San could feel her heart beating all the way to Lu Ba's room. Guan Ping and Zhang Shao had filled the silence with jokes and laughter, knowing how nervous their friend was at finally talking to the boy she had saved. It took them only a minute to reach the door. San was so deep in thought that they had to grab her arms to keep her from walking into the guards. "Business?" one of them grunted to the trio.

"Lady Zhao San wishes to talk to Lu Ba," Ping said before she could answer. "I believe Lady Mei Li already approved of her visit."

The man nodded and opened the door. Sticking his head inside, he barked, "You have a visitor, scum. Make yourself presentable."

Shao snorted. "Was that necessary?" he hissed under his breath, not loud enough for the guard to hear. He turned to San and gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Good luck. You'll be fine, I'm sure of it. And I want details when we see you tomorrow."

"You sound like Xing Cai and her gaggle of gossiping girls," Ping muttered, but he also gave San a shoulder squeeze. "Remember that you're all by yourself with him in there. Keep your guard up and your questions going. You're not interrogating him, but simply getting to know him. And don't be afraid to leave whenever you get uncomfortable."

She nodded. "Thanks, you two. I'll see you tomorrow morning." They grinned and wandered back down the hall, whispering to each other and laughing about something San couldn't here. She turned back towards the door, took a deep breath, and entered the room. Only a couple of lamps were lit, making it hard to see much of anything. She could make out the shape of the bed, a washing table, and a writing desk. Her guard went up and she felt herself slide into a defensive position. Lu Ba still wasn't visible. As she looked around, a figure moved by the window. San fingered the strap hanging from her belt, where her small knife was kept.

Then she heard him speak. "Oh goodness, I'm sorry, Lady Zhao. I have not managed to get the other lamp lit yet. Just a minute…" A glow appeared where she had seen his figure, and then the room was filled with light. Lu Ba turned to her with a helpless grin, eyeing her warrior stance in the doorway. "Do you always enter a room like this?"

"I couldn't see you," she snapped, sounding angrier than she really was. "You're still a prisoner of war. How would you have reacted?"

He laughed. "I see your point. I apologize for not having the lamp lit. I was in the process of retiring for the night when I heard the guard." San nodded and eased out of her stance, casting her eyes around the room. She noticed the writing desk was filled with papers. A book was propped open on the bed, and she realized for the first time that he was only half dressed. She felt a blush creep into her cheeks and she looked at the floor. He laughed again. "Did you need something, my lady?"

"N...no. My mother told me about the note you left in my room and that I should come and see you. But I can wait until tomorrow if you were readying for bed."

"It is no trouble, my lady. I have not yet reached the point of sleep, which is why my book is still open."

She chanced a look back up at him. Ba had finished dressing, pulling a shirt over his head to cover the rest of him. His boyish grin eased some of her tension. "What are you reading?" she asked, attempting to break the ice.

"Nothing important. It is something that Lord Lu Xun gave me to read during the long marches to battles we have participated in. Some of it deals with strategy, but most of it seems to be an historical account of Wu's early years. It passes the time." He moved over to the desk and pulled out the chair. "Would you like to sit down, my lady? You look a touch nervous."

"Oh, uh, yes, thank you." He backed away towards the bed as she sat down. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself, although she couldn't understand why she was so nervous.

Lu Ba sat down on the bed and pulled his feet underneath him. "Why did you save me?" he asked.

San jumped a bit. She had not expected this question from him so soon. What ever happened to friendly conversation before digging into the deeper stuff? "I'm not sure," she answered with a shrug. "It seemed like a waste to kill you."

"But you didn't know if that's what Liu Bei was going to do."

"I couldn't take that chance. And once I realized who you were, I knew that I couldn't let you die."

He laughed. "You've heard of me, I take it." There was a twinkle in his deep brown eyes. San immediately hated how they made her blush.

"Bits and pieces," she said.

"Are you anxious to hear more?"

She frowned. "You're a little arrogant for someone who almost lost their head."

"Forgive me, Lady Zhao." The seriousness was back in his face, but the smile never left his eyes. "I blame my upbringing. We of the Wu kingdom have a lot of confidence in ourselves. The Sun family makes it difficult to feel depressed. Plus, I have legends for parents. It makes me feel proud. How about you?"

"My parents may be legends, but I strive to write my own."

He nodded and glanced towards the window. "A valiant quest, my lady. Do you think you will achieve it?"

"Of course I will," San snapped. "All of Shu's famed officers, including Lord Liu Bei himself, have told me so."

"That is all well and good, my lady. But their praise means nothing unless you believe in it yourself." Angered, San abruptly stood and turned to leave. He had no right to tell her what she should and should not believe. As she got up, Lu Ba quickly stood and bowed to her. "I did not mean to upset you, Lady Zhao. I will hold my tongue in the future."

