Safe Harbor

The carriage jostled back and forth on the long road back to Xu Chang. The iron bars over the windows alerted the peasants that the occupant was a prisoner and Gongsun Lian could see them whispered as it past. She rested her head on the back of the carriage and sighed. She spent the last ten miles searching the carriage for a weakness, but found none. She hoped that the nest rest stop would be more agreeable for her escape.

She was thrown forward as the carriage came to a halt and the escorting soldiers began to holler. She sat up and looked out the window, not able to see much through the dust and blurs of horses. The skirmish lasted no more than a few minutes and she curiously waited for a view of the victors. She turned as the door opened and the face of a man she thought she would never see again looked at her.

“Lian?”

“Zilong?”

“Hey kid! Quit flirting!”

Zhao Yun frowned and looked over his shoulder at Zhang Fei. “I am not flirting!”

“Is it really you?” Lain stared at his boyishly handsome face and her heart fluttered. This was the man she had fallen in love with when he worked for her father.

“What are you doing here?” Yun held out his hand and she took it, her hands shackled to the floor. “What did you do?”

“I succeeded.” She smiled.

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“I can’t believe you’re still alive.” Zhao Yun admitted. “To defy Cao Cao like that…I knew you were bold but…wow.”

Lian walked her horse into the small stable and paused. “There’s a dead woman here, without an arm.”

“What?” Yun dropped the reins and rushed over. “Lord Liu Bei must be in danger!”

Lian ran after him as he raced towards the house. She followed a few steps behind him as he burst into the small structure and discovered that his Lord was just fine. In fact they all seemed to be quite happy, as they had just set down for a feast.

“My lord….”

“Zilong, don’t be rude!” Liu Bei stood and smiled apologetically to his host.

“There was a dead woman in the barn, I thought you were in danger!” Yun tried to defend his entrance.

“That was my wife.” The host said flatly and took another bite of his meal.

Lian stepped to the side and looked at the man. “You knew?”

“She’s dinner.” Zhang Fei smiled and raised a piece of meat with his chopsticks. “Tastes just like chicken.”

“What?” the combined voices of Yun and Lian asked.

“Our host has made a great sacrifice for us. Don’t insult him, sit down.” Liu Bei ordered then smiled at Lian as he remembered her face. “So good to see you again Lady Gongsun. My condolances, your father was a good friend.”

“Are you going to join us?” Guan Yu asked, taking another bite.

“I’m not hungry.” She stared at the plates and then looked at Yun, who’s mouth was still open in shock.

“I meant join of army, but it’s a shame that you’re not going to have something to eat. The flavor is incredible.”

“I was planning on it.” Lian was beginning to wonder if everything she had done was for nothing. Did she really hurt poor Cao Ren so that she could join forces with a band of cannibals?

“Excellent!” Liu Bei smiled. “I recall you and Zilong used to fight so well together. It’s truly an honor.”

“I should tend to my horse.” Lian smiled and bowed as she exited the house. She had to go to the barn and check her eyes, make sure thatreally was a dead body in the straw.

Zhao Yun ran into the barn expecting Lian to be already gone. “I know this looks bad but…”

“Zilong, you left Yuan Shao because he was a pompous ass. You left my father because he was a selfish arrogant ass. Please tell me your not serving a cannibal.”

“Lian, he’s a good man.”

“He is currently eating a woman’s arm.” She said incredulously. “How long before you go from serving him to being served?”

“These are desperate times…” Zilong sat down on a straw bale. “Please, don’t let this first impression be what makes your decision. Please stay with us. Stay with me. I know our relationship ended on bad terms, but…”

“But I ended up seeing what you did anyway. I ended up taking the cavalry from him, but it was too late. He was already undone.”

“Then trust me.” He stood and took her in his arms and kissed her.

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Gongsun Lian watched the peasants and soldiers board the boats and the sails begin to catch wind. Wei troops were approaching quickly, hoping to stop Liu Bei’s escape but Chang Ban would go down in history as a victory for Shu. Lian however still sat upon her horse on the cliff overlooking the river and made no move to join them.

