((SXH: How's it going, guys? You guys should really look at the warnings in this chapter and the next because it contains some important info that you guys might want. And if you want to be surprised then don't read the warning. Just saying that you were warned. I hope you enjoy these next few chapters!))

WARNING: Diao being a severe bitch. Maybe some cursing...

Disclaimer: I think you guys know it b y now. I now own except for Little Ying and Storyline!

Enjoy!

To Hell & Back Again

Chapter 14: The Negotiations I

"Please, Diao," Zhou Yu begged as the two entered the tent. "There has to be something I could do to-"

"No," Diao stated flatly, throwing him in front of her. This put her between the door and him. "Now strip." Yu's eyes widened at the command, then he started to sputter and protest. "Strip or I will do it for you," Diao said finally. She turned to one of the many chests that she had and rummaged through it. At this Yu began to panic.

"I suggest you do as she says, Yu," Liao said from outside the tent. He stayed out there because Diao would not let him in. The reason was something about wanting to surprise him.

"Whose side are you on?!" Yu exclaimed. Liao didn't answer. He was on his side but Yu would question what he meant if he said it. Liao smiled to himself and opted for the better.

"I am going to go change my clothes. I will be back in a few minutes," Liao called to them.

"I thought I said for you to strip!" Came the voice of Diao from inside the tent. "Come here!" There was a loud thud from within.

"No! Get your hands off of me!" Yu's voice came. "I do not need help dressing. I also do not see why I cannot wear Liao's clothes!"

"It s because his clothes are too big for you; me and you are the same size!" Diao shot back. Her voice was followed by the sound of cloth ripping.

"Stop! These are my only clothes!" Yu yelled. Liao shook his head, and went to his tent.

Zhou Yu was still flailing but not touching Diao as she ripped off his shirt. Then she just suddenly stopped. Yu stopped flailing and looked up to meet her gaze. Diao got off of him and turned around. Yu was confused, to say the least, by the action.

"You said you could dress yourself," Diao spoke. "So do it yourself. Your clothes are on the bed." Diao waved her hand towards its direction. "I will turn around when you are done."

Yu didn't know what to say. Diao was acting extremely out of character for some reason. None the less, he undressed the rest of the way. When he walked over to the outfit he noticed something. It was a Japanese kimono. It was very simple; deep blue with orange and white Koi fish. The obi, or sash, was a lighter blue. As he dressed, Diao piped up.

"Why did you not push me off?" Diao asked. Zhou Yu stopped for a second.

"What do you mean?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"When I was on top of you, why did you not push me off?" Diao specified.

"I do not have a death wish," Yu said simply. "Lu Bu would kill anyone that brings harm to you. I did not want to hurt you, so I did not push you off."

"Lord Lu Bu would not have known I got hurt," Diao tried. Yu made a tisk sound.

"Do not even try that, Lady Diao Chan. Everyone knows that you would go run and tell Lu Bu as soon as you could," Yu spat. "You would go and make up this whole sob story knowing that he would not listen to the other's side of it and just kill them." By now, Yu had finished dressing and currently had his arms crossed. "You would do it for the most idiotic reasons, like being angry with someone."

"Watch what you say, filthy-"

"My point exactly," Yu said over her. At this, Diao closed her mouth. "Now that you've asked a question, I get to ask one." Diao turned around to face him. Diao turned around to face him. "Why suddenly help me now? You've been nothing but a complete bitch to me then out of nowhere you lend me your clothes like I'm one of your female friends. Why?" Diao opened her mouth like she was going to argue but closed it. She said something else instead.

"That's my secret, not yours," Diao said simply. She then stepped forward and grabbed his wrist. "Now, shut up and let me get you ready." Diao pulled out a pouch from one of the chests she had and searched through it. She pulled out three items and turned back to him.

Diao put a purple bracelet on both of his wrists, and a simple necklace around his neck. The necklace only had a sapphire on it in the shape of a teardrop. He never thought Diao would have anything so simple yet so beautiful. Yu had to admit, she had good taste in jewelry.

Diao stood back to look over her handiwork. She waved a hand dismissively as she said, "It will do." Diao motioned him to follow as she threw him a pair of shoes. Zhou Yu stumbled out of the tent after her while pulling on the shoes. "Liao, get out here!" Diao ordered. Diao stepped out of his tent in his best armor. He took one look at Zhou Yu and blinked, several times. Yu looked like a real woman.

