The small group left Cheng Du the very next night, just as Zhao Yun had requested. It wasn't like the last time, when San's father and brothers had left with a small group to see them off. It wasn't like the day they marched into battle, when everyone was there to wish them luck. San felt like a fugitive. Only her immediate family was there. Lord Liu Bei was sleeping, not doubt. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were not present even though their eldest sons were. Ma Chao and Lady Yang had prepared the horses for them but chose not to see the group off. It was kind of lonely.
San had only prepared a small pack. Next to her, Lu Ba had done the same and was tying it to his horse. Guan Ping and Zhang Shao had next to nothing. They would not be staying with San and Ba long enough for them to need much. The twins were nowhere to be found. Only Zhao Yun and Mei Li were there with the children.
"Zhao San." She turned as her father stood next to her. The look on his face unnerved her; the last time she had seen that was the night of the raid. "This will be the hardest mission you ever take on. I want you to be careful. Guard your heart and your body. Jiang Wei will be able to give you further instructions when you get there, but the ultimate decision is yours."
"We both believe in you," her mother said from her other side. "Come back to us safely. I promise things will be better when you return."
She hugged them both. "Thanks. I'll try to make you proud."
"You already have, daughter," Yun said, gently touching her face. Mei Li hugged her again. San watched the two of them as they spoke quietly to Ping and Shao. They nodded and got onto their horses. Then her parents moved on to Lu Ba. She leaned in to try and hear what they were saying. "…remember the day I left for the raid? I entrusted you with her safekeeping. Make sure she is unharmed."
"We're counting on you, Lu Ba," her mother added.
Lu Ba bowed low to the pair. "I swear on my life. Thank you for everything, Zhao family. I am forever in your debts."
San was shocked. She remembered the day her father and brothers left on their mission. He had said something to Ba that made him uneasy. He'd never told her what was said. Now, she realized, he probably never would have. For her father to tell a prisoner something like that would have sounded absurd to her then. In the wrong ears, it could have been treasonous. Granted, her father seemed to play by a different set of rules every once in a while, but she never would have expected something like that. This seemed to fall into that dangerous category of disloyalty.
The four were off hours before the sun began to rise. Ping took the lead with a small lantern. The darkness nearly swallowed up the tiny flame, but his pace didn't falter. They had traveled this route a few times before. Ping would get them to Jiang Wei's camp without a problem.
Shao took the rear of the group, half asleep on his horse. For anything else, he would have protested about waking up at this hour and being forced into some stupid mission. But as soon as he'd heard about its true purpose, he was out of bed and dressed in record time. At one point, Ping turned around and grinned at his sleeping friend. There was an incredible amount of trust in this group for him to fall asleep when he was supposed to be watching.
San and Ba were situated in the middle of the group. Both of them remained silent for a good portion of the journey. San stole little glances at him from the corner of her eye as the sun slowly started to rise. His mouth was set in a grim line. Bags deepened under his eyes and his face looked haggard. He slumped forward against the horse instead of maintaining his usual straight posture. It hurt her a little to see him so weary.
Really? A tiny voice in her head became louder as the trip continued. You are feeling sorry for a criminal, Zhao San. You have mingled with the enemy and are treading dangerous waters. Consider yourself lucky that no one else noticed this.
Notice what? She fought back against her conscience. Notice that he's exactly the same as the rest of us? That he is a good man with a heart of gold and a zest for life that shines brighter than the sun?
No. That no one has noticed the way he looks at you, and the look that you give him in return. No one except Liu Chan…
"Lady Zhao, are you okay?" Lu Ba's voice made her jump on her horse. She hadn't realized that she was staring off into space. "You look troubled."
"Now San, too much thinking is bad for you," Shao shouted from behind them. "You get yourself into trouble when you think."
She turned in her saddle and stuck her tongue out at him. "Brave words from someone who knows better."
"Well, aren't we the epitome of mature this morning?" Ping said over his shoulder, chuckling.
"We can't all be goody goodies like you at this hour," Shao retorted. "And you, Lu Ba, can call her by her real name like the rest of us."
