Disclaimer: Characters are not mine

Chapter 23: Turbulent Addiction

"I've learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions and not on our circumstances." ~ Martha Washington.

Sucking in a breath, Xiao Qiao softly opened the door, speaking gently, so gently she probably couldn't be heard, "Excuse me, Lord Zhou Yu-?"

She saw him at his desk, hands bracing the surface, as he seemed to be struggling to move away from it. His body was rigid but quivering, and it was obvious something was wrong.

"My lord, are you alright?" She said, not bothering to close the door behind her as she approached the ailing man. Zhou Yu seethed lightly, but glanced over his shoulder.

"No I can…er…" Zhou Yu stammered, trying to maintain composure, but the shooting pains in his thighs and abdomen were making it hard to move. It was really bad today. Silently cursing Hua Tuo and his medicine, Zhou Yu eyed his bed, debating if he should make a dive for it.

"You need to get to your bed?"

Zhou Yu grunted, "Yeah, c-call the manservant."

However, much to his surprise, he felt a small arm wrap around his waist. Xiao Qiao draped his arm over her shoulder, supporting some of his weight, "Here, let me help you."

This truly was just an excuse to get in contact with him. Physical contact was probably a step too far, but she didn't care. Her breath hitched as his larger form next to her created this heavy, warm presence. Quickly, she regained her wits and tightened her hold around his waist and gently helped him towards his bed. He staggered along, trying to keep his weight off her.

Once they got closer to the bed, Zhou Yu gained enough confidence in his strength to try to separate himself. He didn't get far as he soon realized that he was wrong. He turned in front of her, holding onto her as he eased himself on the bed. However, his weight was too much and she was pulled to him.

He sat there on the bed, not letting her go, as he should have. This was so familiar. There was the scent of her neck, the one thing that always left him senseless. Even though her scent was different (which he realized was because of her changing body) but the affect of her smell did as it usually did to his body. He pulse quickened. He couldn't resist, he just couldn't and he was a weak-minded fool. He softly buried his nose into the juncture of her neck, the hand at her shoulder drifting close, fingers touching the loose curls at the back of her neck.

Their position was quickly becoming compromised, with his body so close, and then she felt his response pressing against her belly. Her body flushed, but her expression was pained.

"Lord Zhou Yu…" she whispered his name, sounding really close to a gasp of surprise. Both realizing what they were doing, she allowed her lord to drift back onto the bed. Once his head hit the pillow he let out a relieved sigh. Zhou Yu then turned his beautiful golden eyes onto her.

"Thank you," he whispered, his voice throaty, as he tried his best to maintain focus away from his awakened groin.

Thankfully, she smiled and nodded in gratitude, "You are welcome."

He clenched his jaw, wondering what to say next, but it was obvious that his body wanted one thing. His conscious, though, wanted to talk. They needed to talk and he hadn't seen her since she walked into the kitchens that one day.

Now, he was lying in bed, and she was sitting next to him, bending over him, concerned. Licking his lips, feeling a mild pain in his heart, he reached up and undid the ribbon in her hair, feeling his blood race even more as her hair tumbled down.

Almost breathless, his voice croaked, "You are even more beautiful with your hair down."

He shouldn't have said that. He wished he could take it back and pretend he hadn't said it, even if it was undeniably true. Gazing in her eyes was just too much. He looked away, the lines under his eyes deepening.

Xiao felt like she was going to be sick, the pain and relief in her heart was that intense. She couldn't resist. With a tear rolling down her cheek, he reached over to touch his chin, stroking the silky hairs of his beard underneath his lip. She bit her lip.

"I don't know how I feel about this."

Zhou Yu could understand. Sun Ce had thought it best that they remained apart, but her stroking his beard felt…right, even if it wasn't the most comfortable of situations.

"Your beard, I mean," Xiao clarified. "You are the last person I would expect to have one. I think it's funny though that, aside from Huang Gai's beard, you have the thickest one in the compound."

Zhou Yu smiled, for the first time in a long time, "I trimmed it a while ago. Do you want me to shave it?"

"I don't know," she replied, stroking the hairs on his cheek, "I just never thought a beard would frame your face so well. It makes you look older, though."

