Spiral of Time
Chapter 3
By Yukira Tsurama
Disclaimer: The characters are not mine. They are property of Koei. All hail Koei.
Author's Notes: After a month long hiatus, I have finally gotten back on track. Three chapters in two days! This must be a record! Also, thanks for the reviews. They are my inspiration.
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Over the next few days, Da Qiao found that she could sleep more soundly. She was no longer tormented by prolonged weeping and desperate longing for her family and friends. She found her own place in this time, as it accepted her. Yet, something was still clawing at her from inside...
Sun Jian would not give up with his constant questions of "Where are you from?" and "Why won't you tell me?", and Da Qiao would only reply "I can't tell you yet.", but now, Da Qiao felt alone, yet again. She wanted to tell Sun Jian everything, but knew the consequences. And the consequences were great.
Da Qiao felt as if it were time for Sun Jian to settle down and get married; then her work would be done and she could try to find a way to get back to the future. However, it would not be easy... Sun Jian was an independent man; he could cook and clean and also earn a living. Yet Sun Jian seemed to enjoy be single, with Da Qiao in his company. But Da Qiao never knew of Sun Jian's true feelings.
You could say that Sun Jian had a slight infatuation for Da Qiao. But Da Qiao never considered this because Da Qiao, in time, would be his daughter-in-law. And as Sun Jian made his subtle advances, Da Qiao never realized what he wanted; she thought that he was just friendly. And this was eating away at Sun Jian, emotionally.
Da Qiao had started to make friends with the village women, and they told her of Lady Wu. The Lady Wu.
Lady Wu was the only daughter of Wu Feilan, a high-ranking government official. It was rumored that Lady Wu was a stunning beauty and a refined woman. But she had not found the perfect suitor...yet.
Lady Wu, in time, would also be Da Qiao's mother-in-law, just as long as Sun Jian married her.
Wu Feilan was also having a big open celebration in honor of his daughter.
-------
During dinner, Da Qiao talked excitedly about big parties, and aristocratic women, and finally Sun Jian, knowing Da Qiao's motives well, asked about what she was hinting at.
"You know who Lady Wu is, right?"
Sun Jian was dumbfounded. "Huh? Oh! You mean Wu Feilan's daughter?"
"Yes. She's having a banquet." Da Qiao smiled at Sun Jian, waiting expectantly for an answer.
"So...?"
Da Qiao frowned and tried again. "Lady Wu is a very beautiful and sophisticated woman."
"So...?"
"Perhaps we should go! I'd like you to meet her."
Sun Jian scoffed, "I've heard about her. She's a snob lacking in character. She's also ugly."
Da Qiao gasped, taken aback. "And you believe that?"
"Yes."
Da Qiao sighed annoyingly... "Well, can we go?"
"If you want to." Sun Jian shrugged, showing that he had no interest in Lady Wu's party.
----------
Finally, it was the day of the celebration.
Da Qiao, clad in a pink cheongsam, kept hurrying Sun Jian, who wanted to arrive in his sleeping garments.
"Could you dress up a little bit?" she pleaded.
"I don't want to go..." he whined.
"You said you would."
After more pleading and whining, Sun Jian finally changed into a gray silk robe.
"That is better..." said Da Qiao through clenched teeth. "...somewhat..."
------
They arrived at the party a bit early. Sun Jian had his arm draped around Da Qiao, but she scowled at him.
"Take your arm off; they'll think we're married." Hissed Da Qiao.
Sun Jian reluctantly did as told, yet complained. "We have lived together so long; we might as well be."
"Don't say such things."
A tall, slender woman wearing a silver and blue dress walked toward Sun Jian.
"It's her..." Sun Jian muttered to Da Qiao silently.
Lady Wu smiled at both of them, but it wasn't a genuine smile. "A fake smile," thought Da Qiao.
"Is this your father?" she asked.
Da Qiao seemed stunned for a moment; (how could Sun Jian be her father?) but answered. "No...this is my uncle."
"Your uncle is a handsome man." She remarked in a flirty way.
Sun Jian frowned, but Lady Wu just kept sending little smirks his way.
"I've been looking for a spouse..." Lady Wu's voice trailed off...
Da Qiao beamed. "Then you're looking at the right man!"
Lady Wu laughed in a coy way, then fixed her attention on Da Qiao. "So you are the new beauty of Qing village?"