Ba shook his head. "That would be improper…"
"Improper my foot. Look, we're all adults here. Okay, okay," he said when San raised her eyebrows at him, "we're almost adults. But the real adults aren't here, and formal nonsense annoys the crap outta me. So you will call her 'San' and then you will duel with me when we stop for the night. I haven't had a good spar in a while and I've been dying to have a go at you."
"As have I," Ping added. "Rumor has it that you're exceptional for your age. We saw some of it with San before. Now I want to test it for real. And don't go easy on us."
Lu Ba grinned, erasing all the tiredness from his face. "Fighting the sons of Liu Bei's sworn brothers? It would be an honor."
"You won't be saying that when I level your Wu ass." Shao beat his chest for emphasis. San laughed at him. After everything that had happened back home, it was good to hear some bantering. "Hey San, what exactly did your dad say to Lord Liu Bei to get us out of the capital? I asked mine, but he just grunted at me and told me to go away."
San shook her head. Yeah, that sounded like Zhang Fei. Don't ask questions unless they had to do with fighting or drinking. Or women, really. "I'm not sure. But it got us all away from Chan and for that, I'm grateful."
"My guess," Ping said, dropping back a little so he was closer to them, "is that he brought up Chan's desire to marry you, San. That point is being debated far more often than our fathers are telling us. Zhao Yun's greatest bargaining tool right now is your innocence and purity. If he could convince our lord that this is for the protection of those virtues, he could be persuaded."
Shao laughed. "Innocence? Has he heard San's pirate mouth on the battlefield?"
"He means I've not given myself to any man yet," San said. But you've thought about it.
"But what about our latest addition?" Shao nodded towards Lu Ba. "If Liu Bei knows about what's been going on between Ba and Chan, why would he agree to let him come along? And with only us to guard him?"
It was Ba who answered. "That reason is hidden in Zhao Yun's note for Jiang Wei. He told me as much before we departed."
"Before he told you to look after me?" San asked, a teasing tone to her voice. "I can look after myself."
Ba opened his mouth to reply when a shout rang through the trees. Something whizzed by Lu Ba's head and narrowly missed San's face. She held up an armored arm to protect herself. Another object flew through the trees. The impact of it against her arm ran through her ears and knocked her off her horse. Through her disoriented state, she could hear Ping screaming, "Ambush!" and Shao cursing loudly. Bandits. It had to be. They were too far away from Cheng Du for it to be Shu soldiers, and merchants didn't travel this way. San shook her head and got to her feet.
Several men had surrounded the tiny group. Strips of cloth were tied around their faces, so she couldn't recognize any of them. She probably wouldn't have been able to anyway. Bandits were bandits, regardless of how they looked.
"San, are you alright?" Lu Ba was right behind her. She hadn't heard him move closer.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She pulled her twin swords from their holsters, gripping them tighter than she would have liked. But it helped her clear her head and maintain control. "How many are there?"
"At least seven. They came out of the woods after you were knocked down."
Shao had his spear positioned in front of him, groaning at the masked men in front of him. "Aww, hell. What do ya want now? No gold, no valuables, no nothing. Go home."
The bandit closest to him responded by swinging his sword wildly at him. Shao ducked the onslaught and began a string of attacks of his own. After a few tense seconds, Shao managed to hook the bandit's legs out from underneath him and pinned him to the ground with the blade side of his weapon. "I said, go home!"
Those were the magic words. The other bandits charged into the group and forced them into defensive positions. San found herself easily slipping into her routine of attacks, parries and ducks. The call of battle surged through her veins. It didn't matter that the darkness of the woods clouded her vision. It didn't matter that they were outnumbered. It didn't even matter that their intentions were still unclear. She had her weapons in hand and was attacking with precision. That was all that mattered.
She rolled out of the way of another bandit and found herself next to Guan Ping. He deftly swung his sword around and beheaded the enemy. "San! Are you hurt?"
"Not yet," she shouted back as she sparred with another. "How about you?" Sparks flew into her face as one of her swords met with the bandit's. "And where are the others?"
