The Assassin and the Strategist

by xsakura13

"I didn't think you'd be foolish enough to come," he calmly says, carefully inspecting each my assassins and their weapons. "I didn't think you'd be cowardly enough to take a hostage," I counter coldly as I raise my eyebrow. "Besides if you didn't think I would come, why did you ambush me?" And at that moment, my relationship with him began, as well as my life in Wu.

12. A Whimsical Fancy

Disclaimer: The day I own Dynasty Warriors is the day after the apocalypse where no one is alive. So anything that you recognize (characters, quotes, etc) belongs to Koei. However, I own my OCs.

XXX

That morning, I had hoped that I could be left alone to indulge in my torpid state. However, to my utter disappointment, I was promptly deterred from my attempts by two zealous friends whose fervor did nothing but contribute to my lethargic state of mind.

"Up, up, up!" cries Sun Shang Xiang, kicking open the door to my room, and barging in like she owns my room—which, in a way, she does as she is part of the royal family. I glare at her with bleary eyes, refusing to relinquish my hold on my precious covers. Undaunted, she proceeds to yank apart the curtains in my room, letting a steady stream of light penetrate through the windows and into my room.

Trailing behind her is Da Qiao who is armed with an armful of clothes. She peeks over at me with disapproval evident in her eyes.

I roll over onto my side, pulling my covers over my head. It's madness. After I had agreed partake in that plan involving our dearest strategist, Lu Xun, I had faced endless preparations such as this. We had gone over so many plans to visit the village which we would be staying at for a couple days.

My face pinches into a sour expression when I recall how my friends shoved my clothes into trunks without my input; that event had greatly annoyed me. My irritability mostly derives from everyone's tendency to overlook my opinions and what I want. In fact, I would greatly appreciate permission from someone else to pack my own belongings. I had been out for a run that morning; I didn't even realize that people were in my room while I was gone.

I am shaken from my thoughts when Sun Shang Xiang claps her hands loudly near my ears. "Are we up? Let's go! Let's go! Move your slow ass before I unleash the boys in here!"

"Shang Xiang!" berates Da Qiao with a frown. "I am not sure it would be a wise idea to let a male into her room when she is not even properly dressed!"

I silently agree with her from under my covers.

"Oh please!" scoffs Shang Xiang. I can practically hear her rolling her eyes. She continues with her playful mocking. "It's not as if you haven't had a male in your room when you're not properly dressed!"

Da Qiao is silent for a moment, and I can visualize the blush rising to her cheeks. "T-That's different!" she stammers out incoherently. We all know she's referring to Sun Ce.

Sun Shang Xiang cackles wickedly, and with a sudden yank, my covers are stolen from me. She holds them up her head, the body of the blanket dangling until it touches the floor. I grit my teeth, pressing my pillow to my head; I'm sure she'll steal that from me as well.

"Xin Ying, just get up. You'll have to do this eventually," sighs Da Qiao with a resigned tone as she strides over to my vanity table with a baffled look. "Where are all your accessories?"

I scowl at Shang Xiang who is trying to tug the pillow from my firm grasp. We both refuse to yield; as a result, I grab another pillow and slap her arms with it.

"First of all, 'eventually' means I can put it off—which I fully intend to do," I grunt, rolling away from Shang Xiang and leaping to my feet while still on my bed. I continue impatiently. "Second, I don't have accessories—excluding my silver necklace which has its own sentimental value. I can't exactly engage in combat with accessories holding me down." My face scrunches in disgust as I visualize sharp hairpins probing my skull and earrings dangling and scraping against my neck.

Da Qiao mutters something under her breath, and she dashes out of my room but not before calling behind her, "Make sure you get her dressed!"

My accusing gaze falls onto a dress lying innocently on the edge of my bed. Just by looking at the horrid contraption, I know instantly that the dress is mostly for aesthetic purposes rather than comfort. At first glance, the words "tight" and "emerald" register in my head. It's secured at the waist with a sash, and the skirt undulates in a pool of bright green. One thing I am grateful for is that the neckline doesn't plunge deeply. Overall, it's modest. However, my posture would have to be straight and immaculate for the dress to look good. Otherwise, it would look like I'm dressed in a green potato sack.

I turn to Shang Xiang and glower at her hostilely. She appears bemused and glances behind her, only to look back at me with a blank look. "What?"

"There's a ninja behind you," I say sarcastically, crossing my arms over my chest.

She stiffens and turns around to see what's behind her. Inwardly, I facepalm. Seeing my incredulous expression, she explains with an affronted look, "Ma Chao was telling me how he saw figures dressed in black climbing trees the other day. And Guan Ping told me he had some things stolen from his room—" she pauses "—but he didn't seem too upset about it. In fact, he looked quite relieved."

"Fantastic," I deadpan, cranky due to my lack of rest in this hectic world. "Now get out," I growl nastily.

"My, my! Such crankiness in the morning will cause wrinkles!" she sings cheerily, ignoring my growing vexation.

I flash her one contrived and menacing smile. "You can either get out while I change, or I can tell Sun Ce that you're having an affair with Liu Bei. It's your choice."

Her false brightness slips away as fast as an ice cube melting on a pavement on a hot summer day. She condemns me with a disgruntled look; I imitate her cheery smile from a few seconds before. "My, my! That sour expression on such an auspicious day will surely give you constipation!"

With an "immature" muttered under her breath, Shang Xiang marches off without another word, slamming my door shut. As soon as she is gone, I thank the heavens for the peaceful intermission while stripping off my sleepwear. It is quite skimpy, but on such ridiculously hot nights, one has to find a way to get by. With a few tugs here and there, I manage to arrange the dress so that it fits perfectly. Right after I wash up, someone raps on my door. I unlock the door; Da Qiao glides in with a basket of accessories and jars of powders.

"Da Qiao," I sigh wearily. "What is the point of doing all this—" I gesture at my dress and her basket with a flourish "—if we're going to the village. I didn't have to do this last time."

"That's because we wanted to keep it inconspicuous," says Da Qiao, clucking her tongue in dissatisfaction as she works her deft hands to untangle the knots in my hair. "However, we want to make it noticeable this time so the news can spread like the plague."

"Comparing this to a plague…. Nice analogy."

"You know what I mean."

"Hmm. Where's Shang Xiang?" I ask, shifting slightly so I can peer at the closed door.

"She was bribing Gan Ning and Sun Ce for some constipation inducing pills," replies Da Qiao, a crease appearing on her forehead as she ponders the reason. "Although, I don't quite grasp why she would want them. She did mention something about Liu Bei, though."

A grin tugs on the corner of my mouth but slips away when Da Qiao accidentally jerks too hard. "Sorry!" She offers me a sheepish smile before twisting my hair into loops and securing them with gold hairpins. When she finally stops slathering powders onto my face and probing my eyes with a liner, I allow myself to heave a breath of relief.

"You all are terrible," I tell Da Qiao seriously.

As she places the jars back into her basket, she smiles at me. "Everyone has to dress up. Shang Xiang and I will do it after breakfast."

"Really?" I question skeptically to her first statement. "Does that mean I get to see Sun Ce in a dress? Ooh. Maybe they should dress my husband-to-be in a dress, and let him loose to set fire to the village." My scrunches up into one of deep thought. "Besides, why do I have to dress before breakfast?"

I look at her sullenly, waiting for my answer.

"You and Lu Xun are the ones who have to stand out the most. Therefore, we have to spend more time on you two. We have to perfect this regal look to make the pair of you shine as a popular couple," she says reasonably. She gestures to the mirror. "Take a look."

I obey and peer at my reflection critically; I look better than I expected. Da Qiao managed to choose the colors that look natural and compliment me. My eyes look bigger, and in the light, it almost looks like there are glints of gold trapped in my eyes.

"Wow. Nice job," I laud. "This is almost as good as Diao Chan's work. I even look better than that banquet night."

