A Lost Soul [Liu Bei, Open]

[Adam]

Her eyes were finally at peace, the clouds of depression, stress and worry had faded in the many months since she had fled Xu Chang. Her journey had to be stopped on many occasions and it was even more complicated to take into account her constant thoughts of returning to Wu. There was something pulling her heart back to her rightful home, but at the same time the memory of Zhang Liao and what her brother had done, pulled her in the opposite direction; that direction just happened to be Shu. A lot had happened since Xu Chang; Zhang Liao had died, she had been thrown to the dogs by her brother and she had a son along the way. She'd done it all by taking on a different name, bluffing or cheating her way to money and securing ways to travel to move on. Never had she been so cunning, never so reliant on her initiative, but she had made it, she had made it to Cheng Du. The Inn was nice enough where she stayed and so far no one had even the faintest clue she was there. To those who asked she was Zhen Luo, the wife of an important politician from Yong An and she was there in Cheng Du as her husband attended business. Not once did the owner of the Inn see this husband, nor did he bother to enquire. "...and you're sure you don't mind looking after him? I promise I won't be gone too long." "Not at all, I love kids." The Inn keepers wife responded with a smile and took the child from her arms and that was that. A thank you and the sound of her footsteps leaving was all Shang Xiang left the Inn as she headed for the only friend she possible had in the hell hole she called Shu; a hellhole purely because of her former experience there. All she could do was pray they did not remember her face and that Liu Bei still held kind feelings towards her. It was not a long walk by any stretch of the imagination and her eyes turned at every corner she remembered, every blade of grass she had crossed, each and every person in the market she may have seen, all in an effort to refamiliarise herself. Whilst she doubted her longterm stay in Shu, she still wanted to be at ease there. Soon her eyes glanced over the grand palace that stood as the brightest star in the wonderful city, she smiled at the sight, remembering good times, before she walked up the steps. "Sorry miss, do you have a reason to be here?" A guard enquired and a sharp Lady Sun responded with confidence and experience. "Two days in a row? I don't think so. I'm a maid of our Lord... Jeez, do you guys ever remember?" She sighed and barged past the guards as easy as she'd have ever liked. She never looked back and confidently continued down the halls. It was finally in the main meeting hall where she snuck in and stuck by some other attendants and she waited. She waited for Liu Bei to notice the newcomer, to notice who it was and then she's put her finger to her mouth with big eyes, showing the concern that still delved in her soul. She needed guidance, she needed a friend and that should be coming out through her face; he knew her better than most, if not all.

[{poisoned} Liu Bei]

(Sorry for late reply. Was real busy lately).

Liu Bei was in a court session with the rest of the regular officials and attendants. He had already sent off Fang Dao to Han Zhong, and Zhuge Liang was at Xin Ye for an inspection. The rest of the people who remained in Cheng Du were generic people; of course they had a purpose in keeping the country running, but they neither stood out or were real important on their own.

All of that changed however, when Xuande noticed a particular lady who had carefully crept into the audience hall. He didn't quite stare at her, so as not to draw attention, but he waited for the officials to finish their petitions at the court. Most were easily dealt with by people whom he had set up for delegation, so Liu Bei did not really have to speak, and his being there was just a formality.

Thankfully they did not ask for much, and soon the officials all left from the audience chamber once Liu Bei had raised his hand to dismiss them. Only a couple of attendants remained, but Bei had waved them away as well. Too many people wished to pry into his thoughts, and he wanted to go to his home and relax. However he looked to where the woman had stood when she came in, and he noticed she was still there.

He partially recognized her face, though he truly was unsure of who she was. She obviously wanted something for the fact that she still remained in the hall, so he stood up from his throne and calmly walked towards her. As he got closer, he began to recognize facial features that he had known in the past, and he realized who it was; his former wife.

Hastening his steps, he came beside her, and said, "Shang Xiang... I... I haven't... It's been a long time since I last saw you..." He tried to recall the day she left Shu. The details were very blurry for him, likely due to the illness that he was plagued with. It clouded his memories. But he continued and said, "Come, we'll go somewhere that we can speak freely." He looked over his shoulders, "This area is too common and too frequently traversed. I'd rather not be interrupted if we don't have to be."

He quickly walked towards a side room that was frequently unused by any of the courtiers, and simply served as a kind of entertaining room. Xuande figured that nobody should really have any use for such a place. He held the door open for Shang Xiang, and then followed her in. Motioning for her to sit down, and then as a proper host waited for her to speak first.

[Adam]

It was a strange one, she'd lived there for some time previously, she should know the halls, the doors, everything really, but it felt like she didn't. Her eyes scanned each and every place she thought she knew, but there was always something that confused her or made her think twice. As she was led by Liu Bei she realised just how alienated she had been. Finally they reached their destination and Shang Xiang was ushered towards seating. It was a fine room, as one would expect from the grand palace it was stationed without, and still she felt like she hadn't been within at any previous time. Her eyes loomed upwards to Xuande, as she thought of what to say first, realising she was expected to speak her first words to her former husband for some time. Her heart rate increased and her fingers lightly rubbed at her arms as they crossed. It was all a sign of her sudden realisation of where she was, and what was likely expected of her. She had given little answer to why she decided to leave Shu that long time ago, she failed to respond to his letters and whenever there was an envoy of Shu, she did not appear present in the palace of Jian Ye. How could one expect help and counsel when she was such a stranger to him. "I..." She tried to start her words, but realised she had no plans on what to say. She halted her sentence before it had even truly begun, again trying to compose herself. Instead of thinking however, she remembered, she remembered that last moment before she left. Her eyes were flooded with tears as she claimed she no longer loved him, that she would return to Wu and they would never see each other again. She watched his heartbreak, as so did hers, but she had been forced to say those things, blackmailed by Xuande's own close advisors. Xiang hadn't even realised her eyes had begun watering as she returned from her memory and then the words automatically seemed to seap out. "I'm so sorry for what I did, what I said, what I didn't do. I do not deserve your kindness or ears." Her heart hurt as she started to cry and shield her face. The heartbreak at the loss of Zhang Liao, coupled with the resurfacing emotions of her love previous to Wenyuan. She was there for reasons other than forgiveness, but instead her presence eluded otherwise. However had Liu Bei heard the rumours of her death at the hands of Wei? Had he even heard she was captured by Wei? What did he know and just how much would he wonder about her?.