“Well, well…” Cao Cao smirked as he saw who the lone warrior was. “It is a small world, isn’t it?”

Lian looked over her shoulder at him as he approached on his black steed, his cape fluttering around him. She sighed and said nothing, just watched the ships begin to float away.

Cao Cao was puzzled and moved his horse over to look at her face. “Did Liu Bei get sick of your defiant tongue and cut it out? ”

“No.” She said quietly. “He threw his kid on the ground and had a fit.”

“Excuse me?” Cao Cao wasn’t sure he heard her right, she was talking so softly.

Lian finally took her eyes off the ships and looked at the mighty ruler of Wei who she used to detest. “Zilong rescued his son, and Liu Bi threw a fit because the baby endangered his favorite soldier. He stood there horrified, but said nothing. The man who told my father he was a selfish arrogant ass who deserved to rot in hell. He stood there and then got on the damned boat.”

Cao Cao stroked his goatee. “You intended to join him all along?”

“I loved him for being so noble, for standing up to my father and leaving. For being as brave as I wanted to be. Now I find out that he’s become a lackey. Comprimising his integrity and morality to serve some cannibal who just threw his own child to the ground. How do you justify that? I’ve been a fool.”

“You were bold enough to defy me, patient enough to escape me and now courageous enough to sit here with me. You’re certainly allowed your mistakes, I certainly have mine.”

She looked at the man next to her for the first time with kind eyes. “He ate another human being. Liu Bei, he ate someone.”

“We’ll catch him eventually.” Cao Cao patted her shoulder, then turned to look at the army behind him. “Ren, perhaps you can comfort your wife while we organize a unit to pursue them.”

“Of course my lord.”

His words didn’t quite sink in as he rode away, not until a hand wrapped around hers and she looked down at the face of Cao Ren. She opened her mouth to say something but he reached up and put a finger to her lips.

“I burnt the scroll.”

“Why would you do that? I tortured you.”

“We all need to find our own path, Lian.”

“I….”

“I’m not a man who gives up. I don’t abandon what I believe in and I don’t snack on peasants.”

She let a smile form on her lips.

“You’re not her type then.” Xiahou Dun came up behind them and noticed his cousin’s reaction.

“Quit trying to protect me, Yuanrang.”

“Quit trying to save her.” Dun gave the woman a scowl as she looked to him.

“No.” Ren slapped his cousin’s leg and waved him off. “Go find something more productive to do.”

“Prepare dinner, perhaps?” Dun leaned over and patted his cousin’s helmet. “How do you like your peasant cooked? Medium rare?”

Lian’s face contorted as she thought about the brothers shoveling Lady Lo Mein into their mouths.

“Dun, that’s enough. Leave her alone. It’s been a rough day.”

“I can’t relate. I don’t think any of of my lords only to find out they like peculiar baby-tossing sports and BBQ human. Oh, wait….I have remained loyal to my lord my entire career. Weird.”

“Stop it.” Ren growled.

“It’s alright, I deserve it.” Lian admitted.

“You’ve made the right choice, that’s what is important.” Ren squeezed her hand.

“For the moment.” Dun added. “Do you want to serve Wu next week? I hear they have a Suncest festival, a whole new taboo for you to explore.”

“Dun, I said that was enough!” Ren snapped and scared his cousin’s horse.

“Fine.” Dun raised hi hands in admission of defeat. “Take your wife home and spank her for her misbehavoir, but don’t forget how quickly her alliegiances change or how easily she’s ripped you apart. Human nature is what it is, Ren. Even if you like to believe there is something worth salvaging. Just remember Lu Bu.” Dun tapped his eyepatch and slapped his cousin’s helmet once more before riding off to join the rest of the army.

“I’m sorry, Ren. You really are a good man, I am so sorry I hurt you.”

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