Ping grunted as he was tackled to the ground. "Shao's…fine, but Ba needs…damn it…a weapon." Ping scrambled around for the knife in his belt. San managed to kneel enough to flip her assailant over her shoulders. She stumbled a little and accidentally stepped on Ping's enemy's arm. Ping used the distraction to reach his knife and plunge it into the man's neck. He choked on blood while San drove one of her swords into the other bandit, who had regained his footing.
"Did you say he needs a weapon?"
"He didn't have one when we left the capital," Ping said, wiping his face as he got to his feet. The pair turned in time to see Zhang Shao swing his spear over his head as he ducked, catching two more enemies off guard. Lu Ba was having a harder time of it. He'd managed to steal a small sword from one of the bandits, but it wasn't doing him much good. A large tree branch was in his other hand. "You go and help him. I'll help Shao."
"Like he needs it." But San grinned as Ping ran over to his best friend, slid onto the ground, tripped a bandit that had snuck around behind Shao, and let the force of the impact push the enemy into Shao's waiting blade. She turned back to her other friend. The enemy he was fighting was tiring, but he was too distracted to see the last of the bandits running towards him, blade raised. "Ba!" she screamed.
He jerked his head around to see her running. She made a motion with her hands, telling him to lower his tree branch a little bit. Cursing, he pushed the enemy off of him and quickly switched the weapons in his hands. By the time San had reached him, the tree branch was in his right hand and waiting for her. She stepped nimbly onto it and vaulted herself over Ba. Her swords buried themselves in the bandit's chest at the same time Ba drove his stolen weapon into the other. The threat, for the moment, was over.
A few tense minutes went by. Only the sounds of labored breathing could be heard. But, in true fashion, Shao broke the silence and thrust his bloodied weapon into the air. "Oh yeah! That's right, you all just got beat by the greatest warriors of the Shu kingdom! Rot in hell, you bastards!"
San laughed at the smug grin on his face. Shao was in his element, having won a fight that could have easily had a different outcome. Ping simply laughed at his friend. Next to her, Ba was also grinning. He had a cut along his forehead to compliment his swollen nose, but his eyes still danced. Perhaps he is in his element as well, San thought to herself. He is a warrior, after all. "Are you okay?" she asked him.
"Never better. You're getting better with the left hand, I see."
"I've been practicing. Why didn't you tell me that you needed a weapon when the fighting started?"
"Worried about me?"
She rolled her eyes at him. "I have been since you first set foot in Shu. Duh."
"I've managed without weapons before," he said. "When you're on a boat and a pirate manages to kick your weapon into the water, there's no chance of getting it back. You learn to make do with what the environment gives you."
"Alright, kids." Shao was grinning at them now, despite the tired look his posture held. "Guess we're gonna have to push the sparring back for another night. I'm beat, the horses have run off, and Jiang Wei is still a few days away. Let's get outta here before the wolves show up."
Jiang Wei was waiting for them when they arrived. His long hair was out of his usual ponytail and his eyes grew darker as he watched the damaged group ride past his guards. He was staying in one of Liu Bei's small forts. High walls protected tiny building inside. San knew that, despite its size, the fort was vital to Shu's protection. It guarded one of the main roads leading into the kingdom, and with Wu so close, protecting such paths were important.
The four teenagers dismounted and bowed to Wei, who returned it. "What has happened?"
"Bandits," Shao said. Wei waited for further explanation.
"We were attacked by bandits shortly after we left," Ping explained. "We gathered a few cuts and bruises, but we're all in one piece."
Wei nodded. "My apologies. I was not expecting to see any of you without warning from Cheng Du. Has something happened there as well? Do your injuries carry over from the capital?"
San glanced at Lu Ba, who was rubbing his nose. "No, Lord Jiang. But we have urgent news from my father. I must speak with you in private."
His eyes traveled over to Ba. San could see the wheels turning behind his eyes, but she could not read his thoughts. "So, this is the young prisoner that has been in your care. I wish to speak at length with him, as well. But you must go first. Have you anything for me from your father?"
"In the saddlebag," Ba said. All four looked at him with a mixture of shock and confusion. "What? That's what he told me before we left."