"I feel old. Probably why I kept the thing," Zhou Yu replied hoping she would keep stroking his face. It was like a mother's touch, gentle, and hypnotic. He was sure Xiao would make a good mother. While many could question her maturity, she certainly was caring enough. He on the other hand…

Maybe he was afraid of becoming like his father in regards to his own child. It wasn't a thing he could predict, like no one could predict him being an abusive husband. His hopes weren't high once he thought about it. If he were such a horrid man to Xiao, he probably wouldn't be much better to a child.

Zhou Yu's eyes traveled away from her face down to her middle. The robes were hiding her stomach, so he couldn't really tell if she was showing yet. Mildly curious, he let his hand drift down her shoulder, her arm, to her hip before curving around to her abdomen. He tried not to pull a readable expression, since, quite simply, he wasn't sure of how he felt.

Xiao was breathless and fearful of what he was going to say. With him touching her stomach…

He struggled to sit up and he cringed at the pain but was able to manage and stare directly into her eyes.

"What are we going to do?"

"Sun Ce said that we are to remain married, at least until something better comes along…"

Zhou Yu's brows raised, "'Better'?"

Uh oh. Hadn't Sun Ce relayed all this to Zhou Yu? You'd think he would, but it was obvious that Zhou Yu was still in the dark.

Xiao explained, "He meant if I find a man…who won't mind taking charge of me and my burden."

With that, she ran a hand over said "burden". Xiao could see that shock and defeat was in Zhou Yu's eyes. His chest was rising and falling at a faster rate and she shuddered hoping he wouldn't lash out. It didn't seem that he would. In fact, she could see his eyes fill with tears as he swallowed a lump in his throat.

He had accepted defeat and his fate, but why was it staring at him in the face? He could take it silently and let it eat at him slowly like a parasite, instead of having it go at his jugular. He promised himself he would let go of her, for his and her sake, but it was so hard when she was in front of him. Zhou Yu wished she had never entered his room.

"Sun Ce agrees with you. He said that I'm not good for you…that being with you only serves to create volatile emotions."

He cursed Sun Ce in his head. It made it all sound like it was Xiao's fault when it couldn't be further from the truth. And he didn't know why Xiao caused his composure to go haywire and he had developed a sort of dangerous, unhealthy dependency on her presence. Maybe it was his drinking from before. It had to be connected. That was obvious. Or maybe she gave him something that he never had before...

This was just so hard.

Xiao reached up and played with the lapels of his robes, straightening them as her tongue tried to find the words.

"But I don't think I will ever stop caring for you."

She was careful in her choice of words despite what she wanted to say.

Then, to her surprise, Zhou Yu wrapped his arms around her small body and pulled her to into an embrace. It seemed to be out of irrational desperation and a surge of emotion. Her hands held onto the fabric of his sleeves, feeling his warmth.

"This is so hard…" he whispered. "I want to…I have to…it's just…I don't think I can let you go."

For once his words weren't marked with any edge of possessiveness. He was losing something that he should have cherished and not have taken for granted. He felt he had been so selfish throughout his lifetime, but now he had to think of someone besides himself.

The young woman in his arms remained next to his body, listening to his heartbeat. No doubt Hua Tuo would be concerned since he was sure his heart rate was increasing in pace. He wanted to just lay back, with her on top of him and lay there quietly. However, after a while, Xiao pulled back and looked up at him, smiling.

"I know it's hard, but I like to have faith. Maybe, one day, we can go back to having the relationship we had before this whole thing started."

And there was that beacon he had been silently praying for. That small light that let him know that there was a chance he could prevent himself from losing everything. It would be a slow process though. First, he had to regain his mind and mend relationships around the palace. Then he had to go about a work routine. After everything was settled and nothing else would get in the way, then maybe, just maybe, he could pursue Xiao's affection once again, slowly this time. He would have to court her, something he was afraid to do, but it was what he should've done long ago. There was no way in telling if his child would be born by then but hopefully he could mend his relationship enough with her that he could be present when it was born and at least be somewhat involved.

Even as he thought it, he didn't even know how he felt about the prospect of having a child and it sickened him to know that he had allowed Xiao to be kidnapped while carrying his progeny. But, he had reminded himself, that they were here, in his arms, safe.

He jerked out of his inner turmoil when he felt a hand touch his bearded cheek. She was stroking the thin silky hairs, staring into his eyes, her own eyes filled with compassion.

"I guess this is goodbye then…" he said softly.

"At least for now," she smiled.