Da Qiao smiles sorrowfully; her eyes become vacant for a moment as she recalls the days Diao Chan used to perfect our appearances for an infiltration mission. The blankness in her eyes clears away as quickly as it came. She clears her throat says, "I'll return this basket to my room and join you in the dining hall."

"Okay," I agree. "Thanks again!"

We part ways; I head straight for the dining hall. On my way there, I glance out the window only to be greeted by a sun hanging high in the sky. I shake my head, thinking that Da Qiao worked too long on my appearance. There would probably be very little people eating now. However, when I enter the dining hall, almost all the seats are occupied, and the occupants immediately whirls their heads to stare at me. I am startled for three reasons: someone a little further in the back of the room has given himself a whiplash, everyone is dressed in a more festive fashion, and someone else has walked right into a wall. Oh. And everyone is staring at me.

What perturbs me further is that a lot of people's eyes are practically bugging out. I try to shrug off their disconcerting stares and slink over to a table with my head ducked. Of course, I seek the companionship of my favorite cohorts: Gan Ning and Ling Tong—the only people who aren't staring at me.

"Hey!" I hiss when I approach them from behind. Their heads are glued together; as a result, I place my hands on each of their hands and shove them apart.

"Hey!" they protest in unison.

I squeeze in between them, earning even my protests before I smack them on the heads. "This is not the time for that!" I whisper—the type of whisper that can count as quiet yelling.

"Woah, love!" The corner of Gan Ning's mouth turns up when he catches a clear sight of me. He swings an arm over my shoulders; it's an action that I encounter so much that I don't shrug of his arm. "Aren't we looking festive today?" Meanwhile, Ling Tong rubs his nose and stares daggers at Gan Ning, not at all pleased to be whacked by his hand.

If Gan Ning notices his friend's glare, he ignores it. I snort. "I'm not the only one." Looking around, I note that most of the males and all the females have colorful robes for this special event; only a few of the men still wear armor.

"Where's Lu Xun?" I ask, thinking the absence of my fiancé is abnormal since he's supposed to be in the limelight as well. And his appearance would alleviate me of some attention. I take the warm soymilk offered to me by Ling Tong. "And Shang Xiang?"

"Lu Xun is being harassed by Zhou Yu and a group of maids," answers Gan Ning through a mouthful of bread. I recoil in disgust when a piece of soggy bread falls from his mouth. "I was going to abduct him and throw him in the Chang Jiang River to save you, but I was kicked out by Zhou Yu"—he rolls his eyes—"who was trying to make Lu Xun presentable. Personally, I think the old man still has a grudge against me for putting that snake in his room."

"Serves you right," says Ling Tong.

"I didn't do it!" whines Gan Ning sullenly. "Stop accusing me! I am innocent until proven guilty!"

"Well if it wasn't you, who was it?" I inquire dubiously, slamming a napkin to Gan Ning's mouth. Gan Ning removes the napkin, a smirk ready on his lips. However, before he has a chance to day anything, Shang Xiang sidles up to us in a suspiciously good mood.

"Good morning!" she chirps with a bright smile.

"What did you do?" inquires Ling Tong warily, narrowing his eyes at her. If possible, Shang Xiang's smile grows wider, and she takes a seat across from us. My head whips around in search of Liu Bei. "You did something to him, didn't you?"

"Who?" asks Gan Ning, his glance switching between Shang Xiang to me and back to her once more.

"I might have possibly, accidentally dropped a few constipation inducing pills into someone's food—and it might possibly be Liu Bei's," answers Shang Xiang innocently, a devilish gleam to her eyes. Her smirk stretches across her face. "So don't expect to see him soon."

"Oh!" exclaims Gan Ning. "So that's what you wanted those pills for! I thought you wanted to lose some weight through unhealthy methods!" I stare at him, utterly baffled as to if he is joking or not.

On instinct, Shang Xiang reaches out to smack him; Gan Ning ducks. "Ha!" cries Gan Ning gleefully like a child being told Christmas has come early. "You missed!" Ling Tong promptly smacks Gan Ning. "Mis—awww….."

"Thank you," says Shang Xiang pleasantly to Ling Tong.

"Traitor!" cries Gan Ning, pointing an accusing finger to Ling Tong. Ling Tong rolls his eyes and ignores the pirate. He says to Shang Xiang, "What did the lord of Shu do to you?"

Shang Xiang's face pinches into an expression of revulsion as if Ling Tong asked her why she detested being around rotten food. "He's a pedophile!" she declares with assertion, disgust tingeing her words.

"Your evidence?" asks Gan Ning. "There's the presumption of innocence until proven otherwise." His intention to rile her succeeds; Shang Xiang responds with aggravation.

"Evidence?" demands Shang Xiang, her voicing rising. "He even exudes the aura of a sick pervert!"

"Uhh. I don't think that's evidence, Shang Xiang…." says Ling Tong hesitantly, trailing off when Shang Xiang shoots him a murderous glare. I agree with him silently.

"Besides," I add, "if the lord of Shu is dissolute, you still have his shadow on your side"— I frown—"possibly." I ruminate over whether or not Zhao Yun's moral principles are lax. Would his loyalty still be to Liu Bei if Liu Bei sinks into depravity? But then again, it was Liu Bei's benevolence that had drawn Zhao Yun like a moth to a flame.

"Zhao Yun?" inquires Gan Ning. I nod.

"Speaking of which, where is he?" asks Ling Tong, turning his head back and forth to take in a cursory survey of the room. I look to Shang Xiang and Gan Ning, both who shrug and start arguing over who gets the last sesame pancake.

"I would presume that he's waiting outside the bathroom for his beloved lord," says Shang Xiang offhandedly, grappling for the delicacy before having her hand slapped away by Gan Ning. I quickly take this golden opportunity to snatch away the pancake. Ling Tong and I exchange a discreet grin.

"Hey!" they cry indignantly.

I wolf down the pancake, taking it further to chewing loudly to emphasize my triumph. I meet their accusing glares with an innocent smile. "You guys are getting fat, and I'm getting married." My voice becomes flatter at the end of my sentence involuntarily.

"Ah. Then, shouldn't the bride fast to shed off that muffin top?" mocks Shang Xiang derisively. My eye twitches; I give her a sickly, sweet smile. Gan Ning and Ling Tong snigger, and my hands twitch as well, wanting to distribute a blow to each of their heads.

"You're supposed to be the Bow Princess," I say while shaking my head, deliberately attempting to provoke Shang Xiang. "Your eyesight is supposed to be very accurate, no?"

Shang Xiang is about to retort but is interrupted when the door opens to reveal Zhao Yun. He strides in, expression blank. Immediately, Zhao Yun commands the attention of almost everyone in the room. The clamor just a few seconds ago quickly ebbs into silence like the wild waves of the sea reducing to a calm stillness. He doesn't balk; instead, he gets straight to the point. "Greetings my fellow soldiers. My lord is having some difficulties and apologizes for the wait. He will be a while and strongly encourages everyone not to wait for him." With a swift bow, Zhao Yun swivels on his heels and is gone from our sights.

Shang Xiang's retort is momentarily forgotten. The devilish grin from earlier returns to her lips and reaches all the way to her eyes.

"You lack all feminine tenderness," Ling Tong tells her gravely. Shang Xiang rolls her eyes and returns with her own insult: "You lack all male chivalry." They start staring each other down; both of them refuse to blink. Gan Ning and I watch them for a few moments, curious as to who would prevail. However, a better idea comes to our minds. He raises an eyebrow at me, and I nod, signaling my comprehension. Despite the lack of verbal communication, we know exactly what each other is thinking. Leaning closer to the pair of tenacious competitors, we clap our hands loudly and simultaneously, causing Ling Tong to almost fall backwards and Shang Xiang to blink.

"You blinked!" shouts Ling Tong with a triumphant smirk. He pulls himself up from the precarious position and watches Shang Xiang warily in case she decides to resort to some violent action again. She doesn't; instead, Shang Xiang decides to deny her failure vehemently.