"Huh?" Da Qiao was confused.
"People talk about you all the time." Lady Wu started. "They say you are a true beauty."
"Thank you."
"Of course, I didn't say so." Lady Wu's eyes narrowed to tiny dark slits.
Sun Jian pulled Da Qiao away from Lady Wu and spoke to her quietly in the corner.
"I told you she was no good! She's a snob, a bully, and a slut!"
Da Qiao seemed flustered. "Don't you think she's beautiful?"
"No!"
Da Qiao tried to say what she'd been suggesting this whole time. "I think that you'd be better off marrying her."
"Forget it; let's go."
And so the couple left the party just as people started arriving.
------
After bathing, Da Qiao slipped on her clothes and found Sun Jian looking heartbroken in the main room.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"How can you be so blind?"
"Did...did Lady Wu do something to you? Are you okay?"
Sun Jian exploded. "You haven't noticed this whole time?"
Da Qiao remained silent.
"For what seemed like forever, you've been trying to force me into a marriage that I don't want to be in!"
"Why won't you give Lady Wu a chance?"
Sun Jian just got angrier. "I don't want to marry her!"
"Then who do you want to marry?"
"...you..."
Da Qiao sat down next to Sun Jian, grasping his hand tightly.
"That can't happen."
"Why?"
Da Qiao started off slowly... "I...I never told you where I'm from. You see, I am from Qing village, just twenty five years into the future."
"You're from...the future? How?"
Da Qiao tried again. "It's not important how I got here."
"Why won't you accept my feelings for you?"
"Because I'm your daughter-in-law!"
Sun Jian was disturbed by this. "What?"
"In the future, you marry Lady Wu, and you have three children! I am the wife of your eldest son...Sun Ce."
"You're here. What happened in the future hasn't happened yet. We can change fate--"
Da Qiao was angry. "I don't want to change fate! I loved Sun Ce...I loved him very much." Da Qiao started sobbing. "I wanted to go to the past to make things right...so he wouldn't die."
It was silent for a moment, then Sun Jian spoke. "If you are from the future, then I want to know everything that you know."
Da Qiao then began to tell him the things that she swore she'd never tell.
-------
Review please. Thank you for reading!
Chapter 3
By Yukira Tsurama
Disclaimer: The characters are not mine. They are property of Koei. All hail Koei.
Author's Notes: After a month long hiatus, I have finally gotten back on track. Three chapters in two days! This must be a record! Also, thanks for the reviews. They are my inspiration.
--------
Over the next few days, Da Qiao found that she could sleep more soundly. She was no longer tormented by prolonged weeping and desperate longing for her family and friends. She found her own place in this time, as it accepted her. Yet, something was still clawing at her from inside...
Sun Jian would not give up with his constant questions of "Where are you from?" and "Why won't you tell me?", and Da Qiao would only reply "I can't tell you yet.", but now, Da Qiao felt alone, yet again. She wanted to tell Sun Jian everything, but knew the consequences. And the consequences were great.
Da Qiao felt as if it were time for Sun Jian to settle down and get married; then her work would be done and she could try to find a way to get back to the future. However, it would not be easy... Sun Jian was an independent man; he could cook and clean and also earn a living. Yet Sun Jian seemed to enjoy be single, with Da Qiao in his company. But Da Qiao never knew of Sun Jian's true feelings.
You could say that Sun Jian had a slight infatuation for Da Qiao. But Da Qiao never considered this because Da Qiao, in time, would be his daughter-in-law. And as Sun Jian made his subtle advances, Da Qiao never realized what he wanted; she thought that he was just friendly. And this was eating away at Sun Jian, emotionally.
Da Qiao had started to make friends with the village women, and they told her of Lady Wu. The Lady Wu.
Lady Wu was the only daughter of Wu Feilan, a high-ranking government official. It was rumored that Lady Wu was a stunning beauty and a refined woman. But she had not found the perfect suitor...yet.
Lady Wu, in time, would also be Da Qiao's mother-in-law, just as long as Sun Jian married her.
Wu Feilan was also having a big open celebration in honor of his daughter.
-------
During dinner, Da Qiao talked excitedly about big parties, and aristocratic women, and finally Sun Jian, knowing Da Qiao's motives well, asked about what she was hinting at.
"You know who Lady Wu is, right?"
Sun Jian was dumbfounded. "Huh? Oh! You mean Wu Feilan's daughter?"