Then she leaned up and kissed him lightly on the lips. She pulled away for just a moment, but it was apparent that a light goodbye kiss was not going to cut it. They pressed their lips together harder and their kiss grew deeper. Their mouths opened allowing for the gentle swipes of tongues. They were breathless and, as of this moment, there was no going back. There was something so familiar, so wonderful about the kiss. It brought up the few good memories of their relationship and all the passionate moments they shared, both good and bad.

Her blood was on fire and a stirring of something she hadn't felt in almost two months was rising quickly in her belly.

Sucking in a breath, Zhou Yu let his head drift down to the juncture of her neck, planting a light kiss there.

His voice throaty with breathy passion, he suggested, "Can we have just one for the road?"

Her breath was caught, feeling the prickly beard rub against her skin as Zhou Yu opened his mouth against her flesh. Although he didn't directly say it, she knew what he was suggesting. Still, she could not respond and her body was shaking with the feeling of desire. What the hell was it about Zhou Yu just made her melt with one kiss? Yes, he was incredibly handsome, even with that damn beard, but it was obviously more than just his looks. It had to be his presence or the fact that he had hidden unbridled passion lying underneath the surface of his usually clinical, analytical exterior.

Zhou Yu, quietly and gently as possible switched positions and laid her back on the bed while he hovered over her. He couldn't help but let his mouth drop open, panting as she laid below him her soft brown hair fanned out like a luxurious halo. Her cheeks were flushed, her face looking particularly innocent and demure. Like she was still a virgin.

Instead of preparing for his invasion of her body, he leaned down and kissed her. Xiao was responsive; thank the gods, as her mouth moved with and against his. Her hands were free to reach up and wrap around his back. Zhou Yu allowed his weight to gently rest on her, deepening the kiss. She was so stunned at how tender his kiss was. Slowly, his hand reached under to cup the back of her head, keeping her still as his lips moved over hers.

He was breathing deeply through his nose, trying to relax himself lest he lose control. Giving them a chance to breathe normally, Zhou Yu laid kisses along her jaw down to her neck. Surprisingly, he didn't use his teeth; he instead sucked on her skin, licking lightly with his tongue. He cradled her body to his, relishing in her small body being so close to his. But it wasn't close enough.

He pulled away, laying over her, brushing strands of her hair away from her face.

"Isn't this forbidden? Given your condition," Zhou Yu asked.

Xiao laughed, "For traditionalists, like my sister, yes. But, you should know me well enough to know that I don't give a damn."

He gave a slight smirk, a chuckle forming in his chest. She was slowly but surely returning to her normal self.

"But I do have some concerns…"

Zhou Yu swallowed and whispered, "I'll be gentle, I promise…"

"Can you?" she sounded skeptical. "You say it now, Lord Zhou Yu, but as you said: you cannot promise what you cannot control."

His body was hot, not out of anger, but out of boiling lust. His breathing was labored, as his eyes diverted, "But I can…you can tell me if I'm being too rough and you'll…"

"I'll do what, my lord?" she interjected keeping her tone soft as if she was genuinely concerned that whatever he might do to her would hurt the baby, "I cannot stop you."

The furrow in his brow smoothed out, and he leaned closer to her, lips just a hair's width away from hers, "Please, I ask you to trust me."

He then pressed his lips against hers, gently, trying to gain her trust. Xiao wanted to trust him and to not worry about what could happen. Right now, she let him push her further into the bed, feeling consumed by him. Soon, his hands began pulling at her robe, her skin exposed to the air, and still she felt hot. She helped him disrobe herself, completely removing her clothing.

He let out a shuddering breath, getting a glimpse of her bare flesh. He swallowed, "It's like I've never seen you naked before. It's been so long…"

Her breath caught in her chest and she was frightened judging by the smoldering look in his eyes that he may go into a lustful frenzy. Luckily, he went slowly, letting his lips drag over her skin. This was how one made love. Slow and gentle, giving her time to just feel him. She loved this and as she opened her eyes to gaze upon his head leaving a trail of kisses down her breasts to the arch of her ribcage, she couldn't help but feel love for him. Her hands wove into the dark silk of his hair, her back arching.

As for him, he could just get off sucking and tasting her skin. Despite his raging arousal straining through his robes, he had learned to ignore it and focused on what he was doing and her very actions. She was enjoying this, and never in his mind could he have thought that he could get so heated at the sight of her swathing in pleasure.