"What are you talking about?" she retorts, pointing a finger at Ling Tong's face. "You blinked when you fell backwards! I saw it!" They continue to have a heated discussion over it. Each time someone says something, they lean further across the table until their faces are mere inches apart.

I roll my eyes and interrupt them, trying to settle the argument and have some questions answered. "Is everyone going to the village today?" I ask, placing a hand on each of their shoulders and gently easing them away from each other's faces.

Shang Xiang give Ling Tong one last withering look before turning to me. "No. Not everyone. Some of the Shuists are going, although I don't know why. The point of this whole marriage plan is to distract everyone from our battle plans. If the Shuists go, our plan would be in danger. But, a certain benevolent Shu lord just insisted on going to help out"—she rolls her eyes, face pinching into a scowl—"And you know where our dearest Lord of Shu goes, his faithful shadow goes as well."

"Is this simply racism or something?" demands Ling Tong, shaking his head. "I don't understand why you're so against them!"

"It's not racism, you idiot!" snaps Shang Xiang while rolling her eyes. "We're all the same race here!"

"I believe the word you're looking for is prejudiced-because-we're-from-different-kingdoms," supplies Gan Ning helpfully, his interest sparked.

"That's six words," I correct, counting off my fingers. I muse thoughtfully. "That would be seven words since 'we're' is a contraction."

"Speak English," Gan Ning tells me gravely.

"I am," I defend. There's a pregnant pause in which I rethink my assertion. "Well, Chinese," I correct myself, "but….no one needs to know that."

They look at me oddly; I shrug. Ling Tong speaks up. "Zhuge Liang is staying behind….as well as some Shu generals."

"Makes you wonder what suspicious activity they're planning," says Shang Xiang with a cynical expression. The contempt in her voice is evident. I sigh, thinking she's much too paranoid about the Shuists. However, I must admit that strategists do tend to be….unpredictable. To this statement, Ling Tong and Gan Ning nod in agreement, showing their approval.

"Some of the Wu generals are staying behind, right?" I ask, thinking that couldn't possibly leave the Wu palace vulnerable and undefended to the Shu generals. A knife to the back is as easy being killed in an elephant rampage. And in times like these, being an ally with someone one day and trying to kill each other the next is highly plausible.

Shang Xiang nods, confirming my statement. "Yes. I know Lu Meng and Zhou Tai are staying behind along with a handful of other soldiers. There should be more Wu generals going than Shu. After all, it's a Wu wedding, and the more the Shuists make themselves scarce, the less the peasants will be able to recognize them."

"So long as we make Liu Bei and his shadow look shabby and peasant-like, we'll be fine," says Gan Ning. With a grin spreading across his face, he adds, "Shouldn't be too hard either. They have a peasant-like air to them already. And we could disguise them as servants!" Shang Xiang's face brightens at the suggestion, and I can't help the grin tugging at my mouth.

"They were commoners once," Ling Tong points out. "Liu Bei, Zhang Fei, Guan Yu, and Zhao Yun too, I think."

"And look at them now," says Gan Ning flippantly, snatching away my soymilk. He slurps in down and slams the cup back onto the table with a loud bang. I eye the cup that's still tight in his grip. "I don't think the cook will be too happy about any damage to her dining apparatuses."

"It's okay!" he responds cheerily. "All she needs to do is ingratiate herself into Shang Xiang's favor"—he bends closer to me and whispers—"which will never happen." He continues so that the rest of his sentence is audible. "Then, she'll complain to Sun Ce, who will complain to Zhou Yu, who will order someone to buy more bowls."

"And that someone would be….?" I inquire.

Gan Ning flashes me a brilliant smile and answers promptly, "Lu Xun."

"Speak of the devil," says Shang Xiang, looking past my shoulder to the spot behind me.

I stiffen. A prickling sensation spreads all over my neck, and my stomach feeling queasy. Get a grip on yourself, Xin Ying, I berate myself. Get over it, and stop being weak. I set my shoulders back and straighten my posture.

"You're all right?" a voice next to my ear asks. A hand covers the balled fist resting on my lap, giving me the reassurance I seek. I give Gan Ning an imperceptible nod before turning around to face the boy behind me.

I don't know what to expect but it's surely not the sight before me: a healthy looking Lu Xun in white silk trousers and a red vest by the doorway. His emaciated state from before had faded into a boy without the pallor in his skin or the shadows under his eyes. He scans the crowd, searching for something. When his eyes settle on me, a smile graces his lips, startling me even more. Overall, it looks as if the cadaverous corpse that had resembled him is gone.

Without hesitation, he makes his way over to the table we're at and squeezes into the spot beside me.

"People really have to stop doing that," grumbles Ling Tong. "It's just plain rude."

However, his comment falls on deaf ears as everyone is staring at Lu Xun and me, curious. I stare up at Lu Xun with puzzled eyes, unable to comprehend what the situation is right now. Unconsciously, I take note of the features of the enigma before me, trying to discern if this cheery façade belies his harsh attitude. His rough attitude from what seems like so many weeks ago has evaporated. Nonetheless, I am thoroughly discombobulated.

Since he is merely a few inches away from me, I can see his face clearly. His eyes have a certain impish shine, and his cheeks have their normal color back. I blink, not even aware that I'm holding my breath.

"Good morning," he says with a smile before pecking my forehead. Stunned, I simply sit there without any response. No one speaks up, and Lu Xun continues as if everything is completely normal. "What's for breakfast?" The silence shared between us is almost deafening.

"Is everything all right?" he asks, glancing between Gan Ning, Shang Xiang, Ling Tong, and me. His eyebrows furrow as he regards each of us curiously.

Ling Tong looks to Shang Xiang, Shang Xiang glances at Gan Ning, and their gazes all fall on me concurrently. The silent message being directed to me through their probing eyes is the same: Lu Xun is being odd. Do something.

I gape at Lu Xun for a few moments, mouth opening and closing as I frantically run through a list of things to say in my head; however, my mouth is unable to carry through the messages until a sharp jab to my side jolts me awake from my paralyzed state. I hiss, sucking in air between my teeth and shooting Gan Ning a scowl. He shrugs as if to convey the message: It had to be done.

Hearing my sharp inhale, Lu Xun turns to me with a questioning look. "Err. Y-yeah," I cough out. "Everything's fine." I manage a weak laugh. Next to me, Gan Ning lets out a guttural sound, and Lu Xun sends me a disbelieving look. His prying eyes search mine, and I force myself to look at him to create a false pretense that everything is well.

"Well….you look…..better than ever…" I say carefully, eyeing his face and searching for something that would betray this flawless illusion. The others nod in agreement.

He frowns and runs a hand through his hair. "Do I?" We nod once again. He laughs with a slight levity in his voice. I can almost detect an edge to his voice but dismiss it when I realize that I am being too meticulous. "Since the preparations are almost done, I get some semblance of a break. I should be able to get a little recuperation in the next few days." His words have a heavier meaning to them. Although not explicitly said, I can understand what he's suggesting: Since the next few days are simply days where we masquerade as a married couple, there shouldn't be too much work.

I swallow to relieve my dry throat. Suddenly, Lu Xun jerks violently to the right, his head whirling around in search of something. His eyes are narrowed, and his sharp gaze is aggressive. Even his arms look like they're poised to attack. Alarmed, I follow the direction of his eyes to a window, thinking either the Wei soldiers are trying to storm our palace, or the Shu generals have gone on a rampage. To my relief and complete bafflement, I see nothing out of the ordinary. Lu Xun unfurls his clenched fists, and I wonder what had just happened. Fortunately, Shang Xiang voices my thought verbally: "What was that?" She sounds unnerved and as perplexed as me.

"Oh? Nothing of great importance," answers Lu Xun, the hostile and sharp expression on his face melting into an easy going smile. He explains further when all of us look at him skeptically. "I'm simply concerned that the Wei spies will discover us and find out about our plan. I've been on edge lately because of it. And there's the sleep deprivation issue I've been also having." He pauses, accessing our reactions. They seem to be satisfied with the answer; however, I'm not convinced at the slightest.

