Ma Chao grunted as he picked up his spear from the ground. "You still wouldn't have knocked me off of my horse."

Nearby, Zhao Yun was leaning against his own spear, a grin plastered on his face. "We are not on horses, sir," he said in a mocking tone. "We are on foot, and I beat you. Man up and admit it."

"You know, for someone so formal everywhere else, you can be a child when trying to train with me." But Chao couldn't suppress the grin on his own face. Zhao Yun had been a friend of his for years, since he had decided to join Shu, in fact. He had become more like a brother than a fellow officer. Chao had never been good at forming strong bonds with other people. Yun had been an exception.

"I'd give much to know your thoughts right now," said Yun, waving his spear in front of Chao's face. "Since when does the mighty Ma Chao, god of horses, fall into deep thought?" He nudged him in the arm. "Or maybe you're thinking of a certain someone? Hmm?"

"I'm going to put you deep into slumber if you don't knock it off," Chao grumbled.

Zhao Yun wasn't phased. "Come on, you can't get past me. What were you thinking about?"

"Knocking you in the head with my spear."

"Not funny."

"What are you talking about? Its hysterical! You should see the way your face contorts when I hit you!" Before he could finish his thought, Ma Chao felt Yun's spear hook him behind the knee and his body begin to fall to the ground. He managed to roll out of the way before Yun could attack him again. "What was that for?" he cried.

Yun was still grinning. "For not answering my question truthfully."

"I wasn't thinking about anything other than how glad I am to have you as a friend. I've since taken it back. You're insane. I don't associate with insane people."

Zhao Yun chuckled. "Okay, okay. I was hoping you were thinking about Lady Yang. I'm in the mood to tease someone." Ma Chao stiffened, and his friend pointed at him and laughed. "Aha! I knew there was something going on between the two of you! Spill it!"

Chao shrugged, hoping that Yun wouldn't notice the redness in his face. "There's nothing to spill. We're friends, and I will be sorry to see her leave when Cheng Du is set to rights."

"I don't buy it. Chao, you really must be blind, or at least think that the rest of us are blind. Its hard not to notice how much time you two spend together. If its not in the stables, its in the training yard, or during meals, or whenever you two aren't engaging in activities that only require one person. You like her."

"Oh course I do. I wouldn't spend time with her otherwise."

Zhao Yun shook his head. "No, no, I mean you like her. As in, you'll be more than just disappointed to see her leave."

"Lay off."

"Ah, I see I've hit a weak spot. I'm so good at this." He grinned again. "If It makes you feel any better, she likes you, too. I can see it in her actions, her voice, and the way she looks at you. I think you should convince her to stay."

Chao glared at his friend. "Do you realize what that could mean for the provinces if she left? They're still recovering. They all need her much more than any of us in Shu do. I would never consider asking her to stay when there is still so much for her to do there."

"But what if she wants to stay?"

Ma Chao opened his mouth to answer when Yun slid into a defensive posture. Something ran up to them from behind Chao, and soon Yun was waving his spear around expertly, trying to fend off his attacker. "I am trying to interrogate him, and you are in my way!" he shouted.

It took the onlooker a moment to realize that it was Xing attempting to pin Zhao Yun to the ground. Both were smiling. "That is too bad, Lord Zhao. I need to borrow him."

"You have to beat me, first."

"Gladly." Chao leaned against his spear in amusement as the two fought. They attacked, defended, broke apart, and repeated. It reminded him of why he never wanted either of them for an enemy. They were exceptional warriors. In the end, however, Yang Xing proved to be the more exceptional. She kicked her leg up to block one of Yun's blows and swung her body around at the same time, laying the staff she had across the back of his neck. "Beheaded. I win."

Zhao Yun cursed under his breath, but he was still smiling. "I see I am defeated. Very well, I concede, Lady Yang. Please make sure to bring him back in one piece, though. I am not through with my interrogation."

Xing managed to suppress the blush that was slowly creeping across her face. "I promise, Lord Zhao." He grinned and bowed before heading back towards the castle. She turned to look at Ma Chao, who was eying her suspiciously. "What?"

"Did you really have to attack him?"

"Why do you ask? It seems to me like I was saving you."