"Yes. She's having a banquet." Da Qiao smiled at Sun Jian, waiting expectantly for an answer.
"So...?"
Da Qiao frowned and tried again. "Lady Wu is a very beautiful and sophisticated woman."
"So...?"
"Perhaps we should go! I'd like you to meet her."
Sun Jian scoffed, "I've heard about her. She's a snob lacking in character. She's also ugly."
Da Qiao gasped, taken aback. "And you believe that?"
"Yes."
Da Qiao sighed annoyingly... "Well, can we go?"
"If you want to." Sun Jian shrugged, showing that he had no interest in Lady Wu's party.
----------
Finally, it was the day of the celebration.
Da Qiao, clad in a pink cheongsam, kept hurrying Sun Jian, who wanted to arrive in his sleeping garments.
"Could you dress up a little bit?" she pleaded.
"I don't want to go..." he whined.
"You said you would."
After more pleading and whining, Sun Jian finally changed into a gray silk robe.
"That is better..." said Da Qiao through clenched teeth. "...somewhat..."
------
They arrived at the party a bit early. Sun Jian had his arm draped around Da Qiao, but she scowled at him.
"Take your arm off; they'll think we're married." Hissed Da Qiao.
Sun Jian reluctantly did as told, yet complained. "We have lived together so long; we might as well be."
"Don't say such things."
A tall, slender woman wearing a silver and blue dress walked toward Sun Jian.
"It's her..." Sun Jian muttered to Da Qiao silently.
Lady Wu smiled at both of them, but it wasn't a genuine smile. "A fake smile," thought Da Qiao.
"Is this your father?" she asked.
Da Qiao seemed stunned for a moment; (how could Sun Jian be her father?) but answered. "No...this is my uncle."
"Your uncle is a handsome man." She remarked in a flirty way.
Sun Jian frowned, but Lady Wu just kept sending little smirks his way.
"I've been looking for a spouse..." Lady Wu's voice trailed off...
Da Qiao beamed. "Then you're looking at the right man!"
Lady Wu laughed in a coy way, then fixed her attention on Da Qiao. "So you are the new beauty of Qing village?"
"Huh?" Da Qiao was confused.
"People talk about you all the time." Lady Wu started. "They say you are a true beauty."
"Thank you."
"Of course, I didn't say so." Lady Wu's eyes narrowed to tiny dark slits.
Sun Jian pulled Da Qiao away from Lady Wu and spoke to her quietly in the corner.
"I told you she was no good! She's a snob, a bully, and a slut!"
Da Qiao seemed flustered. "Don't you think she's beautiful?"
"No!"
Da Qiao tried to say what she'd been suggesting this whole time. "I think that you'd be better off marrying her."
"Forget it; let's go."
And so the couple left the party just as people started arriving.
------
After bathing, Da Qiao slipped on her clothes and found Sun Jian looking heartbroken in the main room.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"How can you be so blind?"
"Did...did Lady Wu do something to you? Are you okay?"
Sun Jian exploded. "You haven't noticed this whole time?"
Da Qiao remained silent.
"For what seemed like forever, you've been trying to force me into a marriage that I don't want to be in!"
"Why won't you give Lady Wu a chance?"
Sun Jian just got angrier. "I don't want to marry her!"
"Then who do you want to marry?"
"...you..."
Da Qiao sat down next to Sun Jian, grasping his hand tightly.
"That can't happen."
"Why?"
Da Qiao started off slowly... "I...I never told you where I'm from. You see, I am from Qing village, just twenty five years into the future."
"You're from...the future? How?"
Da Qiao tried again. "It's not important how I got here."
"Why won't you accept my feelings for you?"
"Because I'm your daughter-in-law!"
Sun Jian was disturbed by this. "What?"
"In the future, you marry Lady Wu, and you have three children! I am the wife of your eldest son...Sun Ce."
"You're here. What happened in the future hasn't happened yet. We can change fate--"
Da Qiao was angry. "I don't want to change fate! I loved Sun Ce...I loved him very much." Da Qiao started sobbing. "I wanted to go to the past to make things right...so he wouldn't die."
It was silent for a moment, then Sun Jian spoke. "If you are from the future, then I want to know everything that you know."
Da Qiao then began to tell him the things that she swore she'd never tell.
-------
Review please. Thank you for reading!