Xiao reached down to his head brought him back up so she could kiss his lips. Opening her mouth against his, she let her hands caress the side of his face, feeling his whiskers once again. One hand drifted down to his chest, slipping it inside his robes, feeling the taut, thick muscle of his chest. He took this as a sign and began shedding his robes, his lips still against hers.

She wanted to see his body, she could feel it flex under her fingers, the new muscles he had acquired hardening under her touch. She pressed against his chest and immediately he got off of her leaning back on his knees. His eyes were worried and confused, afraid that he had gone too far or had hurt her.

She took the time to gaze upon his body, her cheeks blushing. Her hand ran down his body, feeling his muscles, caressing the light scars that would probably fade over time. Her fingers lingered over the large scar and finally the smaller scar on his ribs where he was speared trying to save her.

"Every one says you should've died. I thought you were a goner, with that many arrows in your body," Xiao whispered, letting a tear escape the corner of her eye. He grabbed her hand and brought it up, kissing her palm, his emotional side showing. He was struck by her concern for him. Yet, he didn't want to worry her.

He captured her lips again, softly pressing his naked skin to hers, finding the sensation irresistible. She gasped for air and reached between their bodies, grabbing him and helping him guide himself inside her.

He seethed and sucked in a breath, finding the sensation of her wrapped so tightly around him overpowering. He was quickly losing control.

She reached up to cup his cheek whispering, "Breathe…breathe."

She was urging him to calm himself. If what he felt was anything like what she felt, he would be on the brink of losing all control. He stiffened and inhaled harshly, trying to calm himself. Already there was a tightening in his lower belly and he didn't want to end their session prematurely. This was, after all, the last moment together before they went separate ways for a while.

"I'm fine," he grunted. "Are you alright? I'm not hurting you, am I?"

"No, no," she breathed. "I'm alright."

That was a relief, but he needed more relief. He started by kissing her and thrusting as slowly and smoothly as possible. She gasped into his mouth, deriving pleasure from him. From all their sparse sexual encounters, she had never experienced anything close to the warmth and ecstasy as now. For once they weren't ferociously seeking completion, they were just basking in each other's closeness. It gave them time to feel, kiss, and whisper to each other.

She bit back words of love, though she desperately wanted to let him know how she felt. Her body, with all the sensations of care and pleasure going through her, became weak and limp, her moans becoming louder and in no time her body seized as she cried out, reaching the peak of her mountain.

Still not finished, Zhou Yu slowed feeling her clamp down onto him. It took all his willpower not to follow her. He must've been really strong then. He had to breathe in through his nose before he could continue. Her eyes were clenched shut, her face pulled in an expression of undeniable ecstasy.

Beautiful…just beautiful. To think I would just throw her away. What a fool I am.

"Xiao," he whispered into her ear, "Are you alright?"

She took in a deep breath before saying, "Yes…but you didn't-"

"It's okay, but I confess I just have to continue."

She didn't really give him consent, but she didn't have to. He began moving again, pulling her legs around his waist, desperate to go in deeper. He groaned, hissing a resounding, "Yes." He was still going slow, but she was gasping for him to go faster and harder. So she too had a carnal side. How could he not comply? His controlled thrusts increased in vigor, especially since she was so enthusiastic about the increased pace. His breath was shortened and his abdominal muscles tightened, the tugging at the base of his spine pulsing. Still, Zhou Yu had to wait until she…

Xiao arched her back and gasped, clenching irresistibly around him, clawing at his shoulder. He grunted and pulled out, his love seed spilling all over her stomach.

It took a while for them both to regain their wits and as soon as Zhou Yu saw the mess on her belly he cursed lightly.

"Dammit! I'm sorry Xiao," he apologized, taking his discarded robe and wiping the sticky mess off her skin. Xiao looked up at him seeing his face full of shame as he tried to clean her.

"I apologize. I didn't mean to do that."

Xiao could've laughed. She giggled lightly, "It's either that or it's inside me. I really don't mind."

"It's disgusting," he rumbled, remembering his own disgust when he spilled his seed all over himself when he was alone. It pained him to know that he put that messy junk inside her. He was surprised that she was so accepting of it. He discarded his robe over the side of the bed.