She waved him off. "Forget it. And call me San." Without looking at him, she left the room and walked past the guards. By the time she reached her own room, some of her anger had abated. But his words still clung to her mind as she readied for bed. She had believed all her life that she would create a name for herself. Hadn't she surpassed most other warriors her age? Hadn't her father, the famous Zhao Yun, praised her as an equal instead of a daughter? Hadn't she been pivotal in forcing the Wu forces back during the ambush?

She knew the answers to all of her questions. And yet, as she drifted into slumber, she realized that she still didn't have an answer to Ba's question.

San greeted the sun the next morning. She had always been an early riser. It was a trait that ran in the family. By the time she had dressed and stepped out into the hallway, her brothers had already rigged a trap just outside of her door, proving her point. Curses, how did they think up this one… She stopped herself before she finished the question. It wouldn't do her any good. Sighing, she glanced up at it and began breaking down the trap.

"San!" Two figures rounded the corner and hurried towards her. She frantically waved her hands as Guan Ping and Zhang Shao skidded to a halt. Both glared at the barrier in front of them. "Guess we didn't need to warn you about the twins."

She grumbled to herself. "Its barely dawn! How does everyone else know about this but me?"

"We heard about it last night after supper," Shao said. "We didn't think they'd actually go through with it."

Between them was a wall of rope, woven in and out of the pillars that held the roof up. Several parts appeared to be loose, but San knew that they were the most dangerous parts. Step in those and she would be hanging by her ankles in seconds. She wouldn't be able to cut her way through; the rope was too thick and she didn't have her swords with her. The only opening was at the very top. She frowned. The challenge was obvious: You did the jump in practice, but can you do it now?

"Uh, San, are you really gonna try that?" Shao asked nervously, seeing her backing up.

"Duh. My room's on the end. Its either try this or break my leg going down the balcony."

"Or wait until we bring help," Ping said.

She glared at them. "Help? I am Zhao San. I do not require help."

"Here we go again," Shao mumbled. The two boys backed up a few steps as San calculated the best way to hit the top hole. Seeing an opportunity, she took a running started and jumped up. Her feet nimbly touched the rope as she hauled herself up, careful not to step into any loose areas. Victory was near as she stepped on the last one and vaulted through the hole.

She pulled her feet in, but not in time. San's right foot caught itself on one of the top strands and broke her stride. The ground was coming at her very fast. A roll wasn't going to work. Crap, she said in her mind. I'm going to kill them later.

The landing was too soft. She opened her eyes cautiously to find herself looking up at a smug Zhang Zhao and a concerned Guan Ping. Then she realized where she was…in their arms. "Curses."

They helped her to her feet before Shao burst out laughing. "Oh man, you should've seen you face San. Priceless! Guess that jump's a bit high for you…ogh!" He rubbed his shoulder where she had punched him. "What was that for? I just saved your behind!"

"You can do that without rubbing it in." San turned around so they wouldn't see her face turning red.

Ping sighed. "Does this mean we're not going to practice this morning?" He walked over to the rope wall and tugged on one of the loose strings. It shriveled as the trap sprung, turning the wall into a long piece of rope with a noose at one end. "That would've hurt if you got your leg stuck in there."

"Yes, we're going to practice. I've got some pent up frustration." San took off towards the field. Her friends quickly followed.

"Because of the twins?" Shao asked, grinning evilly. "Or did something happen last night? I did ask for details if you don't remember."

San returned his grin. "You'll have to fight me for them."

By the time the sun had completely shown his face, the field was full of soldiers going through their daily routine. Zhao Tong and Zhang Guang were mightily disappointed to see their sister still in one piece and not hanging by her feet outside of her room. They were even more upset that she had perfected the jump and made her escape. Ping and Shao decided not to tell them that she had almost missed it. Instead, they let her vent her frustration with a few good bouts on the field.

"So…what's he like?" Shao asked as he blocked a kick from San.

"He's cocky." She aimed another blow, ducking out of the way as he threw a punch. "He is confident in himself and is very lighthearted." She spun around to avoid another blow and crouched into a defensive position. "He also speaks freely, regardless of his station or whom he is talking to."

Ping jumped in as Shao stepped out. "Does it surprise you?" He grabbed her arm to flip her in the air, but she managed to wrench it free. "Sounds like he lets his fame get to his head."

"Perhaps. Maybe," San kicked air as Ping avoided it, "it comes from growing up in Wu." Shao stepped in again and positioned himself opposite of Ping, with San in the middle. She crouched low. "They all seem to be full of themselves."

Ping and Shao charged, but San managed to evade them. After a few more punches, they formed a triangle. "Well, we've only met a few. Maybe it isn't time to judge them yet."

