Chapter One
"No no no no!" Ling Tong shouted, pointing his finger at me. I stood beside Lord Sun Quan, who wore a look of disappointment at him, and Master Zhou Yu, strategist of Wu.
I was finally out of that Huang Zu's hair, ready to start out on my own, when Sun Quan gave me an offer I couldn't refuse.
'Join us, and we'll make you rich beyond your wildest dreams.'
But I hadn't expected this!
My task at Xiakou was to stop the enemy. And so I did, shooting an arrow straight at Ling Cao's heart.
Upon my welcome to Wu...
The first person I run into is the man's son!
He jumped at me, his beautiful eyes set to kill. I hadn't seen him, and I knew I was as good as dead.
Until someone jumped in.
A scruffy looking man with a goatee and long wavy brown hair stood in the middle of us, Ling Tong's fist in his hand.
Ling Tong grunted and tried to push him away, but the man was too strong, and Ling Tong fell to his knees in his vice grip.
"I will have none of this, Ling Tong."
His voice was deathly scary. Low and scratched, and angry.
"But-"
"No buts. You will get along with Gan Ning, and you will respect him like you do everyone else."
Ling Tong growled,"I don't need to respect a murderer!", and with that, left the throne room.
Sun Quan watched Ling Tong with sympathy in his eyes, and sighed, watching his form walk away. He ordered Zhou Yu to follow, which he did, but received the blunt end of his wrath.
The man then turned and looked at me, his eyes dark and musky. And apologetic.
I merely laughed it off. "It's not like he would have hurt me.."
"Still...I wish he would listen to direction." the man said.
The throne room dispersed, leaving just us there, when he smiled for the first time.
It was infectious.
"My name is Lu Meng."
I looked at him. "What?" he asked, looking uncomfortable with the sudden scrutiny. "Lu Meng...aren't you that guy who killed someone for mocking him-"
"Yeah..." he admitted shyly,"I was a real piece of work when I was younger. The guy mocked me, and finally, one day I snapped."
"My situation is different." I replied. "And yet it wields the same result." he said. We walked through the halls, and we talked some more.
I found myself drawn to him, I found myself liking him more and more.
When we made it to my room, I walked in, and he leaned on my doorway, as if waiting for an invitation to enter.
"Lu Meng...thanks. I mean, Ling Tong wouldn't have hurt me. But I appreciate your thoughts at least." I said, sitting on my bed.
Gods, was it comfortable.
It still took some getting used to, being on land, not feeling the rocking lull of the waves...but eventually, I'd be alright.
He smiled that infectious smile again, and left.
Hours later, I joined Lu Meng at a local tavern. Beside him, was another man. A brunette, with a red hat and velvet red robes. He had a thin mustache, with a warm smile.
"Ah, Gan Ning, come over here!" Lu Meng yelled. I saw him waving to me, and I passed through the crowd to him.
I also noticed that he couldn't keep his eyes off me.
In front of him were three empty glasses. His eyes were a little glassy, his cheeks a little red, but he seemed sober enough.
"And who is this with you?" I asked, when Lu Meng handed me a glass.
"This is Lu Su. He's my..professor." Lu Meng replied, with a laugh.
The man waved, wearing a very warm smile.
He had an air of..something I couldn't quite describe..but he seemed alright.
"And you must be the new guy. Gan Ning was it?" he asked.
I nodded.
"Though...not everyone likes me here...I'm sure my presence leaves a bitter taste in some officer's mouth." I added.
"Ling Tong for one." Lu Su said. Both Lu Meng and I nodded. "Sun Quan would be another...I served the man who killed his father..." I added.
"He doesn't hold it against you." Lu Su said. "Yes. I can be thankful for that." I said, drinking another glass.
"Hey." Lu Meng said. Lu Su saw the smirk on his face and said,"Oh no...Lu Meng, don't get any wild ideas now."
I returned the smirk. It looked like Lu Meng had a fun idea in his head. Perhaps he wasn't as sober as I originally thought.
"Why don't you and I have a drinking contest, Gan Ning?" he asked. "Alright, you're on!" I yelled.
While Lu Su just facepalmed.
I had heard around that Lu Meng was known for being a drunken brawler, but then one day, Sun Quan told him to hit the books. Perhaps that's where he and Lu Su crossed paths.
By now, our table had dozens of people surrounding it. They were screaming and cheering, throwing money around, too.
I slammed my glass down, as did he, as we went for another.
"Alright, that is enough!"
Both Lu Meng and I looked up to see Ling Tong and Ding Feng glaring at us.
"You jackass..what were you doing?" Ling Tong asked, getting in my face.
"Back off!" I yelled, shoving him.
Influenced by alcohol, infuriated with Ling Tong..no doubt, I was about to break.
Ling Tong retaliated, and tried to swing at me, when Lu Meng wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me back.
"What..did I say, Ling Tong?!"
Even while drunk, he still saved me..
..not that I needed the help, of course.
But I'd give appreciation where it's due. And this was the second time he had..assisted me.
Lu Su watched on sadly, crossing his arms, leaning on the bar, while Ding Feng tried to come up with the right words to calm us down.
Lu Meng stayed by my side, just in case. Like I said, I didn't need it, but, I didn't mind it.
When we began to leave, I couldn't resist a little tease on Ling Tong.
Watching his ponytail swish back and forth, I smirked, and grabbed it, pulling him towards me.
He screamed, and immediately wrapped his leg behind me, sweeping me to the ground.
"You son of a bitch! Don't you ever touch me!" he yelled.
Now it was getting good.
He was on top of me, his angry, yet smoldering eyes burning a hole into me, holding his fist over my head.
"So what are you gonna do now, sissy boy?! You gonna hit me?!" I asked, in the most conceited way I could muster.
"Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you? But that would be too good for you. Maybe I should just stab you, then dismember your corpse." he said.
I laughed.
"All those pretty words don't suit you, Ling Tong. Maybe you wanna say something a little sweeter?"
I challenged him. Dared him to make his threats a reality.
Meanwhile, Ding Feng, Lu Meng, and Lu Su stood on the sidelines.
Lu Meng again had tried to interfere, but I stopped him.
"Not this time, I can handle it!" I yelled.
But before anything could happen, Ding Feng hurled Ling Tong over his shoulders like a rag doll, as the lanky boy kicked and screamed and cursed.
And I watched that gorgeous ass bounce up and down with a smirk on my face.
"Gan Ning. Let's go."
Lu Meng and Lu Su took my out of my reverie, and slowly, we retreated back to the castle.
With a fresh excuse to give to Lord Sun Quan, should he ask of course.
But all I could think about was Ling Tong. And kicking that pretty ass of his all over Jianye.