"It's okay…" she whispered, leaning up to kiss him. He laid her back onto the bed, resting his head on her inconspicuous belly, as if he was trying to listen within. They were silent and her small hand ran through the silk of his hair, resting their bodies. His breathing softened as he rested his tired eyes, the feeling of her warm body serving to bring him comfort.

"I'm a little tired. I'm just…going to rest my eyes…"

Xiao continued to stroke his head, listening to the hypnotic pattern of his heavy breathing. She lay awake, even if she desperately wanted to sleep with him, but she became worried. The call for dinner would arrive soon and people would begin to worry where she was. Given the circumstances, she felt guilty, as if she just had an affair. An affair with her own husband. It still felt sinful and she was afraid of how the members of the palace would judge her. Maybe a few minutes longer. She wasn't done bathing in the afterglow of their lovemaking.

Silently weeping, she whispered his name. When he didn't rouse she called again, "My lord, you have to wake up."

Zhou Yu was starting to rouse, hearing a sweet voice call him. So, it wasn't all a dream, thank the heavens. He awoke fully and groaned and turned his head upright, resting his chin on her stomach, staring at her.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go, before someone gets curious and finds us in this situation."

He chuckled lightly, "Of course, I'm sorry."

He lifted his naked body off of her and helped her out of bed, quickly covering her with her robes. Still nude, he helped her dress and she blushed.

"I really wish you weren't naked right now. You've become very distracting."

Zhou Yu laughed, "It's not like you haven't seen me naked before."

"I know but this…" she moved her hand up and down eyes wandering over his body. "Oh my…"

Zhou Yu smirked liking that he had left her tongue-tied. Her cheeks turned to a lovely shade of pink, "Shang Xiang was right. You do have thighs that could choke a bear."

He arched an eyebrow finding it odd that the Sun princess was taken by his legs. Still, he found his robes and pulled them on, giving her mercy. Once robed, they stared at each other, wondering what to do next.

It was Zhou Yu who spoke first, "So…I guess this is it."

"I guess," she replied softly, but she couldn't help but smile. Zhou Yu nodded, feeling tightness in his chest. As he led her to the doorway, they realized that the door was still open.

"I pray no one saw us," he murmured with a chuckle. He was sure no one did. This part of the wing was usually deserted at this time of day. Plus, no one barged in and yelled their distaste.

So she stood in the doorway facing him. He spread his muscular limbs against the doorway, blocking it with his imposing frame.

"I know we will see each other," Xiao Qiao smiled and shrugged, "It's unavoidable, I think."

"You'd be right," he resisted touching her, but let his eyes wander down to her middle.

"I'm happy about the baby," he continued but his voice was still filled with uncertainty. "I can't take back the fact that I threatened to…to…dispose of it, but I was just so…angry…at everything."

Xiao couldn't reply as she listened with a swelled heart to his voice, dripped in inner turmoil. Her beloved husband took her hand and brought it to his soft, chiseled lips, his eyes holding hers. In an instant she drifted to him, wrapping her arms around him in a platonic, but compassionate hug. She heard him give a satisfied purr in his chest, reciprocating the embrace, running his hand up and down her back.

"I know you will hate me for saying this but…I love you," she murmured into his robes.

He had heard and merely responded by wrapping his arms tighter around her. He didn't say anything, though he probably should've. How the heck was he supposed to respond to a confession of love, especially when he was so skeptical if such an inanimate concept existed? He could however, try to convince himself that it was just a hormonal response of a young, expectant mother after the throes of passion. That would be the easiest solution, but he could not ignore this sense of connection with her. In truth, he cared for her. If he was sure it was something more, she would be the first to know.

It was all so confusing. He had written poetry about beauty, but beauty was tangible. He could see beauty, not love. But here was a human incarnation of beauty in his arms, making his insides feel warm. Could it be seen as the same thing?

In time it could.

He pulled her away at arms length and managed a sad smile. She looked up at him and nodded. Finally he let go of her shoulders. Letting go of her.

"I will see you later, then."

He could only nod in reply and Xiao turned on her heel and headed down the hall for dinner. He stared after her, not removing his eyes from her until she turned the corner, out of sight.

In the paradise of the Southlands, the days were blessed with pleasant weather, mostly beautiful mornings and peaceful evenings. It portrayed the calm the kingdom of Wu was experiencing. The threat wasn't gone yet, but Yuan Shu thought to hold back when he heard about Zhou Yu's miraculous and savage excursion against a portion of the best defense force in the land. Truly, his stunt scared the shit out of every opposing force. Even the emperor in Xuchang didn't feel that safe in Cao Cao's comforting arms after his forces were beaten back so badly.