He attempted a smile, but it felt too forced. Yun's words still lingered in his head, and Xing's arrival only made them feel sharper. He would never admit to him what his true feelings were. But now, with the one person he could never have standing in front of him, it became harder to keep them below the surface. "You did," he finally said to her. "And I thank you."

"I was hoping to speak with you about something, but it can wait. You look a little unsure of something."

Xing turned to go, only to feel Ma Chao's hand on her shoulder. His eyes looked darker than usual. "No," he said softly, "it can't. I have something to say as well."

She nodded. "Okay. Let's get out of hearing range though. We wouldn't want Zhao Yun listening in on any unwanted conversations." Chao followed her past the training yard and into the garden, a place he rarely every ventured. It was relatively empty considering the lateness of the day, and those who were present merely bowed and kept away from the pair of warriors. Xing eventually settled on a bench in the middle of the garden and motioned for Chao to sit beside her. "This is the only place I could think of to have a quiet conversation," she admitted. "We're bound to be found in the stables, and the other rebel leaders will be floating around my room. I hope this is okay."

"Its fine, Lady Yang." Gods, why do I feel so awkward? Chao thought to himself.

"Good." For a moment, there was silence. Xing played with the edge of her shirt, unable to string together the words she needed to say in her head. A side glance to the man next to her revealed that he, too, was struggling with something inside of him. What's wrong with me? I am Yang Xing, feared throughout China for my skills as a warrior. Why is there fear in my heart? I can do this. I have never had a problem speaking before. But, then again, I've never spoken words of the heart. You are a leader, Xing. Do it. "I have a dilemma, Chao, and I need your help."

He startled a little at her sudden words. "I will do what I can."

"Zhang Rui and Pang Qui are leaving the capital in a few days to return to Jiang Si. Man Zhu and I are planning to follow soon after that."

"So soon," Ma Chao whispered, almost to himself.

"Yes. But I am struggling with that. I am torn between duty to my people back home and a newfound longing to remain here."

Chao's breath caught in his throat. "Lady Yang, do you know what that would mean for your people? There is still much to be done in the provinces. I saw that myself when I was there. Why would you wish to stay here?"

"I have been asking myself that," she said. "If it were not for Man Zhu's attachment to Lord Liu Bei and his desire to help rebuild Cheng Du, I would have remained in the provinces. But I do not regret coming here, and I do not want anyone here to believe that I came to help against my will. My only worry is that my fondness for the people of Shu will now have me caught between two worlds, two families. I've become confused."

"I understand. I faced the same dilemma when Cao Cao killed my father and sparked my quest for justice." Chao's right hand tightened into a fist. "I felt obligated to stay with my people. At the same time, I had a burning desire to make Cao Cao pay for his crimes. Once I found a purpose with Lord Liu Bei, my path became clear. I will always feel some regret for leaving my people in a time of need, but my heart has always told me that this choice was the right one. I cannot fault myself for that."

Xing smiled. "I did not think the mighty Ma Chao had it in him to speak from the heart. What brought this on?"

This is it, he thought. "I never thought much of it until recently. But then I met someone, a person who was more than she appeared to be on the surface. The more time I spent with her, the more I realized that there is more to life than fighting and vengeance. She showed me that the bonds between people are among the strongest one can feel. I began to understand why I was able to willingly give up my position as a leader in order to pursue my own goals and ambitions. My purpose is with Liu Bei, and the kingdom of Shu. There is no place else for me now."

"A very profound speech, Lord Ma," Xing said. A subtle blush had appeared on her cheeks. "What do you think this woman would say to me about my own problem?"

"I believe she would tell you that it isn't a problem, but a challenge," he answered with a smirk. "She would tell you to look in your heart and see in which direction it is leading you. Everything happens for a reason. She would believe, I think, that everything would work itself out in the end."

Xing reached her hand over and placed it on Chao's clenched fist, forcing it to relax. "Your trust in me is astounding."

"I have been given no reason to disbelieve it. I would not have so much if you did not prove yourself worthy of it. Your position is a strange one, and yet you persist through life as if every woman in China was a rebel leader who possessed magical powers."

"Even now, you can joke. So what would you say about my dilemma, then?"

