The scents of outside instantaneously become dull when he enters Dong Zhou's tent. The smell of wine and food is overcoming. Strangely, the smell is not unpleasant. For one such as Dong Zhou, one might be inclined to believe his tent would smell nasty, though it does smell faintly of the man.
Pulling on Zhang Liao's rope when the warrior falters to follow, Dong Zhou chuckles when the man stumbles forward. From what Zhang Liao can observe the entrance to the tent is the only exit point, as one would expect. The room in which they stand in is rather large. Richly engraved pillows are laid in a circle with a short rectangular table in the center. Two wine cups, two vases, and various delicacies are upon it.
A short distance to the left of the table is a red beam, used for holding the structure in place. A pile of neatly folded blankets sits behind the beam.
Dong Zhou leads Zhang Liao to the table. Gesturing for his prisoner to sit after he does so, the tyrant pours them each wine. "Drink," he orders, before greedily downing most of his cup. With growing disgust, Liao sips a small amount. He begins to see where this is going. Dong Zhou gets drunk, and… He stops; to think of such disturbing, worrying ideals is troubling. Instead, he observes the pungent man sitting beside him. Unfortunately, the rope tethered to his hands is not long enough to allow him a comfortable distance. His hands can move without obstruction, however.
"Tell me, Zhang Liao," Dong Zhou questions, "How did he leave?" Zhang Liao closes his eyes for a few moments. Sometimes to ride of problem one must speak of it. Truly, Dong Zhou is the last person the General would willingly speak to, but not following his orders would have consequences. He had seen them before. "He rode off on Red Hare," he replies opening his eyes. "Did he? Or did he flee like a dog?" Dong Zhou retorts. "Cowardice boy," he spats out. Zhang Liao tenses when he feels the tyrant ever so seemingly absentmindedly stroke the rope. Too close for comfort. "He rode as he saw fit. Any man Lord Lu Bu does not deem worthy…" he chokes off nearly unable to utter the words he so purposefully begun to say. "…of his company, he will not remain beside."
"You see? He is not worthy of you," Dong Zhou purrs.
"I am not worthy of him," Zhang Liao murmurs in reply.
Nosily slurping down another goblet of wine, the tyrant replies, "Don't argue with me… boy." Zhang Liao instinctively edges away, feeling an aura of bad things to arise. "Come here," Dong Zhou orders. His voice is a slur, lathered with the effects of his wine. Snorting in a manner comparable to a pig, he yanks the rope when Liao does not move. "Do not disobey me, dog." The horrid smell of hot breath against Zhang Liao's neck brings tense feeling to his body, and a painful usher to his shoulder. He does not attempt to resist, even as an arm pins his arms to his body. The position is, without doubt, uncomfortable. Stinging flames burn his shoulder, bearing his mind with its agony. "I shall have to… punish you," Dong Zhou whispers into his ear.
Zhang Liao feels his head being yanked to the side. The side of his soft vulnerable neck is revealed. Lips and teeth pressing against the exposed skin immediately he yelps in disgust and surprise. Even his wound will not stop Liao from attempting to escape his captor's grasp.
The struggle is weak, however. His body feels horribly helpless. Panic slowly begins to arise. The sensation of teeth sinking deeper in his skin brings forth another shout. Then he feels blood pooling at the break, to seeping down the side of his neck. "Release me!" Zhang Liao orders rather loudly.
"Foolish maggot. You are weak and vulnerable," comes the reply. "The wine is quite the delicacy, but yours is not. Stupide…" he falters off as though forgetting. After a few moments he continues, "Stupide worm! You didn't notice I poured a different vase of wine for you…" Grunting in disgust at his own foolishness, Liao makes to hotly reply. As soon as he opens his mouth, however, two stubby fingers force their way inside. Gagging at the horrid taste, he tries to push them away with his tongue. A breathy moan escapes the tyrant's lips. A horrid realization of what he's doing immediately comes to Zhang Liao. Biting down, the sound of Dong Zhou's angry grunt is more for his pleasure. "You little!" thunders the ever furious voice as the fingers are jerked out. "How dare you!"
The sudden feeling of being jerked around slightly dazzles Zhang Liao. A hard smack to his face snaps his face to the side. Moving to defend himself, the General instead finds himself, being pushed down with the tyrant immediately atop him. "Your mine!" Dong Zhou greedily exclaims. "Too long… too long have I been waiting," he excitedly says while trying to remove the General's armor. "That treacherous dog, always protecting you. Wanting you for himself!" Struggling against Dong Zhou's hands all the while the man speaks, Zhang Liao freezes. Lu Bu wanted him? Him? This whole time?