It's only when Lu Xun asks me if something is wrong do I realize that I've been frowning and digging my nails into the flesh of my palm. I quickly clear my expression so it's blank and press my hands to my lap. "No. Nothing. Everything is absolutely fine." Of course, I don't convince Lu Xun either. It's such a pity that we know each other that well.

"Relax guys!" exclaims Gan Ning, raising his cup. "Pre-wedding jitters are completely understandable! Right?" He jabs me with his elbow lightly and sends me a meaningful look. I manage a grateful but strained smile and nod.

Understanding crosses Lu Xun's face. I can almost swear that there's a wave of relief that washes over his face. "Oh, right. Of course. That must be what's aggravating you. No worries. Things should proceed smoothly." I grit my teeth. What aggravates me is your poorly disguised lies! What's happened to you, Lu Xun? What's happened to the boy I love?

"I don't understand what you guys are nervous about," says Ling Tong plainly. "It's not even—oomph!" He is cut off when Shang Xiang swiftly kicks him in the shin and shoots him a fierce glare. He hunches over in pain, almost ducking below the table.

She turns to us, her look of ferocity transforming into a brilliant smile. "Don't mind him. I don't think anyone ever taught him what tact is." When Ling Tong is about the retort, she pounces on him with a menacing look and a threat ready on her lips.

I hold up a hand, beckoning for Shang Xiang to stop. "No, he's correct. I agree with his reasoning." She stops abruptly, looking baffled. Everyone also turns to look at me. Ling Tong even pokes his head up from his pain induced position, bemused. Next to me, I can feel Lu Xun stiffen and see his muscles become taut. I continue. "It's not a real marriage. I wasn't even proposed to. Hence, I really shouldn't be nervous about this."

There's a long silence where everyone is stunned to silence. The tension in the air is so thick, it's almost palpable. I look over at Lu Xun. However, I am not able to decipher his reaction as the expression on his face is guarded and unreadable.

"Yes. You're right," he says finally, nothing betraying his sedate exterior. He looks around for a moment, still searching doggedly for something I can't see. Glancing back at us, he says, "I'll have to leave now. I suppose I'll meet up with everyone later?" We give him a nod that's barely visible, just the slight tilt of our heads. However, before leaving, he tucks a piece of hair behind my ear. "By the way, you look lovely," he murmurs so that only I can hear. With a quick peck to my cheek, he's off and out the doors of the dining hall.

Once we are sure he is gone, the remaining people at the table stare at me, a questioning glaze burning in their eyes. As a result, I redden profusely.

I turn to look at Ling Tong straight in the eye. "I see what you mean about capriciousness," I say grimly.

XXX

"I don't want to ride in a carriage," I whine sulkily, eyeing the uncomfortable wooden box with wheels distastefully. "Why can't I ride a horse?"

Da Qiao repeats her explanation patiently. "You are wearing a dress, you are the bride, and we have to make this appear as realistic as possible. Traditionally, the bride would ride in the carriage while the groom rides a horse."

My impatience grows and I demand, "Then, why can't I dress as the guy, and Lu Xun can put on this dress and be the girl?" I ask her in all seriousness. She closes her eyes and pinches the bridge of her nose.

"Xin Ying, please refrain from asking such frivolous questions," she sighs.

"I'm not!" I protest, thinking back to that day they held me captive and transported me in a carriage to Wu. It was an extremely uncomfortable ride, and I have no intention of doing it again. "It's uncomfortable!"

Just when Da Qiao is about to reply, I suddenly feel a force from behind me almost knock me over. My hands automatically reach up to claw at the arms holding me in a light chokehold. Gritting my teeth, I jab my elbow into someone's stomach. The chokehold is released immediately, and my attacker bends over in pain, clutching his stomach.

"That…hurts…." Gan Ning wheezes.

"Good," I reply, sinking into a squat so I can look straight at him. I raise an eyebrow. "And I suppose you get to ride a horse?"

He flashes me wide grin and stands up slowly. A wince crosses his face. "Yup!" he confirms, turning the wince back into a grin. "It's such a lovely day for sightseeing."

I grab him by the shoulders and shake him back and forth. "Trade with me!" I whine.

He laughs and seizes my wrists. "Lu Xun's bride can't exactly be me," he laughs. As an afterthought, he adds, "Although my attractiveness is as powerful as the sun."

"You mean your negative number on the attractiveness scale would blind people?" I ask, quickly coming up with a witty comeback. Gan Ning beams with approval.

"You've learned to be funny," he coos. He ruffles my hair lightly and steps back when I move my hand to smack him. "Proud of you," he says. "I made an excellent teacher."

I snort. "I would like to believe that my humor was naturally inherent within me."

"Settle your fuss!" says Da Qiao not unkindly. "We're about to depart soon!"

Gan Ning and I look at each other. He shakes his head firmly, denying to my demand to trade with him. I scowl. He shrugs and saunters away to one of the horses. Da Qiao takes me by the arm and leads me to the devil's contraption. Honestly, the reason of my reluctance to ride the carriage isn't because it's uncomfortable; I don't want to ride it because I feel like I'm gradually losing myself. I had never imagined myself getting married and donning dresses for events that don't involve infiltration. Now, even my own opinions are being overlooked. Slowly and slowly I feel like I'm transforming into a petty, servile girl. Like those meek, submissive girls who only live to serve. My own freedom is being stripped from me like clipping the wings of a bird.

I don't want to be controlled. I don't want anyone to have power over me.

"Now, Xin Ying, if you will," says Da Qiao, beckoning for me to enter the carriage. Reluctantly, I oblige and settle myself on a seat. Surprisingly, it's not as bad as I expected. The plush cushions attenuate the discomfort the wooden seats would've provided. "Where's Lu Xun?" I ask.

"I would imagine that he's making some final preparations," answers Da Qiao. She smoothes out the back of her skirt and takes a seat across from me—which happens to be right next to the entrance of the carriage. Silently, I wonder if anyone else is going to ride in the same carriage as me. Not that I mind Da Qiao. It's just that I think the more people there are, the more comfortable I'll be. As if sensing the question in my mind, she replies, "Shang Xiang and Xiao Qiao are going to join us later."

"Hmmm." I'm unsure how to further carry on this conversation. Fortunately, there's a gentle rap on the side of the carriage I'm sitting at. Pulling open the rice paper shutters, I realize it's Ling Tong peering inside the carriage curiously.

His lips curve in a grin. "Excellent. I got the right carriage."

I stare at him.

"I may or may not have startled some people by banging on their window…."

I cross my arms and lay them on the opening of the window, resting my chin on them. "And why do you get a horse?" I cast him a grumpy look.

"If I ride a horse, it'll look normal; if the bride rides one, it will not," he says plainly and straightforwardly. Patting my hand, Ling Tong sends me a sympathetic look. "We'll be there in no time so don't worry about being cramped in a cage for very long." He laughs before circling around the carriage to look for Zhou Yu.

I sigh, glancing upwards into the sky to see a falcon soaring in the opposite direction of the sun, plunging into a gradual darkness. Fearless, solitary, and free…

"Hey guys!"

I turn around, pulling my arms back into the carriage. Shang Xiang waves at me and Da Qiao. Behind her, Xiao Qiao follows in suit, showing a wide grin. They settle themselves into the seats; Shang Xiang sits to my right and Xiao Qiao sits to Da Qiao's left. I give them a half-hearted greeting. Perhaps Ling Tong is right. My volatile mood has been leaving me as dreary as ever. Is this what drug addicts are hurled through? It's a state of euphoria that leaves as quickly as it comes. Then, they are plunged and drowned in a state of utter, unadulterated depression and hopelessness.

