao's soldiers started pouring in and extinguishing the flames. Some of the villagers wailed over their loved ones, burned to a crisp and lying in their own pool of blood. Soi has never seen so much death and blood…not even on the battlefield.

As Soi stood outside the destroyed village, she heard a series of screams and cries from the villagers.

"Damn that Yuan Shao! He burned our village just to slow Cao Cao down!"

"They killed mommy and daddy!"

"Why? Why us? We never did anything—"

"We couldn't stop them even if we tried to—"

"Our crops! We're going to starve—"

"Where would we go now?"

"They're monsters…they say they'll bring glory to the land but do they have to kill its people as well?"

Soi closed her eyes and turned to Dian Wei and Xu Zhu.

Damn! Cao Cao thought. I would have to take the long way around! But at this rate, Yuan Shao's army will be at an advantage.

"My lord" Sima Yi cut through his thoughts. "If we hurry now, we can still catch them. The best way is to send a small group of our most talented officers and stall them until the main army gets there"

"But isn't it suicide Sima Yi? The only ones who can do so are Xu Zhu, Dian Wei and Zhen Ji, seeing that the rest of us need to commandeer our units!"

"I'll go father" Cao Pi offered yet the other tactician Guo Jia stopped him. "No my lord, the troops need you as well!"

As Cao Cao pondered on this problem, precious seconds ticking by, a horse suddenly galloped towards him and abruptly stopped. The rider seemed to elicit a series of shouts and gasps.

"It's you" Cao Pi said with a bewildered tone, which sent Cao Cao's head up to look at the person in question. He was met with a pleasant surprise.

"I came to help"

"Lady Xiu Soi! This is a most pleasant turn of event!"

Soi held up her hand in order to silence him. "Let me make it clear first. This does not mean that I am allying with your force. I am simply doing this for the people and nothing more."

If this Yuan Shao is a bigger bastard than Cao Cao, I may have no choice…even if I know that he had something to do with destroying my relationship with the people in Wu…

Soi clutched the reigns of her horse, hard. Allying herself with Wei was probably one of the hardest things she will ever do.

She looked at Sima Yi and swallowed her pride.

"So…what's the plan?"

"It is a move not of retreat but for my future!" Yuan Shao called out as he was about to reach the path exiting the battlefield.

Suddenly, sounds of galloping was heard from his rear flank and a soldier suddenly called out: My lord! A small group of officers are rushing towards us!"

"What?" Yuan Shao exclaimed. He turned around and saw none other than the Falling Star, along with Zhen Ji, Xu Zhu and Dian Wei on her heels.

"Halt your forces at once Yuan Shao!" Soi shouted at the top of her lungs.

Impossible! Yuan Shao thought. Since when did the Falling Star ally herself with Cao Cao? I thought she was with Wu!

Soi took out her weapon and cut through the ranks, heading dead straight for Yuan Shao. In response, the commander kicked his horse into action, attempting to flee from the girl.

In an attempt to stop him, Soi turned her weapon into a staff and hurled it in front of him. Her staff his the ground just in front of Yuan Shao's horse which sent him almost flying.

Soi caught up to him and made a U-turn, grabbing her weapon and ending up in front of him. "How dare you hurt those villagers! They did nothing to you!"

"You will never understand little girl! This is war! Sacrifices are needed in order to attain greater glory!"

"So glory is more important that the people? We are trying to unite this land for the people! You should protect them, not turn them into sacrificial lambs!"

"How hypocritical of you! Do you not think that Wu thinks the same as us? They want nothing but to bring honor to their family! In the end, honor matters!"

Soi felt a huge lump in her throat. Honor…glory…Sun Ce and the others definitely thought that way…but…

"They are not monsters like you! They will never sacrifice the innocent just for the sake of their own selfish reasons! Don't you dare compare them to you! They are not as lowly as you!"

"Why do you continue to protect them? They are the ones who accused you and condemned you! They gave you the cold shoulder even if you're divine."

"Wha—"

"Do not underestimate the sources of the Yuan family!"

Soi clutched her weapon tightly. "I trust Ce and the others! They always had reasons for their actions! Whether they hurt me or not, I trust their judgment and I'm sure there's a pretty good reason! I trust him because…that's what sisters do!"

She swung her staff around and hit him. "Now I will take you back and let you redeem yourself for all the suffering you inflicted on these people!"

Yuan Shao blocked her attack just in time. "You only think of these people! How about the people that you've hurt, hmm Falling Star? You only care about the people of Wu but not my people!"