Sun Ce had a feeling, though, that Wei would bounce back after a victory against Yuan Shao. They would undoubtedly win at Guan Du. As Sun Ce leaned back in his chair, he grinned with satisfaction, loving that he had achieved something that the other leaders had not in a long time. Stability.

Yes, while Liu Bei was struggling to find a foothold and while Cao Cao was having his hands tied with Yuan Shao, Sun Ce and his people went about their days, flourishing for the time being. This was the good life.

Then there was a presence on the veranda, and he looked to the side, finding his sworn brother in a loose dark robe approaching him.

"Hey! Zhou Yu! About time you got out of the palace."

Zhou Yu smiled and took his seat next to Sun Ce, "I have to face the world at some point. Besides, and this is my paranoid side talking, we aren't technically out of the woods. It will only be a matter of time before you come begging for me to deal with something."

"Ha ha," Sun Ce responded sardonically, "Hey, you shaved."

Zhou Yu began rubbing his clean shaven face, "Yeah, I wasn't sure if I wanted to trim the thing every week. But this is the last time I'm going to shave until the baby is born."

"You are symbolically growing it out? You know that growing some facial hair is not going to compensate for the hardships of pregnancy or the pain of childbirth she will be going through. Trust me, I know. Unless you are really willing to break your arms and femurs…"

"I got it. I got it," Zhou Yu laughed lightly waving his hand dismissively. "On the bright side, my face is more aerodynamic now."

Sun Ce's deep heavy laughter seemed to reverberate throughout the landscape, crossing the tops of the trees to the green hills. He was doubled over in his chair, wiping tears of joy from his eyes. Soon his laughter turned into coughs, his over stimulated lungs getting the better of him.

"Oh gods," Sun Ce said almost as if he was crying. "I don't know why that was funny. I just had this mental image…nevermind."

Inhaling deeply through his nose, and ignoring Zhou Yu's chuckling, Sun Ce straightened, "So, what's going on with Xiao?"

Zhou Yu shrugged, "We're starting over."

There was a nervous chuckle, "It's kinda hard to start over when she's already pregnant."

"So you say," Zhou Yu coolly shot back. "As of now we are separated, however, after a while I intend to pursue her. Whether she accepts my advances or not is her decision."

"Yeah, well, you'd better pray she's still hooked on you. Ling Tong's starting to feel lonely, I think, and a free Qiao sister is bound to capture his attention."

Although Sun Ce meant it as a joke, Zhou Yu wasn't laughing. If what Ce said was the least bit true, Zhou Yu wouldn't know if he could restrain himself from throttling the compound's playboy if he ever laid lustful eyes after Xiao.

Almost as if Sun Ce could read his expression he said pointedly, "Don't kill him. I need him. I plan to milk out what talent he has left."

"Indeed," Zhou Yu cleared his throat calming himself.

Smirking, Sun Ce leaned forward, "You know what your problem is?"

"I have a proficient temper? When provoked, I have the social graces of a rabid dog? I can't handle addiction? I don't know how to handle women? I can't handle men? I can't separate physical aesthetic from emotional aesthetic?—"

"Hold it, son," Sun Ce stopped his friend, rubbing his forehead.

"You know, your friend is right," Sun Ce continued, chuckling to himself, "You love to worry yourself to death, when you don't worry, you find something to worry about. That's why you have that furrowed brow all the damn time. You can't stand to relax."

"What 'friend' would this be…" Zhou Yu sounded skeptical.

"That soft spoken foreigner. What was his name? Musa? Musta?"

"Mustafa?"

"That's it!"

Zhou Yu's face went passive, he hadn't thought about his training companion or the Turks. They were probably gone by now, fighting for some warlord for money. But he forgot to thank them, or hear if any of them were lost. He hoped not. No man should've died for his rage. All that said, he knew he wouldn't have the daring or confidence if they didn't have his back.

"How did they seem? Were they disgruntled?"

"They were shockingly flippant about it. They just disappeared one day, but they'll be back, I think."