Inwardly, I laugh—a wry, mocking chuckle that leaves me even emptier than before. Is Lu Xun my drug, then? Is he something that brings me fleeting happiness and leaves me as alone as ever? A mere illusion of what could have existed? A drug causes dependence—whether physical or psychological. It's something that you desperately need, and yet, it's simultaneously insidious. The cruel irony is just like a slap to the face

"Xin Ying, we're not shipping you off to Cao Cao, so stop looking so grim!"

I blink in surprise when a voice shakes me out of my trance. Shang Xiang looks down at me, her arms crossed her are lips turned down. I blink again when I notice the disapproval shadowing her eyes.

"That's right!" Xiao Qiao nods in agreement, shaking a finger at me. "You're treating this entire matter like a life or death situation!" She takes a deep breath and smiles. The slight frown from before vanishes into a cheery grin. "Be happy!" My stomach churns into a knot of humiliation and indignation.

"How can I be happy?" I burst out with a glare of daggers. Xiao Qiao is taken aback. Her smile knocked off her face, and she visibly shrinks into a tiny ball next to Da Qiao.

"Xin Ying!" Da Qiao reprimands sharply, her motherly nature replaced with a cool but fierce look.

I turn my gaze down at the cushions, glaring relentlessly. I feel cornered now; my friends have united against me in solidarity. If I weren't feeling so indignant right now, I would've laughed. She's returned—Da Qiao, that is, to her fierce nature as an Assassin.

"Don't give me that!" I snap, cheeks flaming with anger. "Both of you ran off to marry your beloved Wu generals! And what do I get here? Abandoned by my sisters, trapped by your soldiers, held prisoner, and now this?" I gesture violently to my dress with a snarl. "You're treating me as if I'm supposed to do this! Well, I am not at your every beck and call!"

The next thing I know, there's a blur in front of me and a loud, resonating smack. I clutch my stinging cheek with a hand, my eyes watering from the unexpected pain. Before me stand Da Qiao whose hand is extended out, her palm slightly red. I stare at her in disbelief, and her furious expression melts into one of horrification.

It's completely silent as our brains slowly comprehend what has just happened. Xiao Qiao and Shang Xiang stare with eyes wide in shock and dismay. I guess this is what people called stunned into silence. They stand as still as statues, unsure of how to proceed.

I blink rapidly a few times, silently willing any tears to vanish.

"Oh, Xin Ying! I'm so sorry!" Da Qiao cries. An expression of remorse and shame contorts her features. She starts forward towards me, but I hold up a hand, stopping her in her tracks.

With my other hand caressing my cheeks, I say quietly, "Don't. I know how it is now. You've shown me all I need to see." Although quiet, my voice seems to carry on more power than I intended—deathly quiet, you could say.

From outside, I can hear a voice call, "All right, ladies! We're departing now!" The carriage lurches forward, and everyone settles into their original seats without a word. Da Qiao sits across from me, body hunched over. Her elbows are digging into her knees, and her hands are buried in her hair. Her eyes her squeezed shut, and her teeth are gritted—it's an expression of pain. I can't say whether I feel glad or depressed. In fact, I can't say that I feel anything as of now. Once again, I've been numbed to oblivion. Besides the searing hotness in my cheek, I can't say I feel a thing. Yes. I've seen enough now.

The rest of the trip proceeded with a tense silence. Occasionally, Xiao Qiao would start to move to console her sister. However, she would draw back with uncertainty. Perhaps it looked to her as though one move would push her distraught sister into hysterics. Meanwhile, Shang Xiang merely crosses her arms over her chest and stares ahead, expressionless.

Finally, a rapping on the door lets us know that we've arrived at our destination. I can escape this dreadful silence. Xiao Qiao and Shang Xiang leave first, standing up and sweeping out of the room swiftly. Da Qiao lingers behind. Although my gaze is averted, I can feel her eyes resting on me as she leaves the carriage hesitantly.

I close my eyes and rest my hands on my lap. The commotion outside is loud; I can hear yells and shouts. If possible, the knot of dread in my stomach grows even larger. Oddly enough, excitement is coursing through my veins, sending my heart pounding. The carriage door opens with a slight squeak. I look up, expecting to see Shang Xiang, Da Qiao, or Xiao Qiao again. However, standing right outside the carriage is Lu Xun, peeking inside with a shy smile. The smile drops almost immediately when he catches my eyes…and possibly the redness of my cheek. I stand up, gathering my skirts so I can avoid tripping and making my way towards him—all while averting my eyes.

The first thing I see as I step out of the carriage is a brilliant light. It's not hot by any means; it's just bright. The next thing I see is a blur of faces in the crowd. There could be well over a hundred peasants waving, clapping, or grinning. They are lined up against the edge of the street. Someone in the future could say that it looked like Moses parting the Red Sea.

As soon as I reach him, I grab Lu Xun's arm, hook my arm in his, and brush my cheek against his arm to conceal the redness from the people watching us. To others it may seem like an affectionate gesture, but we both know that's it's simply a cloak that disguises who we are: liars, tacticians, strategists, and soldiers who are out for the kill.

We walk arm in arm, trailing behind the group in front of us. Sun Ce and Zhou Yu take the lead, followed by the rest of us. While the peasants cheer and yell, we must keep up the task of maintaining friendly smiles and waves. It would've been relatively easy; however, it was a struggle to conceal the rouge on my cheek. In the crowd, I notice a few young girls whispering to each other discreetly while shooting looks of envy and contempt at me. I glance up at Lu Xun and sigh. I don't delight in dealing with such infantile people—especially right now. Despite how simple it may look, our façade, our show, will be a key factor in success. One slip could cause the world to crash down.

He catches my eye, and I lean closer to him. "It would appear that your fans have arrived."

An alarmed expression crosses his face, but Lu Xun quickly regains his composure. "Smile. Pretend as if I've said something amusing." I obey, allowing superficial smile to take over. He surveys our surroundings, appearing relaxed with an easy going grin.

"What are you doing?" I ask quietly, intrigued.

"Scouting for Wei spies," he replies. He cocks his head, leaning a little closer to my neck. I stiffen but will my body to relax. "The ones who pay the closest attention—the ones who are the most meticulous," he says, with a quick peck at my cheek, "are the most dangerous."

His action incites surprise in the crowd. They stare blatantly. A handful of people gape at us. I let my fingers brush against my cheek where his lips had been. I hadn't even noticed that the sting gradually faded.

I'm losing myself.

XXX

After a few minutes, we arrived at the place we were staying at: a shabby hut with only three rooms. It puzzles me why we aren't staying at a more comfortable place, but Zhou Yu had explained that living like and among the peasants would help us create a better bond with them. In addition, making us walk a few minutes was to attract some attention—all these plans were courtesy of Zhuge Liang. However, the fancy clothing we wore was rather incongruous.

"And so, we're going to finish some business," explains Zhou Yu. "While we're gone, you two will have to make yourselves noticeable around town." I'm somewhat grateful that he's decided to take Da Qiao along with him and Sun Ce. I cannot even begin to explain the awkwardness between us now. Not to mention the strange fire of animosity and betrayal kindling within me.

"That's fine." I cross my arms over my chest impatiently. Next to me stands Lu Xun who nods. A few feet away are our comrades who've taken up the task of unpacking our luggage. Gan Ning chucks a chest a Ling Tong who ducks just in time. The heavy chest ends up taking Ma Chao as its victim, knocking him to the ground. "Just explain to me why we're taking Liu Bei along on this trip?" I demand.

Lu Xun runs a hand through his hair, but a few longer strands flop back into his eyes. "It's a sort of bargaining situation. Zhuge Liang insisted on staying behind, but we're suspicious that he may be planning to stab us in the back"—Lu Xun looks at Zhou Yu rather pointedly—"and so we've taken the lord of Shu with us for safety precautions."

"Precisely," says Zhou Yu, agreeing with Lu Xun's explanation. "It shouldn't be too easy to recognize him as we've taken the liberty of disguising him. In addition, the task falls into Master Zhao Yun's hands of making sure no one identifying him. I'm sure the other Shu generals have their own means of blending in—something Zhuge Liang would have seen to, though I wouldn't like to admit it."