"You look... beautiful," Zhang Liao said without thinking. Yu heard him and blushed lightly. Liao couldn't look away. He had never seen Yu in proper clothes, let alone a Japanese kimono. Yu was truly a beautiful person. Though, Yu shifted under Liao's intense gaze. Liao guessed Yu didn't like people staring at him so he averted his eyes and focused on Diao.

"Now, if you are ready, we will pack up camp and wait for their messenger," Diao spoke.

"Not necessary," said an unfamiliar voice. The group turned their gaze to see Sima Yi standing there. "My lord sent me to tell you that we are ready at any time. But he is anxious to know what you have to give in return for the alliance."

"Hello to you, too, Lord Sima Yi," Diao Chan spoke with great civility. "We have everything set up. Al we need to know is what he wishes to have."

"Hmm. Looks like we cannot make this very quick," Sima Yi murmured. "I will tell Lord Cao Cao that we need to set up the meeting room. And..." Sima Yi's eyes landed in Zhou Yu. "My, my. What a lovely woman. Who are you?" It seemed Sima Yi did not recognize Zhou Yu at all. Yu's luck was getting worse by the hour.

Sima Yi stepped closer to him. Liao stepped between the two. "None of your concern," Liao spoke lowly. Sima Yi scowled but stepped back.
"Never mind. I will return when everything is ready," Sima Yi replied. Then he walked off. Diao didn't look after him as he left. Instead she grabbed Yu's wrist again.

"I am still not done with you! I have to work on your hair," Diao said.

"Eh?!" Yu yelled. Diao didn't give him time to protest as she dragged him to her campfire and took the a piece of iron that laid above the fire, grabbing it by the cool end. She turned to him with the hot metal in hand.

"Hold still," Diao commanded as though he were a dog. She came closer to Yu, who was very scared now.

"W-W-What are you going to do to me?" Yu stuttered as she came closer.

"I am not going to hurt you if that is what you think," she rolled her eyes. Yu didn't believe her as she came even closer. "Hold still or I will burn you," Diao said.

"Excuse me if I believed you would have anyway," Yu shot back. She was only a foot away now, her hand reaching for him. He closed his eyes. He felt her take a lock of his damp hair and the heat of the iron near his shoulder. He waited for the scarring pain of the iron to meet his skin. Though, it never came.

Yu looked up reluctantly to see his hair wrapped around the hot iron. Diao waited for a minute before releasing the tip of Zhou Yu's hair. Yu watches his hair fall and the tip curl. 'Is this really how a woman curls her hair?' Yu asked himself. Now he couldn't help but question her.

"Why are you curling my hair?" Yu inquired, not very happy that Diao was turning him into a woman. Diao huffed and moved to another lock of his long hair. "I will not take that as an answer. Why are you doing my hair?" he tried forcefully.

"I want all my officers to look good for this. If they do not, the Wei Lord might think badly of us and not favor us, Diao replied, constantly working in his hair.

"If that is the case, then should you not be helping Gou Si instead?" The two looked over at said man sleeping against the tree snoring. He looked terrible in his muddy armor and messy bed hair. Diao shook her head.

"There is nothing I can do for that man..."she replied, then going back to her task at hand. "Besides, me and you are the same size. I can do a lot more for you than anyone else here." Yu groaned.

"I see your point. However, I am not your officer, remember? I am a servant," Yu argued.

"Technically, you are a teacher and that is close to an officer. Lord Lu Bu considers you an asset; that is why you are here and not dead already," Diao informed. 'It is also the reason for many things...' Yu thought.

"I really hate your reasoning," he commented.

"I really hate your attitude," Diao shot back.

"Great," Yu said sarcastically. "We are in the same boat then."

"I think we would kill each other if that were to happen," Diao said nonchalantly as she finished his hair.

"When you think about it, we are about to be," Yu replied.

"True," Diao said. "I am done." Diao went back to her tent and came back with a mirror. She handed it to Yu. He looked into it and was surprised he looked great. Diao actually had some skill. Though when he looked up at her, she was tapping her foot, looking him over again. Suddenly, she ran back to her tent. She came back while saying, "I knew something was missing." She then grabbed all his hair, tired it tight at the back of his head, and put a hairpin in it. The design was a lotus flower.