Sun Ce couldn't help but smile as Zhou Yu stared out at the landscape, fingers stroking his chin as if his beard was still there. His eyes were focused, but saddened. Sun Ce couldn't pretend to know everything about his friend's relationship with Mustafa. But that Turk…he sure was something. The man was rusty when it came to leading, but the other Turks seemed to trust him. Maybe it was Mustafa's soft nature off the battlefield, Sun Ce couldn't tell. But one thing he could tell was the abject sadness and worry in Mustafa's eyes when he handed Sun Ce the sword Zhou Yu used to cut down Cao Cao's men. His hand trembled, as if the bloodshed and power used with the sword was too much to handle. Then, the next morning, the Turks were gone, as if they disappeared in the wind.

Regardless of the Turks, regardless of Zhou Yu's personal demons, Sun Ce stared at his strategist with a calm gaze. The near future was brightening, no matter how Zhou Yu would look at it. In a few months time, there would be a new addition to the palace, and Sun Ce knew, as it was with his own son, once Zhou Yu looked upon his child for the first time, his turbulent heart would still with joy and hope. Sun Ce would bet his whole kingdom on it.

The warlord eased out of his chair and stretched, "Ahhh, I guess we should get back to the usual grind. Let's go inside."

Zhou Yu turned his head and nodded, following his friend. He stepped in front of Sun Ce and put his hand on the door, "Let's hope you can stay awake this time—"

When he opened the door, Lian Shi was right on the other side.

"Hello, lover," she immediately said in a husky voice.

Zhou Yu jerked back, a yelp of surprise dying in his throat. But Sun Ce burst out laughing.

"At least one lady is ready and willing to take the edge off you, Zhou Yu," Ce laughed and it was obvious that this was just a joke.

"Do you two enjoy torturing me so?"

Lian Shi arched a brow, her eyes glinting. She had a smart reply, "You could always return the favor. Just…be gentle."

The end came out as a breathless gasp, and Sun Ce laughed again, "Alright Lian Shi, he's learned his lesson. Get back to Quan so he can apologize to you, before he gets cold feet and locks himself in his room again."

The attractive black-haired woman bowed and left. Sun Ce turned back to his friend, but his smile turned into a frown as Zhou Yu was giving him an ice glare.

"What?"

"You need a better hobby," Zhou Yu replied bluntly.

Sun Ce rolled his eyes and let his shoulders drop, "Aw, c-come on. It was the only thing I could think of that would get you out of the bitter barn. I think I deserve a thank you."

"You can thank me when I save your ass on the next campaign."

"Yeah, yeah…" Sun Ce stepped inside the palace.

But Zhou Yu stopped himself from following his friend. He turned his head and peered down from the terrace. His gaze fell on a plum tree where Ling Tong was flirting with the Qiao sisters. The sisters were enjoying themselves as Ling Tong was trying to impress them with some story or another.

Xiao Qiao was smiling at the taller man.

Zhou Yu let his brow crease with a slight twinge of jealousy, but he rubbed it, easing the crease away.

That's when he caught Xiao Qiao's eye.

He froze, unsure whether to smile or wave or even acknowledge her presence. He waited with bated breath, posture stiff. He must've looked very unforgiving upon that terrace.

Still, because she was who she was, Xiao Qiao beamed up at him, the soft mature smile she had grown to have within the last few months.

Zhou Yu's cheeks flushed a little and his lips parted slightly in shock, but he chuckled and smiled back.

Xiao Qiao laughed lightly but turned to her sister and Ling Tong, her eyes still holding his for a blissful second longer than necessary, before giving Ling Tong her full attention.

Zhou Yu's smile didn't falter, not even when he let out a breath and his shoulders relaxed, feeling warmth filling his heart again.

Xiao Qiao's best feature was always her smile and this time Zhou Yu knew it saved him. It reassured him.

Maybe…just maybe…

Thaaaaat's it! Crappy ending, but an ending nonetheless. I'd like to take the time to thanks all of my reviewers and favoriters. You are what makes this thing possible. For those who really enjoy my writing I am currently writing Fire Winter. It's more in line with history than these, and it features several other characters from other factions. It does have some stuff about Zhou Yu and Xiao Qiao in it if that's what you are looking for so...yeah, let me know what you think.

That said, there may be a pseudo-sequel to this, but Zhou Yu and Xiao Qiao are not the main characters. It's Lu Su. We'll see how that goes.
Again, thanks and goodnight all.