A shout a few more yards away is a note that someone has been tackled. I shake my head at such juvenile behavior when we're out in the open. Although we're located at the edge of town, there are still carriages, horses, and peasants walking along the cobblestone road in front of us.

"I see. Then, we shall take our leave," says Lu Xun firmly. He places his right fist into his left hand and bows. I imitate him, and we start walking past everyone else into the heart of the city.

"Hey, Xin Ying!"

I turn around to see Gan Ning waving at me. "Make sure not to do anything reckless!" His shout his muffled at the end when Shang Xiang jumps on him from behind.

"Think you can skip out on unpacking?" she demands. "I think not!" Then, she drags him back to the hut with her arms tucked under his neck—almost strangling him.

"You'd think that it's better not to do that since it'll cause oxygen deprivation," I state, observing Shang Xiang and Gan Ning. He flails his arms, hitting her in the head. She scowls at Gan Ning and promptly drops him on the ground. "And he needs all the oxygen to the brain he can get," I say.

"He has his intelligent moments," replies Lu Xun, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "As a navigator of the seas, he has to be."

As we continue walking, my feet start to hurt from the tight shoes covering my feet. In addition, my dress holds me in a stiff position. The further we walk into the town, the more people halt their daily tasks to stare at us. Wonder and curiosity washes over the faces as their eyes follow us. By now, blisters have attached themselves to my feet like an irritating parasite, causing me to limp slightly.

His arm goes around my waist, providing me the support I need. Reluctantly, I lean against him, swallowing down my pride. I feel as though my friends are gradually betraying me; it hurts. However, for the sake of this scheme, I must stay by their side. I wonder if I'm really a Wu soldier; I hadn't officially accepted their invitation to join their military. In the moment, I was thrown into this mess. If I had refused to join them, would they have taken my head?

"Lord Lu Xun!"

Lu Xun's head whirls around to find the source of the voice in the sea of people. There's a certain hostility that appears in his eyes, and I almost miss the way his arm is held before me like he's trying to shield me. However, as quickly as it's manifested, it melts away. He smiles at the peasant man amiably. The man appears to be a grandfather with graying hair and a hunched back. Next to him stands a younger man with a straight back and a bamboo hat concealing his features.

"Hello, good sir!" he greets back, arm curling around my waist again.

"You are her suitor then?" he smiles, gesturing towards me. "Such a catch! The lady is beautiful." Imperceptibly, Lu Xun pulls me closer to him, and his eyes narrow ever so slightly. But, I catch this action. "Why, thank you. I am lucky to have her in my life," replies Lu Xun with as much of a friendly demeanor as he could muster. I sense that wants to leave as quickly as possible but does not wish to arouse suspicion. "Her intelligence rivals that of mine and her beauty of Xi Shi!"

The peasant bellows in laughter—a pretense to cover up his true intention. We're both playing the same game then. It's fire against fire.

"My lord." I rest my hand on Lu Xun's arm. He looks at me in surprise. "I'm becoming a little fatigued. Do you suppose we could find something to eat and a place to rest for a while?" I ask, giving him a meaningful look.

Comprehension dawns upon him. He nods and kisses my cheek. "As you wish, my lady." With a farewell to the man, we part our ways with Lu Xun glancing discreetly around us every few seconds.

"A Wei spy?" I ask.

"Yes," he says. "It would appear as though they're suspecting us already."

"Are we that bad at deception, or is Cao Cao just too cynical?"

"Let's give ourselves some credit here," he answers, urging me to walk faster with a gentle push. We try dashing into the larger crowds of people to make it more difficult for them to see us. With quick apologies for elbowing people, we make our way further into the heart of the city. Fortunately, we pass by a merchant who happens to have mirrors set up on a stand for sale. Lu Xun spares a perfunctory glance at the mirror, mutters something unintelligible, and practically shoves me into a busy tea house.

"Hello there! How may we help—" a waitress begins, but Lu Xun interrupts her.

"Excuse me! If we could use your back room?" calls Lu Xun over his shoulder as he pushes me further into the shop despite that the waitress had not answered. He offers her an apologetic (yet charming) smile, and she blushes in response, causing a bit of jealousy, though I'd hate to admit it, to flare within my stomach.

"Y-Yes. Of course," she stutters.

Once we make it into the back, I give Lu Xun a long and flat stare with my arms crossed over my chest. "That was not necessary."

He raises an eyebrow. "Which part?"

The part where you flirt with someone else. "The part where you shove me around. This"—I gesture towards my attire—"is going to rip soon."

He runs a hand through his hair, muttering something unintelligible again. However, I think I hear something along the lines of, "I wouldn't mind that." I blink, deciding I need to get my hearing checked for fear of auditory hallucinations.

Then, we swivel around when loud shouts come from the main room followed by a plate crashing against, what I would assume to be, the ground. I meet his eyes again, and he gestures for me to follow him. I obey once again, dashing swiftly further into the shop after him. Within a few moments, we burst out from the dim hallway into bright sunlight. Inwardly, I breathe a sigh of relief that most shops have a back exit.

"You know, we are supposed to make ourselves noticeable," I comment lightly, navigating around a barrel of wine in the alley. Odd. There's a wine shop right next to a tea shop?

Lu Xun casts me a sideway glance. "Noticeable to the people of Wu, not the Wei spies."

"They're the same for all we know," I mutter. "Ow!" I bend over, rubbing my stomach with a wince as rude customer from the wine shop had stridden out and accidentally jutted an elbow into my stomach. He halts abruptly in his tracks for a moment, black cloak flapping. I wait expectantly for an apology. However, he continues, marching away without even a backward glance.

Lu Xun's gaze snaps from the man's retreating back to me. "Are you all right?"

"….No. No I'm not," I answer curtly, straightening my back and marching off in the opposite direction of the brash man.

I don't look, but I can feel his swift movements to catch up with me. Inwardly, I curse myself for even stepping out of bed today. These past few weeks should've been a sign that my volatile mood would plummet each time I come into close contact with the strategist. By now, my feet feel sore from being pinched together and crammed into the dainty shoes I've been supplied with, and my back hurts from the ridiculously stiff position that's been imposed on me.

"Xin Ying," he calls after me, with what I detect to be a faint amusement. He dares to be amused by my ludicrous state? All right, the world can go screw itself over.

I halt, almost causing him to bump into me. Then, I proceed to tear off my shoes and thrust them into his arms with unmatched speed. Lu Xun raises a disbelieving eyebrow. "You intend to walk around barefoot all day?"

I don't answer but continue to march away, head held high, and ignoring the small stones digging into my feet and the peculiar looks being shot at me from passing strangers. This must be an entertaining sight: former Assassin walking barefoot around town and being followed by her betrothed strategist who is carrying her shoes.

We continue this pattern around town, with me turning sharply in one direction, hoping that he crashes into the wall of a building. Unfortunately, his reflexes save him from getting a bruise on his face (I was hoping for amnesia), and he proceeds to trail after me like a puppy…..or maybe I'm supposed to be the puppy, and he's merely the master, following his pitiful dog, entertained. That thought causes me to whirl around. "Will you please stop following me?"

Again, he raises an eyebrow. "I thought it was our plan to make a show around town. You certainly haven't been doing that for the past half hour."

Okay. Take a deep breath, Xin Ying. Try not to strangle him until you get back to the palace. I repeat, try not to strangle the cursed strategist in front of everyone.

I exhale through my nose and announce, "I'm going to a tea shop." Then, I look him in the eye. "You're paying."

Whirling back around, I move through the crowd, yanking the pins out of my pair and throwing them on the dirt ground so they glitter like forgotten diamonds in the sunlight, leaving my hair to billow freely in the wind like a midnight curtain.

XXX

"Chrysanthemum tea."