Emotions flutter wildly against him. Anger drives him to be furious with Lu Bu's actions. Relief takes away the sorrow that foretold Lu Bu did not want him. Understanding urges him to return to his lord. His Lord. The word burns his mind. The lord who did want him, did love him. His cheeks almost burn red at the thought, but the feeling of Dong Zhou urgently flipping away his armor buckle to his right, jolts him from thought.
"Release me, swine!" Zhang Liao orders in a stern somehow calm voice. The knowledge recently given to him furnishes strength. Strength to fight past this tyrant and find the one man he loves. The outraged look upon Dong Zhou's face conjures no fear within Liao. It is not the man's anger he fears, it is being taken by him.
Struggling greatly for his newfound purpose, Zhang Liao does not manage to remove the tyrant from atop himself, but does manage to grasp a vase from the table by slipping his arms under the tyrant's arm. The wine spills to the floor, as he clumsily pulls it towards his chest. His efforts grow increasingly difficult, as Dong Zhou intently holds his neck breaking of his airway.
The vase smashes true to the desire. The pungent man is knocked onto his side, dazzled at the head long hit. Crawling away, Liao begins to labor to his feet. "I… I will kill you with such dishonor!" threatens Dong Zhou's voice from behind him.
A hand grasps his leg pulling Liao down onto his stomach. Grunting in pain, the General kicks with his free leg, earning a well placed, but completely lucky hit to Dong Zhou's face. Pulling free from the now loose grip upon his heel, Zhang Liao edges farther away from his capture. Forcing himself upon unstable legs, he turns to see the tyrant is unconscious. A light relief flows threw Zhang Liao. Escape will be easier without Dong Zhou. The feeling, however, is short-lived. A soldier barges into the tent. The man had just begun to speak. "Sorry to-" he stops immediately upon seeing Zhang Liao standing unsteadily and Lord Dong Zhou behind unconscious. "I shall avenge our-" The soldier's body jolts suddenly and his words lost. A blade thrusts threw the man's chest. Blood weeps from blade and wound onto the floor.
As fast as the blade appeared, it is gone. Zhang Liao blinks rapidly. Surely he is not seeing things? He hopes not.
Stumbling towards the dead soldier, he uses his sword to cut loose the ropes. Grasping the weapon tightly, he tentatively pokes his head out from the flaps. The campgrounds had gone from bustling to catastrophic. Men of all ranks are harnessed by panic.
A dim hope glows. Who could be causing such mess? Still, the chance of it being Yellow Turbans or perhaps a different force are possible.
Weaving his way threw the flocks of tents and soldiers, he quickly finds Li. The mare is tethered to a stake. She appears to be unharmed, but startled and quite unhappy. Soothing her with his words and pets, Zhang Liao unstraps his blades. The soldiers may notice he has escaped Dong Zhou's clutches any instant.
"There! Capture him!" orders a sergeant. It appears his precautions were well met. A group of at least fifteen men stand behind the sergeant. Stepping forth, Zhang Liao calmly remains stationary in battle stance as the small force charges. The first peons are more careless then the rest. Slashing them down, Liao narrowly dodges the sergeant's blade, however. With blades locked Liao pushes the man's back, causing him to trip. Before he can finish the soldier, however, peons attack him. Parrying each of their blows, Liao finds that, with much distress, he is growing weaker. The strength that had suddenly come to him is slowly withering away.
Edging his way back to Li, he notes the desperate situation. There. No sight could be as this. Lu Bu. His eyes glowering with fierce battle lust and a battle cry within itself. His glorious halberd held defiantly. And Red Hare, formidable and intimating as ever. Rearing upon his strong haunches, the magnificent stallion charges.
The men flee without engaging the Flying General. Any who serve Dong Zhou no doubt know of the great General Lu Bu. Their fear for him is ever obvious.
Mercy does not flow with Lu Bu. Any who cannot escape his blade meet death. Screaming and howling with tails tucked, are the few peons who manage to escape.
"Lu Bu," the word slips from Zhang Liao's lips like the sweetest word. The great General dismounts before turning to face him. The dangerous look that had so fiercely shown fades to something far less aggressive. By the look Lu Bu portrays, Liao can see the guilt that resides within. A smile wanes upon his face. His lord returned for him. How could Zhang Liao feel resentment?
Lu Bu regards this expression with a tentative step forward, to which is copied by Liao. Looking over the subordinate General for a few silent moments, Lu Bu strides towards him as if having decided something. Despite the anger he knows he should feel Liao only feels relief and happiness. "Zhang Liao," Lu Bu begins somewhat uneasily as he approaches. Dropping his ax blades, Liao walks forth. Actions speak louder than words. He wants Lu Bu to hear him. Hear his heart and soul. Hear how they cry of love.