'That's not true! I'm here, I'm standing against you for the village you've destroyed! Even if that village is Cao Cao's territory, I still would've protected it! It's your territory, and what did you do? You destroyed it! The one who does not care for the people and lacks any moral dignity is you! You are egotistical and care for no one or nothing! You obsess over honor and glory which are empty, not thinking that in the end your family will inevitably disappear from history! Ce and the others are not like that! And Cao Cao…at least Cao Cao has principles!"

She swung her staff again and disassembled it, catching Yuan Shao off guard. As they dueled on their horses, Xu Zhu, Dian Wei and Zhen JI dropped from their horses and started fighting off the soldiers.

Xiu Soi struggled with the talented general as she waited for Cao Cao's unit to arrive.

Sima Yi's plan is to send a small unit to make a beeline for Yuan Shao and stall him, so that Cao Cao's main forces can go around and catch up to us since they can't fit in the small pathways…they can't afford to separate because the strategy would be more effective if they were together! Cao Cao, where are you…?

As if an answer to her prayer a commanding voice bellowed, along with the stampede of feet and horses. "It is futile to resist Yuan Shao! Surrender now!"

"Damn!" Yuan Shao cursed as they caught up to him. "Well, I think you overlooked a little something Cao Cao"

The aforementioned ruler raised his eyebrow. "And what would that be?"

"That my strategies are not to be taken lightly"

At that point, bandits showed up and aimed fire arrows at them. Soi jumped from her horse to avoid being hit.

Yuan Shao looked at Soi. "It's too bad, my lady. I have never expected you to be the type to ally herself with more than one force…and you allied with the wrong force. You are going to lose this time, despite your legendary tactics"

"Damn, how come everyone is using bandit tactics these days?" Soi grumbled as she rushed at the source of the fire arrows.

Zhen Ji ran towards the bandits, her flute playing its deadly melody. She looked beside her and saw that the Falling Star had the same idea in mind. I'll get there first!

Zhen unleashed a powerful spell with her flute which wiped about half of their unit. Soi, meanwhile, detached her staff into a whip and started using her rage, sending the units in confusion.

Not wanting to be bested, Zhen went in deeper and plunged into the heart of the bandits.

"Zhen, pull back! You're too far out!" Cao Pi called out yet Zhen Ji paid him no mind. Soi saw the mess Zhen was going to be in and rushed after her without hesitation. The both of them disappeared into the forest, while the battle between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao raged on.

Zhen swiped her flute around, finding herself lost in the forest. "Ugh! These bugs are so bothersome…I should just set this whole thing on fire!"

Shadows then swiftly moved behind her and as she looked back, found herself surrounded by the bandits.

"Well well well…we caught ourselves a lady!"

"How foolish, thinking she can take us out on her own!"

"I say it's her pride!"

Zhen smiled wickedly and started fighting back. "None of you are a match for me!" as she lifted the flute to her lips, she was suddenly hit by an arrow from behind, injuring her shoulder. She dropped her flute and cursed her helplessness. She then looked up and saw the men gathering around her.

"Now, what should we do with this cocky woman?"

"I say we have 'fun' with her"

"Get your hands off me!" Ji struggled as the men held her down. As she was screaming for help, a figure came crashing down and got them off her.

Soi reassembled her whip into a staff and knocked out the soldiers that assaulted Zhen Ji.

"What are you doing here? I don't need your help!" she then winced in pain as the arrow shot on her shoulder bled.

"Shut up and come with me! There are archers everywhere!"

As Zhen Ji picked her flute, Soi grabbed her hand and pulled her into safety. When she was sure that they were out of harm's way, Soi turned towards the woman.

"Let me see your wound"

Zhen slapped her hand away in defiance. "I don't need help from a harlot like you! I could've handled them myself!" she panted as she felt blood leave her system.

"Yeah right." Soi sighed. "Look Zhen Ji, I don't like you as well. But right now we are completely isolated and cut off from reinforcements and at an disadvantage, seeing as the bandits know these woods like the back of their hand. If we want to survive, we have to realize that right now, all we have is each other. Now quit being stubborn and let me take a look at that wound. You don't want to scar your lovely body don't you?"

As Soi applied first aid, the flute player looked away haughtily. "It's your fault. We wouldn't have been isolated because of you!"

"I wonder who was the foolish one who thrust deeply into enemy lines, not thinking of the possibility that she will be surrounded?"