The murmuring rises as we settle into our seats. It's like a wave of whispers washing over us along with the covert glances our way. The waitress skitters away, nearly tripping over a chair because the customer sitting in it is too busying staring at us to scoot in. I would snicker if this weren't so annoying.

Three reasons—there are two reasons why people are staring. One: I am shoeless, and my entire appearance is disheveled. Two: Lu Xun is there. Three: We are rumored to be engaged. I now know why Zhou Yu sent us on our way; they were planning to spread the news that we were engaged. I caught a glimpse of spiky hair and the faint jingling of bells as I pushed past a crowd of unsuspecting peasants. Stupid Gan Ning.

I refrain from moving my feet too much, lest Lu Xun knows that being barefoot is causing my feet to itch. His elbows are on the table, and his chin tucked into his hands, brooding and somber.

"Here you are. Enjoy." She brings a clay pot over with two ceramic cups. They're perfect; there are no chipped parts, and a delicate image of a cherry blossom takes form on the surface of the cup.

I reach over to seize the fiber handle of the pot, pulling it so I can pour the steaming liquid into the cups. Once I place the pot back down, a few stray drops of tea fly and land on the table.

"Keep that face on, and you'll be forty by the next year," I say humorlessly. That seems to snap him out of his trance. It does seem that way though. He's an eighteen year old boy with a life ahead of him. Boy….not a man but a boy—an age when he should still be free of the burdens of the world, especially the worries of the future for Wu. I wonder, if he didn't leave to join the Wu army, what would he be doing now? Certainly, he is attractive enough to find a wife and settle down. This is the age for courting, after all. Look at Zhou Yu. He's older than Zhuge Liang (it's true, despite the lack of facial hair), and I bet he's getting high blood pressure from being a workaholic. Is this why some choose to pursue the path of alcohol? Does it numb away the worries and pain of the world, leaving you in a peaceful oblivion?

Lu Xun blinks. Then, a reluctant smile creeps onto his face, one that doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Have you forgiven me, then?"

"Hardly," I snap, willing my cheeks to stay cool. "Having a forty year old as a husband is rather insulting."

Some of the people around us perk up at the word of "husband." I inwardly roll my eyes. I've been doing that a lot lately, haven't I?

"Have some faith. I wouldn't want to leave you a widow to a world of undeserving men," he teases.

"Assuming we don't get killed in battle," I nod offhandedly, "or of high blood pressure."

He laughs, the sound bringing warmth to the atmosphere. The door opens and closes, but I barely pay attention when the waitress moves immediately to greet the new customer.

"Undeserving," I repeat, repressing my urge to smile. "Are you implying that you are the only one worthy of my affections?"

The new customer and waitress move to the small table next to us. He whispers something, and she slips away into the kitchens. The aroma of minced pork wafts into the room, and it smells absolutely divine. I can see why Sima Shi has a love for meat buns.

"I would like to assume so," he launches back, "or are you going to announce that you've been having an affair behind my back?"

"My lord!" I feign shock. "To think you would believe me to be so low! How scandalous!"

We pause, meeting each other's gaze knowingly. The chatter in the room had died down considerably, and I can see something clicking in his mind. Lu Xu lifts his cup and proclaims, "To us then, my bride." I mimic, painfully aware of the penetrating gazes directed towards us. As I drink, I nudge his foot. He catches my eye again, and I nod, almost imperceptibly, towards the door. Let's get out of here.

He pays, and we leave. As soon as we're out, I'm sure that commotion starts to burst out inside. Lu Xun places a hand on my shoulder to stop me from walking. "Listen, I'm going to check something out back there, okay?" He gestures vaguely in the direction we came from.

"Sure," I answer nonchalantly. "I'll be walking around, then."

He nods, saying something about be backing soon. I don't really listen; my thoughts are wandering, so when he leaves, I walk with another blank look on my face. Then, I curse inwardly again; he took my shoes….. Stupid strategist.

I follow an elderly woman in front of me—who's moving quite fast despite her years. She has graying hair, almost silver, and has a fiber basket hanging from the crook of her arm. She doesn't appear to notice that I'm following her as she continues to wobble away with a slightly hunched back. All of a sudden, I hiss sharply, lifting my foot up with a grimace to see a narrow cut. Stupid Lu Xun, taking my shoes. The woman turns into a shop. It's neither small, nor big, but it appears well taken care of. The wooden structure has been coated over with varnish and polished so it's dust free. Curiously, I duck inside, and the strong scent of herbs hits me. It's not a pungent smell exactly. In fact, the more I inhale, the sweeter the initial bitter odor becomes.

"Hi there! How can I help you?"

A bright, cheery voice greets me. I turn to see a young girl around my age, beaming at me. Once she gets a good look at me, her smile falters a little but returns with full force. The colors she wear are dull. But, her exuberance acts as a veil to this. Even the way that her black hair is tied into pigtails resting on her shoulders seems to highlight her youthful innocence. Somehow, she seems oddly familiar.

"Hi. Umm…" I trail off, unsure of what to do next. The woman I followed in brushes past me, a white package now taking place in her fiber basket.

"Find this place by chance?"

"Huh?" I blink.

"Did you find this place by chance?" she repeats, eyes still sparkling with mirth. "People who've never been to this town tend to gravitate towards here." With a flourish, she gestures at the rows and rows of cabinets and drawers behind her and all around walls. She leans over the counter in front of her, as if preparing to tell me a secret. "It's really just a pharmacy." She bursts out laughing, and for some reason, I join in too; her laughter is truly contagious.

"Anyway, may I know what happened to your shoes then, miss?" She looks pointedly at my bare feet, the grin still on her face. I open my mouth to respond and close it uncertainly. She recognizes my hesitance and decides not to pursue the topic but beckons me behind her counter with a wave.

With a tube in her hand, she gently pushes me into a small stool. "I'd hate to you get an infection," she explains. I look at my feet dubiously. It's not an overly large cut, but since I'm not an expert, I let the girl carry on.

She swipes a dampened towel over my feet and smears a cool paste over the cut. As she bandages the cut, I survey her store a little more. It's surprisingly well-kept, and I can see a small room in the back, and there are white paper packages of all sizes strewn on a couple counters.

Then, a thought occurs to me. "Does this store only supply medicine, or does a doctor work here as well?" I inquire.

Screwing back on the lid of the tube, she answers, "Of course. That would be me!" She flashes me another wide grin and places the tube on the counter. I look at her doubtfully. "My brother and I work here. I specialize in a variety of medicine, and I've also studied illnesses, so the locals often come here if they need something….or I go to them."

Intrigued, I continue to ask her some questions. "Do you have knowledge regarding the brain?"

She seems surprised; I don't blame her. "The brain?" she repeats, puzzled.

I nod. "Memories," I clarify. "Amnesia." A small flare of hope sparks in my chest, growing larger with every second. Maybe I can put an end to this now.

However, I deflate into a state of disappointment when she shakes her head. "My knowledge of anatomy only applies to how it's connected with medicine and illnesses. From what I understand, amnesia isn't an "illness" exactly," she pauses. "I would recommend going to a surgeon."

I sink down into the stool, hopelessness completely evident. The bitter smell has faded by now—something else I didn't notice. Somewhere in the back of my mind, something is berating me to stop searching….searching for my past, that is.

"However," she ventures carefully, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder, "I am acquainted with a surgeon. He and I both practice medicine, although he specializes more in surgery than anything else. I could inquire this situation for you."

"Thank you," I say with a feeble smile. I pause, thinking that she really does look familiar. I could've sworn I've seen her before, but just as I'm about to ask, someone else enters the room.

The girl looks over to the entrance of the store and smiles. "Hello! I'll be right with you!"

"No need," a voice replies smoothly. "I'm just here for someone." Inwardly, I grimace. Excellent timing, strategist.

The girl looks at me pointedly, and I give her an imperceptible nod before rising from my chair. "Well, thanks for your help," I say graciously. "I suppose I shall see you….soon?"