She looked up at him, and their eyes locked. If anyone else had been around, neither of them would have noticed. "I would tell you," he said, "to follow your heart. If it strongly urges you to return home, then your destiny lies with the provinces. If, however, it pulls you to remain in Shu, then you should consider its advice. One's fate can lead a person to unexpected places."

"I think, Chao, that you are leaving something out."

"I dislike being selfish. My personal opinions should not come into play."

"What if I told you that it is not Shu that calls me here, but a single person? One who has stuck by me through rebuilding, restoring, and remembering? This man has awakened something inside of me that I have tried to ignore and found that I cannot. I feel drawn to him as the bees are drawn to the flowers and the tides are drawn by the moon. I know that if I forsake my people and remain here, I will feel guilty. But if I return home, I fear that the hole in my heart will never be filled."

Chao stared at her. "You would give up your life in Jiang Si to stay here with me?" he asked.

Xing turned to face him completely on the bench. "I would never have considered it if the other leaders hadn't done so as well. They convinced me that I should speak with you about it. If the feelings were mutual, then we would proceed forward. But I would never have stayed unless I knew you wanted me to."

"I don't know which feeling is stronger, shock or honor. Surely you must know that I would never ask you to stay for my own benefit."

"Nor would I, solely for mine. I…goodness, Chao, I've no experience or skill with this kind of thing."

She felt herself being drawn closer to him as he gathered her in his arms. It was like that night when she returned from hunting, the night where all of her fears had been banished by his simple embrace and his tender words. The comfort she felt overwhelmed her. "Stay with me," he whispered, his lips against her hair. "If the others will grant it, I want you here with me."

He spoke with such firmness, and at the same time such longing, that she could no longer imagine returning to Jiang Si. "I will, if you'll have me."

"Do you have to ask that?" he asked, leaning back so he could look at her face. Then she felt his lips over hers, and she wondered herself why she had needed to ask that question. Xing had not thought of Ma Chao as a gentle and affectionate man. Nor, she was sure, had he thought of her as being a warm and caring person under her hardened exterior. But it didn't matter now. The kiss was brief and they drew apart after a few moments. Both were blushing like embarrassed children, but the smiles on their faces and the feelings in their hearts were completely worth it. "What happens now?" Chao wondered aloud.

Xing rested her head on his shoulder again. "We talk to the other leaders. I need to make sure that everyone is on board with this, and that Jiang Si will be left in capable hands."

He chuckled. "I doubt that will be an issue. Do you think they will be okay with you staying?"

"Well," she said wryly, "seeing as they all could see what was between us before we did, I think everything will work itself out in the end."

"So, that's the plan." Sima Yi looked up from the map in front of him. "Questions?"

"No, I think everything is clear," Cao Cao answered. He glanced over at his son, who said nothing. Pi wasn't fooled. He knew his father was attempting to stop any discussions about the obvious flaws in Sima Yi's planning. It had been debated so many times that his father had simply stopped bring it up. "Tell Xiahou Dun and Dian Wei to round up the soldiers so we can begin the raid within the hour." Yi nodded and swiftly left the tent. Cao Cao turned to Cao Pi. "You know what to do. Let the others handle the rest."

Pi snorted, his arms crossed over his chest. "Understand that if the lives of any of the major players are at risk, I am dropping the plan and doing things my way."

"Just make sure that the two women are in my possession and in Wei territory, alive. I care little about the rest."

He watched Cao Cao disappear into the night, still scowling. Did his father really know nothing? Maybe old age was finally getting the best of him. Pi moved in the opposite direction, settling next to one of the fires. His part in the plan sounded simple enough. He was to capture the two women and bring them back to begin the ransom process. But there was much more to it than just that. One of them would only go if he could convince her that she needed to. For that, Pi needed to make the situation appear dire - very dire. He would also need to make sure that everyone else remained alive. There would be no point in ransoming the two if everyone that mattered to them were dead. Only after all of that would the real work begin.

The sounds of matching filled his ears. That meant the Wei soldiers were mobilizing and preparing for the attack. Cao Pi stood slowly but kept his eyes on the fire. "It is time," he said to the dwindling flames. "Let no one stand in my way tonight. I will have the Lady Yang, and I will solve her mystery."