"Are you blaming me?"

"Yes."

"How dare you!"

"You started it" Soi tied the makeshift bandage tightly, making Zhen wince.

"You're doing it on purpose!"

"No I'm not" Soi coolly replied. "Now we have to get out of this forest—"

"That will be easy! I can't believe you're worrying over that. Some Falling Star you turned out to be" Zhen stood up and wobbled as Soi rolled her eyes.

"Lead the way then, oh noble princess"

Ignoring the sarcasm in Soi's tone, she led the way in the attempt to get out of the forest.

After a few hours…

"Face it Ji, we're lost"

"We are not lost, Xiu Soi. See that tree? It looks like the one I saw. That's my marker. We're close"

"Uh huh…funny, that tree looks a lot like that tree over there." She looked at the haughty flute player. "We're lost"

"We're not lost! I know perfectly where we're going!"

"And where would that be?"

"…Outside this forest"

Soi snorted. Ji, irritated, replied "We are just going in circles!"

At that comment, Soi couldn't help but laugh. Ji, already irritated, snapped. "And what is so funny?"

Soi wiped her eyes. "The situation…and the nonsense we've been telling one another"

Zhen Ji quietly regarded the girl and asked. "..Why did you follow me?"

As her laughing fit ended, Soi looked at Ji and tilted her head. "You needed…assistance. You were about to be surrounded and it was sure death for you. You were behind enemy lines, unfamiliar of the terrain and the enemy certainly knows every nook and cranny of this place. I wanted to pull you out but I went 'in circles' with you"

"I'm not asking about that, Falling Star. What I'm asking is why. I am an enemy, and my scorn is obvious. I would not think twice about sabotaging you. You are aiding your worst foes Xiu Soi. And why did you save me from those men? You could've easily gotten rid of me, your hands clean."

Soi stopped and thought for a moment. "I don't know…my body just reacted."

"You make little sense"

"It's like…when you breathe. You don't feel it, your body just reacts. When a tea cup is thrown at your face, your first instinct is to move out of the way. Your body just reacts without you knowing it. When I saw that you were in danger, I didn't hesitate to come to you and help. I guess, it was the heart that reacted. It was so fast my mind couldn't process it…and when it did, I'm here with you. Even if you are my foe, Zhen, I just couldn't stand by and watch those men have their way with you."

"And why is that?"

"I am a woman as well"

"…You are strange. You can par up to the great tacticians yet you let your heart rule over your your head. A strategist should know better. You do know that that attitude might kill you someday. It could be the root of your downfall. No…I know it will get you killed"

Soi shrugged and smiled. "Being strategist doesn't necessarily mean that you have to choose the most inhumane choices…You would also have to know when to have a heart. You should net let one rule over the other. You should know when to act like a human, or a woman…you should know when to have a heart. It all depends on circumstances you see. Let's just say that at this instance, I choose to be human first before I am a strategist…I choose to be woman and have a heart"

She then looked at Zhen Ji, still smiling.

"You may not understand...but if having a heart will be the reason of my downfall, then I'm happy. I will have no regrets when I die."

Zhen Ji remained silent as the girl walked on, and for the first time, Ji noticed that.she had a little limp in her walk. As she looked at the make shift bandage on her shoulder, she noticed that it was a handkerchief...no doubt Xiu Soi's

She looked at the girl and whispered when she was out of ear shot:

"I…perfectly understand, Xiu Soi"

TBC

Author's notes: Whew! This is an added treat for the long wait! 16 pages! But for the next chapters, I would need reviews! Please, I need suggestions badly…Also I would like to see you guys manipulate Xiu Soi…I'm just curious how you see her, and what better reflection of your views than using her in your story? Hehe, sorry if I'm persistent. All you have to do is ask permission. ()

Thankies to:

Sirius123 – I'm very sorry to make you wait for so long dearest! Here's a treat!

Lorze The Brookes – I am incredibly scared of myself. One of my friends called me a bitch for making a certain character suffer so much. Hehehehe. Don't worry, the Lu Xun in my story won't suffer that much…yet. I love Lu Xun that's why he's suffering! (). Xiu Soi says hello to the Lu Xun in your story!

blackangel04 – eh? Dude, diba sinabi nung sans rival about her step father? Eh?? Gusto mo na matapos? Ayaw mo na kay Soi? Joke!

lilchinkkviet – thanks! There will be many more twists to come so expect the unexpected!

For the next chappie, as usual, 7 reviews! Please give me suggestions!