She grins and nods, waving to me as Lu Xun steers me by the shoulders outside. She offers Lu Xun a hesitant wave as well, and he returns with a stoic nod. As we leave, I crane my neck a little to see if he has my shoes. To my deepest regrets, my shoes are nowhere in sight. I mutter something about selling the shoes for money before he stops.

I feel a few strands of hair being lifted away, and then with a swift move, he pulls all my hair away from the nape of my neck, lightly grazing my skin like the softest brushes of a feather, and secures it against my scalp with some sort of pin. When my hands reach back to feel what he did, they brush against a long, smooth hairpin protruding from my locks. Dangling from the tip of the pin is a chain of quartz blossoms: full, light pink flowers.

"You're too much," I sigh, a swirl of resentment and fondness tumbling from my words.

"My bride, you should appreciate me." It comes out muffled as in one swift motion, he has his arms around me, my back pressed against his chest, and his face buried in my hair.

"I do," I breathe and say just a little quietly, "more than you would ever know."

Volatile. Capricious. A whimsical fancy.

We break apart as soon as shouts and screams resonate towards us from a long distance away. Though faint, the fear and anger and despair travels at an alarming rate. Lu Xun and I exchange glances, a battle between fleeing the Wei spies or checking to see if something bad has happened. Eventually, our conscience wins, and we take off towards the source of the sound. On the way as the rocks dug into my feet, I have a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I feel as though someone is hiding in the shadows, ready to pounce on me.

The coughing started first, then the searing burn in my eyes.

"W-What is this?" I sputtered.

He stands in front of me, advancing slowly because of the blinding smoke.

"FIRE! FIRE!"

I feel the gradually increasing heat pressing against my cheeks. There are people swarming out of a large building…..an inn? A few people hurtle past us, growing panic evident on their faces. Another man stumbles out from the building, eyes wide with dismay and anxiety and face smeared with soot. I notice a faint scar peeking out from the hair that curls around his temples. Seeing us, he slumps, clutching his shoulder—where I would presume that a burn is hiding. "Please, there is another woman inside. S-She's trapped in some room on the lower floor."

Lu Xun gives him a firm nod. "We will." As we trample inside the burning building, he calls over his shoulder, "Please, alert the constabulary!"

"Where," I mutter, "could the woman possibly be? This is an enormous inn." I squint my eyes, peering through the thick, suffocating smoke. He hauls me by the arm through the courtyard, ducking under the stairs. I can imagine the huge lecture that Zhou Yu or Yue Ying would give us about our carelessness as we move through the building.

Lu Xun gives me a look with furrowed brows. "We have to make haste lest we burn along with this building."

We kick open the doors to a couple rooms, our lungs growing weaker as each minute passes. The heat of the flames lashes out on my cheeks, and I hiss out when a flame whips my arm. Finally, we encounter a room that is locked from the outside. To open the wooden doors, one has to pull on the rusted rings that hang on each door (on separate chains). However, a battered broomstick was shoved through the two rings, making it impossible to get out from the inside. With haste, we pull the broomstick free and burst through the doors. I almost step onto a burning rag.

Indeed, a woman with almost silver hair is sitting on a stool, the rest of her body sprawled on a table. Without a doubt, she's unconscious. Lu Xun moves to carry her out. Once she's on his back, we make a break for it, spluttering slightly from the merciless conflagrations. However, I can't help but notice as we move that the woman's dress is a shade of green similar to my dress, glowing among the smoke and flames. A sudden searing hot pain on my cheek throws that thought abruptly away.

As soon as we break out from the building, we come down into fits of coughing. Then, the jingling sound of bells pulls our attention to the large group of people approaching us.

"What in the world…."

It's Zhou Yu I see first, his usually passive face now contorted with bafflement. Behind us, more people are rushing to the inn with buckets of water clutched in their hands. I feel a hand curling around my upper arm, and when I turn, I realize it's Gan Ning. "You all right?"

"Just perfect," I answer breathlessly, still trying to slow my rapid heartbeat.

"No, you're not," he responds, fingertips grazing just below the spot that was burning earlier. I flinch, biting down on my tongue to keep from crying out.

"That's what I thought….and why are you barefoot?!"

We both look at my feet at the same time. Besides being covered with soot and ashes, I can't see much of anything else. But, I know that there must be burns and patches of red on them, too. I manage a sheepish (but weak) grin before he walks away, muttering something under his breath, to take care of the fire.

By the time the mess was sorted out, it was late in the afternoon. My burns had been treated, and I had been allowed to change into more comfortable clothing along with a pair of loose boots. All I want to do now is rest. However, just as Zhou Yu is finishing off some arrangements, Lu Xun calls me over with a bizarre expression on his face.

"I wanted to look through the inn, for some clue or something of that sort, and I stumbled across something very interesting," he says conversationally, but I can practically see the strain in his mind trying to comprehend what he found.

"Okay…." I reply, unsure of what to say.

"Take a look at this."

We walk a little further past the kitchen, and I survey the burnt wood and crumbling pillars of the inn. We stop just in front of a patch of thick liquid pooling on the ground. It doesn't look harmful, and there's no odor to repel me away. Cautiously, I run two fingers along the liquid to come away with grease.

"Oil?" I say, bemused.

He nods. "That's right. I also found pieces of oily ceramic earlier: something that should've been in the kitchen."

"How do we know that it's a vase of cooking oil?"

"Interestingly enough, only one side of the ceramic was greased; the other was perfectly fine if not for the ash covering it."

XXX

I can hear them in the other room having a heated argument about what we had found; the walls separating the bathing room from the main room is remarkably thin. So, I sit there, the steam caressing my body as I listen intently to their conversation.

"It just doesn't make sense. Why would Wei spies burn down an inn?"

There's some murmuring as they puzzle over the crux of the situation now. I sink lower into the tub, almost as if I'm hiding from the shame of it all.

"Wait….that inn—" I hear Lu Xun's voice now. "—it's the same inn that we stayed at the one time I went to deliver papers."

Was it? I suppose my memories are getting lost in the depths of my mind, like how papers get lost in the dark corners of a room. If that was the inn we stayed at, then the woman was the innkeeper. A knot of dread settles in the pit of my stomach as I hunch over, slinking lower into the water. What have I done?

"Why…..would…..attack inn?"

I creep forward, closer towards the wall that separates me from everyone else; I slosh water over the tub, causing it to smack into the ground with a blatant splash. The murmuring in the other room pauses and becomes even quieter and more discreet.

"…..symbol…..they know…..must finish…suspicion…"

My apprehension swallows any annoyance I may have at the struggle from trying to eavesdrop. I rise out of the water and step out of the tub to dry myself off. Just as I walk out of the bathroom with a towel to my damp hair, the vehement discussion stops immediately as if a bucket of water were dumped over everyone.

"Hello?" I say cautiously.

They don't give away any clue as to what they were talking about. Instead, their faces appear grim if not impassive—Zhao *cough* Yun. We carry on with the rest of the evening, nibbling at the congee Ma Chao had fetched from a nearby store and washing up before settling into the thin layers of blankets placed on the floor.

I'm only half surprised that of the two sleeping rooms, somebody had placed our luggage and thin pile of blankets in the smaller room that could only fit two people. So that night when I slipped under the blankets, I could feel him against my back and could hear him murmur, "Good night, love," before dozing off, unaware of the troubles drowning me under.

XXX

Hi all! Sakura here! Okay, it's been four months since I last updated, so my apologies! I blame it all on the stress of school! Honestly though, you'd think they'd let us get more sleep! I know my updates won't be as frequent, so if you guys want to keep up with what I've been doing and such, check out my profile. I have a section on my thoughts which is really a diary section! And before I leave, I'd like to say that I know some of my earlier chapters were poor quality, so would you like me to rewrite those or continue updating regular chapters? Thanks so much to my reviewers, favoriters, and followers, and I haven't been able to properly thank my guest reviewers, so thanks so much! Your support really has helped alleviate the pressure and stress school brings! Thanks for reading!