"Intriguing," Jiang Wei said. He walked between them to San's horse, where the large bag was tied. He procured the letter and began to read. San noticed the color drain from his face as he went down the paper. It made her own heart beat faster. What could her father have said to strike fear into Wei? He closed the paper and stared at San. Her heart was racing now. "This is grave."
"What's wrong?" Shao asked. He had also noticed Wei's concern.
Jiang Wei snapped his fingers. Two unarmed men immediately appeared behind him. "Take the young men inside. Get them fed, cleaned up and rested. I will speak to them later." He turned back to San. "I am sorry, but we must speak immediately. There will be time for you to rest when we are finished."
She nodded. Wei turned sharply and headed back into the fortress. San hurried after him, not bothering to look back at the boys. If he was already worked up over the letter, she needed all her wits about her to answer his questions. And he would have many. The Sleeping Dragon's apprentice was a shrewd man. He would drain every last detail out of her before giving any in return. She, too, had many questions for him.
He led her into his study, which was almost a mirror image of his room back home. A drafting table was covered with letters, some bearing a seal she had never seen before. A large table in the center of the room had three maps on top of it. Another paper was filled with notes. She could imagine Wei pouring over them, scribbling ideas down as he worked. She had seen in once before, back after the battle of Chi Bi. It was fascinating to watch him, to see the concentration take over his whole body until nothing existed around him.
"Sit." He pulled her from her thoughts and pointed to one of the chairs by the desk. He took another, sinking onto the cushion as he went over the letter again.
She couldn't wait anymore. "What does it say?"
"Your father tells me that Liu Chan wishes to marry you instead of Zhang Fei's daughter. He also writes that the boy has become increasingly violent and manipulative. Perhaps you can shed some light on this. Tell me everything."
San did. She started with the raid and told him about how she had insisted on keeping Lu Ba alive. She detailed arguments her friends and family had over this, the way Chan's attitude had changed, and how he had nearly broken Ba's nose in a fit of rage. Wei now knew that the prince had struck her and announced his feelings in front of Xing Cai, and that San knew about Ba's story before he was captured. He listened with complete silence.
She was out of breath when she finished. Lu Ba hadn't even been with them that long, and there was already so much to tell. "It seems to me," Jiang Wei said, "that this Wu boy has caused quite a stir. The fact that he is Lu Meng's son is even more interesting. You have heard the stories of his parents. Has he told you of his exploits with the pirates?"
"No. I never got the chance to ask. He did talk about his friends back in Wu, though."
"Lu Ba is one of Wu's most prized soldiers, Zhao San. When he reached the age of manhood, his uncle Zhou Tai took him away for three years. Together they fought against both the pirates and the naval forces of Wei. Not only did they return unharmed, but every single man that they took with them came back alive. It is impressive, especially when you consider the danger and the age at which Lu Ba performed such feats. He is considered to be as dangerous as the rest of his family."
San took all of this in. Lu Meng was a constant headache for Shu. He was both a gifted strategist and a skilled warrior. Bases that he came into possession of never fell, and he was known for testing the fragile boundaries between Wu and its neighbors. Lady Li Tai was considered one of the deadliest women in China. She had participated in a few battles herself, including the one that saved the lives of many Wu officers. Zhou Tai's very name struck fear into the hearts of Shu's people. Little was known about him. He had been a pirate but now served as Sun Quan's personal bodyguard. No one could even get near the prince of Wu now.
"So what part of the letter makes you nervous?" she asked. "Is it the fact that Lu Ba is Lu Meng's son? Or is it the possible betrothal?"
"Both of those concern me, San. This problem with Liu Chan worries me the most. Your father has suggested a way to end it, and that is where the difficulty lies."
San felt goose bumps rise on her skin. He was about to tell her something bad, she was sure of it. "Tell me."
His eyes met hers. "Your father has asked me to kill Lu Ba."
A/N: Noooooooooo!!! So much drama, so little time! Seriously, what must a poor girl do to keep a decent man in her life anymore?
Thanks again to all of my readers and reviewers. AngelEtty, you still rock!