"Save it, Ping," said Shao. "I wanna know what he said that got San all worked up." He ran towards her and managed to grab her ankle as she kicked. He twisted it until she spun in mid air, rolling away. He grinned. "You don't get worked up that easily unless there's a war coming."

"True," she said as she attempted to trip Ping. "He said I was letting others determine my fate, that I based my success on what they were saying."

Ping jumped away and moved towards Shao, holding up his hand to pause the fight. "And what do you think?"

"I want to prove myself to everyone. My parents my be famous, but my name will be remembered for what I do, not what they already did."

"Then you have nothing to fear from the boy's words."

In the distance, three figures were approaching. San grinned as she recognized her father, his robes moving slightly in the breeze. Beside him was her mother, waving at the trio from the edge of the field. She was slower to recognize the man that lagged behind a little. His arms were loaded with weapons of some kind, staffs by the looks of them. It was Ping who finally chuckled with recognition. "It looks like Master Zhao Yun has given the prisoner weapon duty."

It was indeed Lu Ba. He wasn't behind because he was slow, but because he was respecting the distance he must maintain as a servant. San wondered how much it annoyed him to have to prance around like a commoner when he came from a noble family.

"Ah, Zhao San, we hoped you would be here," Zhao Yun said as the three of them wandered over.

"Where else would I be at this hour?"

"Hanging from the roof?" her mother suggested. "We noticed quite a bit of rope around the pillars by your room. Would you like to explain yourself?" Mei Li's eyes were full of laughter.

San jerked her finger over her shoulder towards the twins. "Ask your other two children."

"I plan on it," she answered.

Zhao Yun turned to his newest servant. "Lu Ba, remind me what you noticed about the rope when we passed by this morning."

Ba grinned. "I noticed, sir, based on how the rope had fallen, that there would have been only one way to get passed it. A jump would have been required, one that I believe only yourself has been able to accomplish."

San struggled not to turn red. "Are you suggesting that I would have been unable to make it?"

"Not at all. My concern is how you would have been able to land on the other side. "

Yun laughed as his daughter quickly turned to her friends. Ping and Shao, however, had moved away and resumed sparring. "Relax, San. I am confident that you made the jump, and clearly you are unharmed from the fall to the other side. Your friends do you justice."

"And your new protégé does you justice, I see." She frowned at Lu Ba, who was distracted by the other soldiers in the yard.

"You misunderstand, daughter. I am merely trying to show the rest of the Shu kingdom that Ba possesses brains. Most seem to think that those who come from Wu are mindless. This says otherwise."

Yun wandered towards another group of soldiers who had called his attention. Mei Li linked arms with her daughter and scanned the rest of the field. "I see my sons are unhappy."

"They're mad that I beat their trick." She glanced over towards Lu Ba. "Why did you have to make me look like a fool in front of my father?"

He raised his eyebrows at her. "A fool? Lady Zhao, you have already proven otherwise. I wanted to see how you would react."

"Why?"

"You talk of creating a name for yourself. I was, and still am, much the same. You have good friends here, and yet you refuse to acknowledge the part they play in your life. I may be living in the shadows of my family in Wu, but I give credit to my friends where it is due."

Mei Li laughed. "My, such tension from you, San. Perhaps another bout would help release it."

"The boys are occupied," she mumbled.

"Lu Ba, hand me your bundle. You've held it for long enough."

"No, my lady. This is my burden and I will not allow you to strain yourself."

She smiled politely at him. "I may be a woman, Ba, but I am more than capable of labor. Hand them over. Here San," she said, handing her one of the staffs. She handed another to Lu Ba, surprising both of them. "I believe you two have some unfinished business from the raid. Go on, I will watch."

Lu Ba looked mortified. "I couldn't, my lady. It is not right for a servant of Shu to fight an officer, especially one who hails from Wu."

"What is right and what is wrong matters little on the battlefield, Lu Ba. I will not order you to, but I am offering you the chance to fight like you would have before. San is no weakling and neither are you. Besides, you will be no good to us if you are out of shape. Go on. I know you will not harm my daughter."

He paused, bowed, and took up position in front of San. A crowd had started to form once they saw the Wu prisoner with a staff in his hand, preparing to fight. San looked helplessly at her mother. "This isn't right."

She nodded. "Yes it is. Go and prove yourself. You will never stop questioning yourself until you show him what you can do. I will be watching."

"And so will everyone else," she hissed under her breath. She took the staff in both hands and fell into a defensive position. Ba looked nervous, although she couldn't tell why. This would be a short fight if he didn't give it all he had. "Scared you'll lose?" she taunted.

His eyes brightened. "Not a chance."

Ooh, tension!

Thanks to AngelEtty for her continued reviews. I will make Zhao Yun appear as much as possible. San is his daughter, after all, so he'll definitely be around ;-) Plus, I just finished his Musou Mode in DW6 (I like to save him for last), so I'm in a Yun kind of mood.