Yu looked in the mirror again. He took back what he said. He looked amazing. He didn't look in the mirror too long because Diao was already taking it away from him. He could see why. Sima Yi had returned with the message.

"The meeting room is ready. I am here to escort you when you are ready," Sima Yi informed. Diao nodded.

"Gou Si!" Diao called, startling the man from his sleep. "Keep an eye on the camp," she ordered. She turned to Sima Yi. "We are ready. Please lead the way." Sima Yi nodded.

"This way," he spoke and headed for the brush. The group passed some bushes and trees until they made it to the riverbank. On the river floated many large ships. They were all connected by small ladders or small bridges. Yu had never seen such a complex structure before. 'No wonder Wu and Shu were having a difficult time planning.' Yu thought absently.

Sima Yi lead them aboard a ship, crossing from one ship to another quickly. They had been walking for so long that Yu was having a hard time telling which way they had come from. They stopped in front of a pair of giant, wooden double doors. Sima Yi put his palms on the doors and pushed with all his might. The doors slowly swung open to reveal a great meeting hall.

"Greetings, Lord Cao Cao," Sima Yi spoke. His voice boomed over the hall. Sima Yi started forward, followed by Diao Chan and Zhang Liao. Yu was so caught up with looking about the room that he had to sprint to catch up with them. The sound of his feet tapping on the floor echoed loudly throughout the room. Yu decided to just stand behind Liao while they were here.

"Greeting, Sima Yi, Diao Chan, and Zhang Liao," Cao Cao greeted. Yu noticed the man's gaze linger on him and he shifted uncomfortably. "Now that everyone is here, please take a seat, and the negotiations will begin." Cao Cao was sitting at the end of a very long table. To his right was Cao Pi and Sima Yi sat to his left. Diao sat at the other end of the table, Zhang Liao to her right, Zhou Yu to the left.

Zhou Yu noticed Cao Pi taking a very long look at him. Sima Yi's gaze did not evade his attention either nor did he like it. The looks he was getting were of curiosity and interest. Yu felt like he was being inspected.

"The negotiations have begun," Cao Cap spoke. Sima Yi's gaze broke and his attention was now fully on the meeting. "You may begin with your demands, Lady Diao Chan." Diao simply nodded.

"We ask only for a simple alliance, that you come to us in our time of need and we will do the same for you," Diao said formally.

"That is quite the thing to ask the Lord of Wei," Cao Cao replied. "What is it you will give in return?"

"What is it you want?" Diao replied. At this, Cao Pi whispered into his father's ear. Diao grew uneasy after a few minutes of this. "We will give you anything you want. Name your price and I am sure we could match it quickly." The whispering stopped and then started back again until Cao Cao spoke.

"I am sure you could match almost any said price. However, money means nothing to royalty. Lady Diao, do you know what does?" Cao Cao asked. Yu looked to Diao. He could tell she was trying her hardest not to scowl. 'I have never seen her last this long without screaming at someone. I am actually impressed, but not much...' Yu thought.

"Their heirs, sir? Diao asked.

"Yes, as well as who is on their arm," Cao Cao answered. Yu got that bad feeling again. "A Beauty can bring the highest honor to a man who has them as their wife. My son has a Beauty for a wife, as you already know. He wishes to have another." Yu felt hope rise in his chest. He hoped they would take Diao.

"Sir, I can assure you that I am taken by another," Diao replied.

"I am afraid that it is not you we are speaking of Diao. My son has seen a beautiful woman recently and wishes to have her. He will not take 'no' for an answer," Cao Cao explained. That bad feeling in Yu was back. Yu crossed his fingers under the table.

"I am sure that if you point said person out, we would be able to fetch her and be done with it," Liao spoke up.

"Not necessary," Cao Cao said. He stood and pointed to Yu. "He wants her."

SXH: Okay guys. I don't mean to be so serious but I myself haven't been able to get onto FF so I had a friend post this chapter. My computer is not working like it should and my family is trying to get it fixed. I am currently typing them on my Kindle Fire and sending them to my friend. I will try and continue to send chapters to my friend so that she can post them for me. I hope that you guys will like this chapter and continue to read like always.

Stay awesome guys!

Bye~!