Lu Bu drops his weapon as well. Zhang Liao's heart flutters and he pauses for a slight moment. Lu Bu would lay down his beloved halberd?
A strong arm wraps around, Liao's waist and another around his upper back. Zhang Liao gasps in surprise as he feels Lu Bu lean down onto him causing him to remain balanced mostly because of the arm that supports his back. The very essence of this moment feels perfect and perhaps too perfect to be truly happening.
Eyes barely open, Zhang Liao flings his arm around Lu Bu's neck before their lips touch. Deeply wanting, and loving every moment he feels Lu Bu's lips against his own, Liao does not hesitate a moment when questioned for entrance. The sensation of his lord's ever-lustful tongue tasting him sends shivers down his spine. A muffled moan utters from his covered lips. The very passion weakens his legs, so that he completely relies on Lu Bu to keep from falling.
Zhang Liao can feel all the love, protectiveness and desire come forth with each passionate touch from Lu Bu. All the care and beloved emotions that had been hidden, surfacing. Lu Bu had found the light. The beautiful eternal glow of pure love. Passionate, heartfelt love.
The embrace must stop for the need of air. Opening his eyes immediately, he find Lu Bu's staring deeply into his. "Liao," he whispers. Making to reply, Zhang Liao finds he cannot find his voice. Though his eyes sparkle with dear emotions. Lu Bu knows him well enough to read his expressions.
Pulling Zhang Liao back to his feet, Lu Bu finds tingles of desire and surprise as the smaller man grasps him in a hug. Truly, Lu Bu cannot remember the last time he shared a heartfelt hug with someone.
Pressing his face against Lu Bu's cool armor, Zhang Liao relishes ever moment that he feels those hands rest comfortably on his back. Gushing out the breath he had unintentionally been holding in, Liao feels his energy drain with it. Sighing he feels himself sag against Lu Bu. If he were to fall to darkness anywhere, here, holding himself against Lu Bu would be his choice.
"Zhang Liao?" Lu Bu's troubled voice fills the warrior's ears. Such a sweet sound. His name being spoken by his one true love. But the worry, Liao doesn't want Lu Bu to feel troubled. "I'm just tired," he says into his lord's armor.
Pain envelopes sharply without warning. It feels as though sharp blades heated until they glow cut his flesh. The tension of so much activity has horrid effects upon Zhang Liao's stitches. With adrenaline finally leaving his body the effects can be felt. His whole form feels exhausted, yet he wants to remain with Lu Bu. "What is it?" Lu Bu questions. He feels Liao begin to loosen his grip around him.
"Lu Bu," Zhang Liao manages to choke out. The pain! It is so horrific...
Sweeping his companion off his feet Lu Bu looks directly into his eyes. Great pain and exhaustion are portrayed. Yet, satisfaction, relief, and a deeper valuable emotion show as well.
"Filthy dog! You destroy my army and take what is rightfully mine!" Dong Zhou roars in intense ferocity. "Revenge will be mine, I swear! Until the day I die I will not rest until that whore lies with me!" Mounted and unarmed, Dong Zhou only remains moments longer to glower at the pair in disdain. Lu Bu turns to face the large man. "Then you shall die without success, whorish swine. Zhang Liao is mine and mine only," he dangerously replies. Despite the anger lighten by the comment, Dong Zhou knows he cannot defeat Lu Bu. Spurring his horse he flees the encampment knowing the best frustration he can cause is living and searching for Zhang Liao.
Watching the tyrant flee brings great discontent to Lu Bu. Zhang Liao needs his help, however. Never will be abandon the man. Never.
"Lu Bu?" Zhang Liao whispers in surprise. Did the flying General speak the truth? He lightly blushes, as Lu Bu stares down at him with intense eyes.
"Yes. I meant it," Lu Bu sternly replies. Though he can feel his body churn with feelings he has not felt for so long when he sees the blush.
Moving to Dong Zhou's tent, Lu Bu glances down at Zhang Liao. He never did ask if anything had happened. "Did he take you?" he asks bluntly, deciding there would be not point edging around the question. Zhang Liao frowns noticeably uncomfortable. "No," he replies finally. The calmness and the response immediately soothes the anger that had begun to grow within Lu Bu.
Zhang Liao rests his head against Lu Bu. As he feels his lord carrying to another tent, he feels more content then he has felt in a long time. Too long, perhaps. Being with Lu Bu, here, now, is the essence of being truly happy.
Love is a battle cry. One that is heard rarely with true, pure vigor. Word and actions all built upon one emotion, one simple word: love. A word that if known, used, and remembered with pureness can alter one's heart, soul, mind, and body.
Thank you, everyone, for the awesome reviews! Alas, apologizes for the delayed update. Hope everyone enjoys and please review! They're a gift within themselves.